Bonne Anniversaire

Actually, the minute he made mention last weekend of a “special surprise” due today, a little voice in my head piped up “I know, I know!” For About Last Night, Terry Teachout and Our Girl in Chicago’s blog home (and where I get at least half my referrals every day) is a year old. And so, Terry’s posted some of his greatest hits, as well as a nice commemorative essay on the big anniversary and how utterly hooked on the format he became–and still is.

This part jumped out at me in particular:

I was, so far as I know, the first widely read print-media critic to launch a daily blog about the arts, and my single-handed assault on the blogosphere didn’t exactly trigger an avalanche of imitators (though the artsjournal.com blogroster now contains a number of other familiar faces, and Alex Ross of The New Yorker, much to my delight, recently started a blog of his own). Instead, something far more interesting and significant happened: the blogosphere invaded the print media. Several of the artbloggers listed in the “Sites to See” module of the right-hand column, many of whom started blogging before I did and most of whom were unknown before they started blogging, now write for newspapers and magazines. Yet they continue to blog as well. Why? Because blogging, which operates according to its own homegrown rules, has evolved into a brand-new style of journalism indigenous to the Web, one whose exciting blend of immediacy and informality has its own unique appeal to readers—and writers. I know I’m hooked.

I think Terry’s dancing around what may be the most important point: a year ago, the lit blogging world was very small. The big players could be counted on one hand: The Literary Saloon, Moby Lives, Bookslut, and Maud. Arts & culture blogs existed, but didn’t have the circulation or reputation. When Terry started blogging, it was like a lightbulb went off in the arts world. Suddenly, what may have been perceived as an inferior format–if thought of at all–was now legitimized. And because he recognized what possibilities the medium holds, was generous with links and commentary and time to spare on reading those he designated as “Sites to See,” the awareness for such blogs went up dramatically. Not just from a purely statistical level in terms of increased referrals, but something more intangible, somehow.

When Terry and I first met earlier this year, one of the things we discussed at some length was the idea that 2004 would be the year that blogs truly rose in prominence and legitimacy, and that they would be taken seriously, as would their creators. Boy, has that ever happened. Noted critics can start blogs and people cheer instead of sniff; bloggers such as Maud, Lizzie, and myself can break into print. Publisher’s Lunch now has a weekly “Blog Watch” feature to highlight what’s going on in the litblog world. Never mind the number of blogfolk who now get book deals (or seem certain to in the near future.) And I’m sure more developments will occur even before the year is up–who knows what the future will bring?

So happy anniversary, guys, and here’s to many more in this rapidly-changing, every dynamic medium.