1) PhD-related hermitage equals a curtailment of party activities. So there will be less time for blogging this coming year too. But how to make sure the show stays on the road? AVPS will never again have the kind of blogging gap it experienced in 2007. Unless my arms fall off, or something. The solution lies in shorter, pithier posts that can be knocked out in less than an hour.
2) But there is still the need for more "considered" posting! Plot blogging time more effectively if you want to get a bit thoughtful.
3) On the topic of this kind of posting, the series on History and Class Consciousness have been useful, if only for me. It would be a good idea to continue this sort of thing with future books. I've got a load of old notes from Althusser's For Marx that might be worth writing about. But I also quite fancy a bite of bourgie thought too. I've been meaning to read John Stuart Mill's On Liberty for a very long time. Ditto with Weber's From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology. I'll head in this direction when H&CC is finally finished.
4) An audience, while not the be-all and end-all of blogging, is a nice thing to have. And a big audience is very nice. Not just for egotistical reasons either. More readers grow the number of commentators, which can lead to better discussions in the comment boxes. But remember, quantity is not the same as quality, as the bile regularly served up at Guido's shows.
5) Never one to labour the point, but large audiences are very, very, very nice. The aim is to massively increase the number of daily visits and repeat readers. Doubling the figures should be the oh-so modest minimum target to aim for (going up a few places in Iain Dale's annual blogging chart won't hurt).
6) Enough public parading of petit bourgeois individualism! AVPS is part of a loose blogging community, and should be more community-spirited. Already you are fairly good at giving shouts out to new left blogs, and long may you continue to do so. But time issues have meant spending those precious spare moments on writing posts and responding to debates on your own turf. You should endeavour to comment more on other folks' blogs. After all, they're kind enough to offer their pearls AVPS's offerings.
7) Yeah, so more community-minded stuff then. It seems the Carnival of Socialism has juddered to a halt - why not help get it going again? More coordinated and simultaneous blog posts, like that on Hicham Yezza are good. And don't forget you are a contributor to another two blogs. How about writing something for them?
8) And the last community thing - try and use the blog to promote decent discussion and aid understanding between the comrades who visit here.
9) Didn't manage to achieve much in the way of guest posts last year! Brother S has been too busy being an activist to write about it, but at least his infrequent musings are guaranteed. But if I want the comrade to write more I must lobby the BBC to get Keeley Hawes on the box more regularly. As I've said before, guest posts are welcome, and especially so if you're a member of the Socialist Party/CWI!
10) I said last year that blogging's only any good if it's fun and satisfying. I hope it doesn't become a chore this year. It's the nearest thing I've got to a hobby (sob!)
Have you made any resolutions, blogging or otherwise?
... And happy new year!
9 comments:
Yeah, I am going to try making the one about sticking to posts which require an hour or less to type. Somehow, I don't see either of us living up to that truthfully.
I am also resolved to re-read Lukacs' history and class consciousness, thanks to your series of articles; it's extremely dense as I found the first two tries through it. I've also got his theory of the novel on my to-read list.
Apart from that, Mrs Dave has put "Must do more around the house" on my new year's resolutions - which is probably fair since I spend more time reading Marxist theory and writing than actually doing the housework. Though, to be fair, I cook, iron and vacuum - all the bitch work.
Finally, if you get a moment Phil, there's an article up on TCF I'd appreciate your brainpower on: http://thoughcowardsflinch.com/?p=463 - it's an attempt to begin a critique of Post-Marxism.
Happy New Year!
PS: how strange, I was just thinking of trying to get Carnival of Socialism up and running again myself.
How about a resolution revolution. We all know do more, eat less, like others, learn something; more cliches than the baubles on my near naked Christmas tree. Why not go for the anti-resolution? Much more enticing me thinks. Mine? Buried in a shoe box under the bed. Until further notice, and all the mince pies have been eaten..
www.okathleen.wordpress.com
I'm all for getting the CoS going again! Perhaps a carnival on Palestine? It seems topical at the moment and would surely have something to contribute.
Here's to a productive 2009 of blogging. I'll be sure to try and comment here when I can, though even without comments, you can be rest assured that I'll be reading from work via Google Reader :P
Re. point 3) I also applaud the H&CC series. If you're looking for other things to review, I've always found Proudhon's 'What Is Property?' pretty much incomprehensible. Which I suppose is a (slightly self-serving) way of recommending it.
Anyway, good luck for 2009!
Will do, Dave. I was thinking of digging an old essay out on Laclau and Mouffe to post up at some point anyway. Great minds, eh?
Directionless, I don't fancy Proudhon tbh. I had a belly full of him after reading The Poverty of Philosophy!
Yeah! Let's get CoS back on its feet! Not sure why it keeps running out of steam really...
I guess what I should do is open it up for volunteers asap - I'll go do a post there right now in fact!
Prob be a good idea to sign enough comrades up for a fair few months!
One blogging thing I forgot to mention was revolutionary/left profiles. I've always found the profiles Norman Geras does on his blog strangely compelling, though why he chooses so many academic and conservative types is beyond me. So I am thinking about redressing the balance a bit.
If people want to sign up goto this post take a look at the dates that are available and put yourself forwards!
As Phil says it's best when we have a whole load booked in advance.
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