16 November 2008

where did the writers go?

Anyone else notice how it seems as though a great many more blogs have dried up?

The term "blogosphere" used to refer to something relevant and interesting. Now it seems like an archaeological expression to describe a now-extinct group of tenuously connected writers and blogs. Where I used to be able to hop online and find 15 or 20 interesting screenwriting related blogs to look at, now I can count the number of actively updated such critters on the fingers of Albanian hand. IOW, maybe 6 or 7, tops.

Looking at Zoetrope (which takes an effort and a strong stomach...) I see there are now something like 50 scripts up for reads, where two years ago I remember people complaining when there for "just" 150 such options.

The Nicholl Fellowships seem to have peaked at 6400 or so entries three years back, but recent extries topped about around 5200 or so -- 20% drop in three years.

Now, surely this is not all bad news -- there was always a lot of chaff and crap mixed in with the decent writers, and losing some of the weedy undergrowth just gives more room and opportunity to those who remain (or survive) -- but it's a creepy feeling to go online and find so many sites with tumbleweeds where there used to be bustle. Emptiness where there once was excitement.

Who's still going strong out there? Give me some suggestions, people. It might be nice on occasion to see someone else still loin-girded and battle-dressed, ready willing and intent on marching triumphant through the gates at some point.

Cuz right now it's starting to feel really quiet and lonely.
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B

18 comments:

marcoguarda said...

I couldn't find your name in the members' list at:

http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/boards/

But, maybe you're using an alias.


M.

aggiebrett said...

I recall looking at the boards there a long time ago and feeling unmoved to join.

But that's not what I am talking about: I am not lamenting a lack of places to sign up, but rather the dearth of comments and posts on those sites where for years such seemed available. It's like there's some great spigot that is slowly being turned shut: blogs, boards, chatrooms, everywhere... perhaps it's a combination of the latest boom phase in the writing chase winding down just as the new ears off the blogosphere rose and the economy goes into the crapper and kills off a lot of the low-end market.

Or maybe I'm just a damned pariah.
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Christina said...

I just read a bunch of scripts (250) for a major screenwriting contest and I still have the headache to prove it. If there's a dwindling of interest in writing screenplays, it can only be a good thing after what I witnessed.

I took down my blog over the summer because I felt like it'd run its course. I blogged for 6-7 years.

Emily Blake said...

I'm still going.

But you're right. I have a policy that if you don't post for a month I remove you from my links list, and I'm deleting people all the time.

Anonymous said...

Hey Emily, how do you explain my removal then? I never went anywhere...

Eddie M said...

You are correct, Brett. I used to write a page or two, then check around the blogosphere for a break, and then go back to writing. The drought seemed to coincide with the strike by my account. Or maybe people just grew tired of all the memes.

E.C. Henry said...

I think blogging is falling out of vogue, Brett. But I'm with ya, it does seam like the ranks are thinning.

One of the best content sites going right now is Scott Myers, "Going Into the Story" blog spot. Scott posts A LOT. He is a writer with credits. AND he's a nice guy. If I was gay I'd be all over that guy. (joke) But do check him out.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

wcmartell said...

I'm killing them one-by-one so that my blog will *rule* and I will sell more scripts!

- Bill The Maniac

aggiebrett said...

You blog, Bill?

Cool!
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=8^p

MoviePen said...

I'm starting to prefer the quick updates via Twitter and Facebook. I can look at them in a couple of minutes, get an idea of the state of folks' minds, and still stay in touch.

The blogs I read when I have time to sit down and digest them. The ones I write I only write when I think I have something interesting to say. These days, "wrote more" or "procrastinated yet again" just isn't that interesting any more.

Ryan Rasmussen said...

Baby.

But fear not, Girded One, you are far from alone.

Chesher Cat said...

I've been busy...

...and sick.

But I will be posting something very interesting in the next couple of days. With pictures.

As soon as the hacking subsides.

Hi Bill.

Hi Ryan.

Hi E.C.

Hi Emily.

Hi Quill.

Hi Everyone.

Emily Blake said...

Oh yeah, Moviequill I think you fell off my list when I did the redesign. It was an accident. I'm about to do another sweep of my links list so I'll throw you back on.

MaryAn Batchellor said...

I actually think this is a very good thing. I'm somewhat tired of every person with a keyboard thinking that qualifies them to write. I know, arrogant of me. What makes me think I'm better than that? I don't. But I'd like there to be fewer of me.

Anonymous said...

"twittering is not bloggering", but the only differences I see are that with Twitter you have space limitations and nobody reads blog anymore -- apparently

aggiebrett said...

Twitter is fine for giving pointless status updates, but it's not writing. It's not exploration of a theme, nor analysis of some other work, nor is it a request for input or advice or ideas. It is entirely a self-absorbed sort of expression-- *I* did this... *I* did that... *I* am whining about so such and such inanity -- which is fine and fun pretty much harmless (within reason).

And the reason people are not reading blogs (IMO) is because so few blogs are being written anymore. We're all twittering and offering witty (sic) facebook status updates and chat auto-responses. I just wonder what happened that so many of the interesting writers decided to pack it in at roughly the same point.
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Grubber said...

I would fall squarely in that category of fallen by the wayside blogwise. Something had to give this year.

Work became frantic, then promotion, no replacement for a few months so doing two jobs, parents splitting, kids growing, and lumps growing where they shouldn't, all combined to whack 2008 into category of "a year I got through".

What little time I have had has been spent on the scripts rather than blogging. I used to read quite a number regularly but am now down to a hardcore lot.

I am planning to start again over my Xmas break all going well.
cheers
Dave

Konrad West said...

I wonder whether all those lost will return, or their blogs were just phases in their lives.

I took a short break that ended up as two years, but now I've got the time and inclination to start up again, though perhaps with a slightly different focus.

Hmm, I miss that old community...