Where can I find the "How Not to Write a Sucky Blog" manual?

So far, I have established my belief that blogs are a legitimate literary medium, insomuch that they can be criticized. Yes, any high-schooler or hack critic can read a blog and form an opinion; it’s even better when said reader comments on the blog. But just like any other medium, comments such as “UR BLOG SUX” aren’t helpful. Instead, we need to consider criticism that is constructive.

However, finding such criticism proved to be a challenge. Amazon.com sells no “How Not to Write a Sucky Blog” or “The Post-Modern Approach to the Autobiography-in-Process, a.k.a. the Blog.” With tools such as these, writing a blog may be easier… that is, if you care enough to read something (after all, how many writers read about writing fiction? I read “In Defense of Poesy” only because I had to). Nevertheless, there are many books on blogging, such as those that can help you understand what a blog is, or how it can grow your business (sidenote: doesn’t “Grow your…” sound pretentious?). But do any of these books really criticize the blog as they should? Glancing at titles and descriptions, I think the answer is no (but then again, I can’t afford to purchase all of these books, or call in sick to find the time to read them).

We now turn to a column criticizing the blog: Zoe Williams wrote in New Statesman that blogs are nothing more than “vanity publishing.” She derides the medium because there are some pretty ugly blogs out there. But she doesn’t stop to ask, “Is The Widdy Web the only type of blog on the planet?” If she had, perhaps she wouldn’t have formed such a harsh opinion, that blogs are “the diaries of nobodies.” Perhaps she was being sarcastic… but I didn’t pick up on it. Next time, we’ll have to look at what differentiates the blog from a personal diary (or a column…) and consider some blogs that simply rock at what they’re trying to rock at.