My vote is for 2 mostly because you (and everyone else who does this crazy thing) needs to get posting. Mo posting, mo better. Waiting for a perfect long piece is a recipe for going nuts.
I learned how to speed read as a kid, was inspired by an episode of That's Incredible (remember that TV show?) where someone read the book Papillon in like 10 minutes or somesuch, and then was able to summarize it perfectly. So I'm weird like that and don't mind long treatises especially if they're about pop culture :D
Leslie Uggams was da bomb wasn't she! And Fran Tarkenton and Cathy Rigby, they were also cool, was a great mix of hosts. Kids today, they don't know how good we had it with our dope educational shows!
WOW! I haven't thought about that show in AGES!! But same...nose pressed to "BIG" 25-inch TV glass. I also gobbled up Amazing Stories..what was a little Stevie Spielberg joint and it did not disappoint!
Count me in as well for the Sir Mix-A-Lot dissertation :D I voted Option 2 cuz I'm greedy for your content Eric, but am also good with Option 1 as we all understand that these things take time!
I deeply appreciate a juicy long form piece. I think this is making a slow resurgence in general, but I've always loved robust collections on all sorts of things like Leslie Jamison's Make it Scream, Make it Burn or Olivia Laing, The Lonely City. There is real value in work that is thoughtful and considered. You can absolutely do that with All The Fanfare; it's not unreasonable to say you could write something meaty every other week. I think 2-3 months at a stretch is way too long to wait for a piece. And if that topic or deep dive is on something that I'm maybe "ehh" about for whatever reason, now I have to wait another few months for the pony to come around again..you know what I mean? I LOVE that you want to give real consideration to big ideas in our art, media, and pop culture. That is worth pursing 100% and I can't really see too many places where people are doing that. ONWARD!!!!
Thanks Sheila, I really appreciate your thoughts and intuition on this. I find the longer form piece allows for interesting connections and observations (via callbacks and foreshadowing) that you just can't do with shorter pieces.
I may end up doing both, somehow. Maybe publish sections as separate articles as I finish them, and then do a longer, director's cut that is the entire thing. As much time as I've put into Point Break, I've even considered publishing a (short) book with all the material that didn't make the cut. We'll see. This is all a grand experiment! Thanks for coming along for the ride. :)
I could TOTALLY see you developing an awesome pop-culture book series similar to the 33 & 1/3 books related to music..do you know those? If not, look them up..that would be a great model. It also comes down to some of the goals you have in mind. If you're looking to curate a larger body of more nuanced writing (maybe just by you or by a group of authors), then developing pieces that are 7-8 or 11 minute reads feels right. If you want to create something, as you said, almost book-length or like magazine similar to the model of McSweeney's The Believer where they would have a "the homecoming issue" then you are probably looking at pieces more spaced out....I'm excited about however this shapes up because I know it will be top notch no matter what! :) X!
Thanks for these references, it really helps to see what else other people are doing / have done. Nicci also pointed me to Tedium, which is a long-form newsletter. Lots of things to review and consider. The good news: I don't have to get it "right" the first time. I appreciate all your help!
THAT 33 1/3 looks AMAZING!!! I look forward to hearing your discoveries! I saw that thread about Tedium and will check it out as well..sounded pretty great....and absolutely, this is all work in progress and the final product will be one in a huge chain of things...it's all evolution...don't lose sight of trying to have fun as well :) something I easily do :)
To me it depends on the nature of the article. I read long form in the Atlantic, New Yorker etc but I usually like them when they have a lot of research, interviews, analysis etc. Not sure if you wanna get caught up in that.
How are these going to be packaged? Like little e(wok)-books? (That's my weak attempt at Star Wars humor-I don't even know if that's the proper spelling for those furry little forest defenders, if that's even what they are, and now this is gone on too long.) I vote for the shorter version because my brain can only absorb so much intel and deep dives despite my love for Point Break. Hope this helps! (it doesn't, it's ok.)
That IS how you spell ewok (though technically it is capitalized 🤓). Ewoks are basically as you describe but they're ALSO little cannibals, so that's cool.
Every opinion helps! I appreciate hearing yours, and the opportunity to do something with my accumulated Star Wars knowledge. Namaste
I voted for biweekly but I would actually prefer about 4 biweekly articles of around 12-15 minutes reading time.
