TWO TYPES OF BLOGGERS

Daniel Drezner has an interesting continuation of a longstanding discussion in the blogosphere about the division of labor between blogs that are primarily generators of new content/commentary (thinkers, commentators) vs. those that are aggregators (linkers, portals).

Dan, correctly in my view, says there is room for both. Indeed, while there is certainly something to be said for the service provided by pure linkers, one would think it would be much harder to get established that way now that there are a goodly number of them. Of course, with blogging as with golf, the best way to be a “successful” one is to go take it up a few years earlier.

FILED UNDER: Blogosphere,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. OF Jay says:

    Well, I say I’ve shifted towards the middle. I like linking through the sites on my blogroll if I have something I can chime in on my blog, and send a TB their way as a heads-up.

    There are tons of essayists (yes, that’s what the thinkers really are) out there. Some of them good, some of them crap, but I like to hold a bit of Good Faith and assume they have additive value to the sphere, all in all.

    You’re quite the thinker-linker yourself, Doc. It’s a good format, I must say.

  2. Kathy K says:

    I’ve gotten lazy and gone too far toward the ‘linker’ format. I need to remedy that and get back to doing at least an occasional essay.

  3. Where do cranks come in?