Ever been looking for something but can’t put your finger on it? That’s how I’ve been feeling for the last several days in regards what I want my blog to be like. Over the last four months, I have been trying to turn Syntaxi into something that would give me an outlet for my writings on films, music, books, and entertainment items in general. The frustrating thing has been realizing that I am not that interested in writing traditional reviews. In fact the posts I’ve liked the most are the ones I have not really planned. So that was surprise since I started Syntaxi as a place to get me out of the thing I call the Amazon review loop. Like a lot of people when I come across something I like I want to share it. And my blog was supposed to let me do that.
A further wrinkle in my dilemma was discovering that there are elements to writing a blog which are different from just posting a 300 word review to a commerce site. Who am I writing to? The person looking for something new or someone who already knows about the item in question? I live in a college town in central PA where most folks are not familiar with the items and personalities that rock my little world. I have been digging into things off the radar, tributaries off the mainstream, since 1988.That’s twenty years folks. SO trying to play catch up with me is not easy even if I give you a leg up. And to be honest, I don’t have the drive that I had when I was twentysomething to help the “un-clued” get to where I am. Not that I don’t want that but I am 50% too lazy and 50% too busy to take that task on. I have to “fess” up to this fact. So what’s my angle here? I certainly want to express the elation that my favorite things give me but how can I do that without coming off like a tastemaker?
And then there is another side to my blogging life. The time it takes to do this. I need to streamline this process. The workflow has been real sluggish after that initial giddiness that you get when you realize “Hey I am actually doing this”! Several of posts have been driven by this need just to keep it going. Some good, some just sorta there but the self imposed deadline has been a real driver. I finally broke down, got firefox 3.0 and some blogging tools to speed up the whole thing. Granted I need to realize what these new tools can do for me but I am on my way. It’s going to take time but it is pointing me in certain directions.
When you add all this up, it points towards a change. An element that I have noticed from all that I’ve done so far is that I need take into account how I view the internet. Posts like this one will turn off a lot of casual browsers. Reading on the computer is different from reading from the printed page and I need to pay attention to this. Not to that it is going to stop me from expressing what I need to. Still after I do this groundwork posts have to be more streamlined. I am not going to become a booster of the ADD society we are turning into. I want for what I do to have content not be soundbites or web blips that pass away into blink and you missed it entertainment. I am still a bit of idealist. I still believe if you are for real that people will take the time.
So let’s review. Less amateur criticism more impressions. A stronger focus which allows for a more casual approach. A better sense of the tendencies of the internet. A framework which allow me to post more without taxing my schedule.
So Syntaxi is coming to an end and being replaced with a new blog that I am calling The Synesthetic Fugue Incident . The mission will be to explore a specific network of influences and how they mesh with my life as a creative person. It is about this open ended search for things that inspire, engage, and give insight. Well for me. Hopefully they will do the same for you.
Tags: amazon review loop, development, plans