Here's a few reasons:
1. From my experience, Google likes long articles more than short ones. But Google also apparently doesn't really work with you until your site has been active for about a year. So, there's patience involved in any case. Also, if you want to ensure your site is googleable, you should submit it to/create an account with Google Search Console.
2. Making a single article that's 45-60 minutes is a bit too much. But you don't want your material to be also spread too thin. 7-10 minutes might be a good length if each post is substantial enough. But I personally think 12-15 minutes would be better. But that's more of a preference.
Definitely the shorter option, unless you're writing fiction, and it harms the story to break it up into parts (I've posted 10,000ish word short stories on Medium on occasion, for that reason).
Actually, I am. But I think you personally would be better off with the shorter articles, purely so more people read them (sadly, attention spans these days are not what they once were). But I stand by what I said about the exceptions for fiction: Some stories simply need to be read in one hit.
Put them all together to make one king article with subtitles. And then….
Put 10 articles together to sell Fanfare- The Book. And then….
Make up a sitcom, where each week the characters research one article and become mired in details that cause awkward office situations. Hilarity ensues
A whole hour reading? I don't even do that with books! I'll be stopping and starting so many times it'll be a huge turn-off. I can get through 10 mins (mostly speed reading and non-absorption!) or seven minutes is good, solid, read time. But an hour? Feels too much like study.
Apart from profiles, I dislike really long articles. Personally, I wouldn't want to write (or read) anything that requires more than 10-15 minutes to read (unless I'm reading a book or a short story). That said, it might pay off for you, I dunno. To me, the whole idea would have a greater appeal if you've chosen a different subject. There are a tons of pieces written on Point Break at this point. If you'd write about something that's not as popular/known/beloved, I'd have more interest to actually giving it a shot, even if I might abandon it halfway through or something.
I hope that helps.
PS.: I'd read something extensive on John Carter for instance. But I'm sure that it's been covered somewhere on the internet already, I just haven't bumped into it yet.
Yeah, of course. And don't get me wrong, I love Point Break. I'm just not sure if it's worth to cover it so extensively, but you might prove me wrong and I'll end up loving the piece ;)
Okay.. I've never heard of Tedium before but this is scratching itches I didn't realize I had. I saw 3-4 articles immediately that I wanted to read. All long form? I'm going to "research" and will report back. Thank you!
It occurred to me that I could do both, and both could even take many forms (including books). My ideas have ideas. Anyway, I'll circle back with you when I've digested this bounty.
We need Kevin to pipe up and explain whatever happened to Warren G.
My husband reads tedium. It’s just amazing and that’s the first thing that came to my mind when I learned the scope of what you were doing. I have read a couple. The thing is you’re going to capture different people with different ones. Sometimes I like knowing about a random thing I never knew I was curious about, but some of them I just cruise on by. It’s an interesting model and he does it well.
What DID happen to Warren G? As I was listening to Regulate yesterday (a tune I still have memorized from when it came out when I was 11 or 12) it struck me how gruesome and misogynistic it is, among other things. But I still groove to it.
My vote is for 2 mostly because you (and everyone else who does this crazy thing) needs to get posting. Mo posting, mo better. Waiting for a perfect long piece is a recipe for going nuts.
Thanks June! It just makes so much sense. :)
I'm here for the comprehensive deep dive on Sir Mix-A-Lot. :)
My legit vote is for dropping a longform piece all at once (this assumes you're writing it all at once).
Thank you for clarifying that you are (so far) the only one interested in the hour-long article. :D
Long form is a lost art! I’m also really mindful that it wouldn’t be me at the keyboard, it’s easier said than done, etc.
I learned how to speed read as a kid, was inspired by an episode of That's Incredible (remember that TV show?) where someone read the book Papillon in like 10 minutes or somesuch, and then was able to summarize it perfectly. So I'm weird like that and don't mind long treatises especially if they're about pop culture :D
We never missed that show!
Leslie Uggams was da bomb wasn't she! And Fran Tarkenton and Cathy Rigby, they were also cool, was a great mix of hosts. Kids today, they don't know how good we had it with our dope educational shows!
WOW! I haven't thought about that show in AGES!! But same...nose pressed to "BIG" 25-inch TV glass. I also gobbled up Amazing Stories..what was a little Stevie Spielberg joint and it did not disappoint!
Count me in as well for the Sir Mix-A-Lot dissertation :D I voted Option 2 cuz I'm greedy for your content Eric, but am also good with Option 1 as we all understand that these things take time!
Thanks Marmi!
