Another little poll

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

This one isn't for work!

[Poll #945719]

I'm using "MP3" to mean any kind of downloadable audio format. Also, there is a fifth question, which needs more than a text box probably, and it is this: What if anything changes in your writing when your readers can hear the subject of it immediately?

Comments

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I think I should have titled the questions "What's good about the good ones?" and "What's bad about the bad ones?"

I wd rly like answers to the qn in italics!

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

i think you should ask this on ILM

[pot80.livejournal.com]

What if anything changes in your writing when your readers can hear the subject of it immediately?

You know, I don't know if I have the frame of reference to answer this well. I've been working in that template for a really long time, and basically learned how to be a music critic within that format. When I'm writing regular reviews for other publications, I think I just assume less about the audience knows, but that's more to do with who I think my audience is -- ie, people who already know a lot, and I can get away with being a bit obscure or informal because most people will be on the same page, or at least in the same chapter.

[pot80.livejournal.com]

Well, actually here's one idea -- I think when the song is right there and can be downloaded, you are acting as more of a salesperson in that you're trying to convince the reader to go through the effort of downloading and listening to it. The writing has to be more persuasive, maybe.

[blue-russian.livejournal.com]

The other aspect about this is that no one is ever going to post an mp3 of something they don't like.

Plus if, the song is not right there to be downloaded, if the author actually likes it, wouldn't they try to sell it harder. It's much more effect to go find the song/album (or even gasp! go out and buy it) than simply right click.

[pot80.livejournal.com]

That's mostly true. Sometimes I put up stuff I just barely like because I want to write about it (for example, that post I did about Bright Eyes a month ago), and there have been other times when I'd damned interesting things with faint praise. I'm probably not super representative though. Lord knows a majority of my blogging peers have no interest in writing, much less writing critically.

[koganbot]

I assumed without thinking that mp3 blog meant "free and usually illegal downloads" so would exclude Matt's blog and also would exclude stuff like Paper Thin Walls which has downloads (legal) with every track but has staff and editing and pays its writers so feels more like a magazine than a blog (though maybe that's barely a difference anymore, and Stylus Jukebox is now calling itself a blog though for practical purposes it's part of an online mag, and it doesn't provide mp3s but does link MySpace and YouTube so you can instantly hear anything).

Anyway, I'd have thought that in writing for Paper Thin Walls I'd be less descriptive and more inventive, but I'm inventive anyway, so that hasn't changed my style; my real difference there and for Jukebox is that in short form my social concerns often have to sneak in as subtext. Too many of the other PTW writers are still stuck in journalism mode and clutter up their blurbs with boring who what where and when, and the general PTW environment sneaks into my brain and stiffens my own prose somewhat, unfortunately.

[koganbot]

Though since PTW provides its downloads for free, I'm not sure why it wouldn't count, but I just feel like it's something different.

[pot80.livejournal.com]

There is nothing particularly legal about my site! The stuff I do professionally is legit and comes with the appropriate permissions, but my own site is totally wild west.

[koganbot]

Martin, Alma Matters closed down.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm still a little behind on the world of i11eg41 d0wnl04ds - my usual source of new music is still Hits!TV or people linking to stuff on livejournal! I've always been a bit iffy about using p2p things and mp3 blogs seem like a lot of effort to spend on stuff that's not usually very good. Why take up space on my hard drive when I can stream stuff over and over again on myspace/youtube, or just buy the bloody CD? Of course by saying this I hereby hand in my resignation as One Of Ver Kidz.