Last night at a panel discussion on the subject of food blogs, Ed Levine spoke at some length about how blogs have given a voice to members of the public. For a long time, Levine said, news was delivered to people, putting them into the role of recipients. However, blogs offer interaction and interactivity with many people beyond only reporters. They place a value on the opinions and abilities of those who read, receive and process news and advances.
The rest of the panel agreed with Levine's assessment that mainstream media sources have begun to adapt to this new model, especially in the field of food writing and culinary guidance. Levine's blog, probably better described as a communal project, is the clearest evidence that we're headed in that direction. His blog brings in over a million unique visitors each month. Levine may be the exception to the bloggers' rule, however, as he started his blog with the intent to make it a full-time business venture from the start.
Beneath Levine's success and prominence in the culinary world are some questions about foodies - and bloggers in general - who write for reasons other than to find a means to support themselves. Panelist Lisa Fain started her blog several years ago but only recently began getting paid for it after she joined a bloggers' network to produce some revenue through advertisements on her site. Even now, she says that it's a small profit that pales in comparison to the amount of time she invests in her posts about cooking and photography.
Fain began her blog when she recognized that there really wasn't anyone writing about or covering the foods that interested her. Moreover, she said that upon relocating to New York City, she couldn't find a restaurant that featured good cooking of her favorite, traditional Texan dishes. So, for Fain, the blog was an opportunity to educate her peers about a cooking style and tradition that otherwise wouldn't have been rightfully well represented in the culinary list of blogs.
One piece of advice Fain imparted to her audience of mostly young, aspiring writers was to pick a topic to cover and to focus on that. She stressed that the topic should be something that you're passionate about, and your active pursuit to learn more should be reflected in your writing. As I listened to this advice, I realized that that is exactly what makes for a blog's success or failure..
The writer needs to be obsessed with the subject in a way that makes his or her readers want to keep reading. Blogs are as much about the content they present as they are about demonstrating a developing and existing relationship between the writer and his or her preferred beat. When bloggers are capable of conveying a convincing and engrossed voice, their readership and popularity will grow exponentially.
It's interesting to contrast this current reality with where things were shaping up when blogs first started to emerge. As the word "blog" entered our cultural vocabulary, the medium was largely perceived as a chance for narcissists to write about themselves and their daily lives. As if people really cared to read about others' minutia. Sure, there are still some of those blogs around today, but a majority of the blogs that have thrived are centered around a core topic, not around a self-narrating figure. Personal stories do make a difference at times, but only in context and relevance to the central, featured topic that the blog covers.
Once you have that in mind, it's not surprising that Fain's blog has achieved more success than even the writer imagined possible. Her blog covers only a minuscule portion of what Levine's does, yet she is considered part of the same high-level food blogging community. And that's a strength that old forms of media can never offer, even through allowing comments on their stories and citizen journalist reports. You see, the bloggers who participated on the panel last evening are in different stratospheres in the blogosophere, judging exclusively but their clicks per month and ad sales. Still, they are all united through their common interests and pursuits; they treat each other as equal members of the same community.
For a long time, the Internet has offered a plethora of options to allow users to engage in conversations with their like-minded peers. Message boards, for instance, have long led to valuable discussion and helpful advice. Now we are taking that connectivity a step further. I see how those interested in niche topics are brought together through one communal voice fueled by respect, support and adoration. That's particularly amazing when you consider how many people are actually talking at once.