Devoted to publishing, publishers and to those who craft the written word

"I don't think it's impossible for bloggers to write intelligent reviews. I do think, however, that a simple 'love' of reading (or movie-going or whatever) is an insufficient qualification for the job. That way often leads to cultishness (see the currently inflated reputations of Philip K. Dick or Cornell Woolrich, both easy reads for lazy, word-addicted minds)."

That's critic Richard Schickel launching the latest blustery attack against new media writers.

In 20 years these arguments will seem quaint and silly. Blogs are a publishing tool, and bloggers are people who have mastered this tool. Beyond that, it is impossible to generalize about what "bloggers" are capable of achieving.

The art of writing is evolving along with new media, and curmudgeons like Schickel can't stop it. More importantly, fledgling writers like us have to deal with the new it for the rest of our careers.

That's why I'm speaking with Robert Boynton this week. My old journalism professor (author of The New New Journalism, where veteran writers share journalism tips) isn't sitting around bemoaning these changes. He's actually teaching a new generation of journalists how to cope.

Welcome to my deceptively simple feature, Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web publishing.

Jason Boog: 
With the rapid pace of new media, I think revision is a fading art. With blogs you write more and more, without thinking so much about what you wrote. What are your favorite techniques for revision? How can fledgling journalists improve their revision toolkit? Continue reading...

Robert Boynton:
I agree with you about the "death of revision" (hmmm, maybe I'll write an essay about that... some freelance habits die hard). I realized after a few years of teaching that my students simply didn't believe that I went through anywhere from five to twenty drafts on a piece.