Oh no, here it comes, the inevitable urge to clack away at one’s website, adding incrementally to its once lean frame until it’s bloated text-carcass grows to resemble something the size and shape of a Tatooine crime lord. I’m feeling an undeniable need to add ‘content,’ no matter how vacuous or self-serving. To — dare I say it — blog. I thought I was stronger than that, or could at least pretend to be, but the supposed benefits of blogging are just too much to overlook. Think of the attention you’ll get, the little e-devil on my shoulder says, think of the legions of readers who will flock to your quirky, yet nicely-rendered little opinion pieces, he lies in my ear. You gotta have content, he says, this is web 2.0 man, quit playing with your transistor radio and betamax and get with the program.
So starting next week, and roughly every week thereafter, I’ll be putting a book review up on this very site. Not a critique, nothing learned or profound, but an hors d’oeuvre, something designed to whet your appetite and get you interested in a book I like. That means no bad reviews, no scathing torrents of excoriating prose with the purpose of feathering this young turk’s hat. Oh no, I don’t finish reading bad books, and I can’t imagine wasting time writing about them. So it’ll be a big love fest around here every week, something like a virtual Woodstock with the smell of patchouli and unwashed twenty-somethings replaced by the musk and moulder of second-hand books, or the sweet inky rush of a brand new printing.
Plus, my little e-devil tells me, this will be the perfect excuse to procrastinate instead of doing real writing.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Looking forward to it! Will you posting ‘Buy it Now’ links for books that you review? Also I have ten other questions.
Sure, I’ll provide links. You may ask six more questions, and after that I’ll start charging.
And thanks for the interest in the project Nathan.
I like your philosophy on reviews, Bill. And on procrastination.
Just so you know, I plan on writing reviews of your reviews, including in-depth analyses and critiques to balance out your endless positivity. Be ready….
Just so long as you prepare yourself for my inevitable counter-review of your review!
Bill, you never cease to impress me with your ready wit, quick mind, and evil presence. Seriously, this post is a terrific description of what’s to come and why. Could not have been better. I’d suggest perhaps tossing it up in the sidebar in some sort of a permanent manner (like that von Darkmoor guy did) for reader ready reference.
I look forward to reading your love-fests, Nik’s critiques of them, and your rebuttals. Oh, mind upgrading your von D link to http://www.hvond.wordpress.com now – the new, improved home of von Darkmooring excellence.