---
title: "Reading Blogs versus Reading Traditional Print Media"
date: 2007-01-19
description: "$( document ).ready(function() { // Handler for .ready() called. $("
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2007/01/19/reading-blogs-versus-reading-traditional-print-media/
---
# Reading Blogs versus Reading Traditional Print Media
With Intercom, I first read [Keith Hoffman's Web 2.0 article](http://stc.org/intercom/PDFs/2007/200701_4-7.pdf). It was an informative read, but I felt myself wanting to make a little comment at the end of the article. Something like, hey Keith, it's good ground you cover, but can you tie it back to technical writing more?

I then read [my own article on podcasting](http://stc.org/intercom/PDFs/2007/200701_12-16.pdf). I realized I'd done the same thing -- left out the topic of technical writing. Still, I liked the way I interwove the quotes into my article. Can you believe that 90% of those quotes came from podcasts I'd listened to while driving or working out?

I kept reading, including Neil Perlin's [article on how writing is becoming industrial](http://stc.org/intercom/PDFs/2007/200701_17-19.pdf) (still not sure about that title), but I soon found that reading traditional print media is a bit boring, basically because there is no interaction with the material. Also, the content is very professional, which leaves the tone and structure a bit dry. Much of the writing in print magazines almost seems like I'm reading a report rather than a personal essay.

Compare this experience with reading blogs via [Newsgator](http://www.newsgator.com), an online service that compiles and sorts blogs I subscribe to. I have at least two dozen technical writing blogs that I track. Newsgator can allow me to read them one by one, or compiled and with the posts sorted by date.

![newsgator](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/newsgator2.gif)

After reading Sarah O'Keefe's [Palimpsest blog](http://www.scriptorium.com/palimpsest/index.html), I see a link to Monkey PI and read his/her blog (the author is anonymous). After reading the [Monkey PI article](http://monkeypi.net/)on RoboHelp, I leave a little comment. Then I move over to [Bill Swallow's blog](https://techcommdood.blogspot.com/2007/01/robohelp-6-is-available-again.html), and find that he has mentioned a comment I left on the Char's [Helpstuff blog](http://www.helpstuff.com/blog/)about my wanting to interview a SME on RoboHelp for Tech Writer Voices.