Ben Hammersley has a good piece in today's Guardian. Had a conversation the other day, re: the Web's impact on writing, and more than any structural impact blogs, etc. might make on journalism, the most exciting thing to me are the added occasions for writing. Thus, better writing. MOOs, email, USENET, blogs. Of course, the barriers to publication and consumption are ridiculously low now. The network linkages much more robust and responsive. A very good thing.
Hammersley's examples are all good ones. I would add The Mississippi Review, as well, which has done online lit since 95 or so. There are so many others. The conversations are so much easier to jump into, making it easy for a kid from the provinces to learn the rhetorical shuck n' jive and make an entrance. Witness Gawker, authored by a very talented writer transplanted to NYC via Wetumpka.
Posted by Brian at May 8, 2003 12:16 PM