I deeply appreciate a juicy long form piece. I think this is making a slow resurgence in general, but I've always loved robust collections on all sorts of things like Leslie Jamison's Make it Scream, Make it Burn or Olivia Laing, The Lonely City. There is real value in work that is thoughtful and considered. You can absolutely do that with All The Fanfare; it's not unreasonable to say you could write something meaty every other week. I think 2-3 months at a stretch is way too long to wait for a piece. And if that topic or deep dive is on something that I'm maybe "ehh" about for whatever reason, now I have to wait another few months for the pony to come around again..you know what I mean? I LOVE that you want to give real consideration to big ideas in our art, media, and pop culture. That is worth pursing 100% and I can't really see too many places where people are doing that. ONWARD!!!!
Thanks Sheila, I really appreciate your thoughts and intuition on this. I find the longer form piece allows for interesting connections and observations (via callbacks and foreshadowing) that you just can't do with shorter pieces.
I may end up doing both, somehow. Maybe publish sections as separate articles as I finish them, and then do a longer, director's cut that is the entire thing. As much time as I've put into Point Break, I've even considered publishing a (short) book with all the material that didn't make the cut. We'll see. This is all a grand experiment! Thanks for coming along for the ride. :)
I could TOTALLY see you developing an awesome pop-culture book series similar to the 33 & 1/3 books related to music..do you know those? If not, look them up..that would be a great model. It also comes down to some of the goals you have in mind. If you're looking to curate a larger body of more nuanced writing (maybe just by you or by a group of authors), then developing pieces that are 7-8 or 11 minute reads feels right. If you want to create something, as you said, almost book-length or like magazine similar to the model of McSweeney's The Believer where they would have a "the homecoming issue" then you are probably looking at pieces more spaced out....I'm excited about however this shapes up because I know it will be top notch no matter what! :) X!
Oh, this is perfect! I may need to buy this one. Strictly for research purposes, of course. https://www.amazon.com/Beastie-Boys-Pauls-Boutique-33/dp/0826417418
Thanks for these references, it really helps to see what else other people are doing / have done. Nicci also pointed me to Tedium, which is a long-form newsletter. Lots of things to review and consider. The good news: I don't have to get it "right" the first time. I appreciate all your help!
THAT 33 1/3 looks AMAZING!!! I look forward to hearing your discoveries! I saw that thread about Tedium and will check it out as well..sounded pretty great....and absolutely, this is all work in progress and the final product will be one in a huge chain of things...it's all evolution...don't lose sight of trying to have fun as well :) something I easily do :)
You can do polls in Substack?! 🤯
You're welcome!
I like to see your writing on a regular basis - I check out the Medium emails primarily to see if you have posted an article.
Thanks Scotty! I'll do my best to keep your inbox stocked.
To me it depends on the nature of the article. I read long form in the Atlantic, New Yorker etc but I usually like them when they have a lot of research, interviews, analysis etc. Not sure if you wanna get caught up in that.
Hi Patrick- To some extent. I'm doing a ton of research but not planning on doing interviews. Appreciate the input!
How are these going to be packaged? Like little e(wok)-books? (That's my weak attempt at Star Wars humor-I don't even know if that's the proper spelling for those furry little forest defenders, if that's even what they are, and now this is gone on too long.) I vote for the shorter version because my brain can only absorb so much intel and deep dives despite my love for Point Break. Hope this helps! (it doesn't, it's ok.)
That IS how you spell ewok (though technically it is capitalized 🤓). Ewoks are basically as you describe but they're ALSO little cannibals, so that's cool.
Every opinion helps! I appreciate hearing yours, and the opportunity to do something with my accumulated Star Wars knowledge. Namaste
I voted for biweekly but I would actually prefer about 4 biweekly articles of around 12-15 minutes reading time.
Here's a few reasons:
1. From my experience, Google likes long articles more than short ones. But Google also apparently doesn't really work with you until your site has been active for about a year. So, there's patience involved in any case. Also, if you want to ensure your site is googleable, you should submit it to/create an account with Google Search Console.
2. Making a single article that's 45-60 minutes is a bit too much. But you don't want your material to be also spread too thin. 7-10 minutes might be a good length if each post is substantial enough. But I personally think 12-15 minutes would be better. But that's more of a preference.
I submitted to Google Search Console once the site was up! Now it's just a matter of ranking, which I expect will take some time.
I personally think 10 minutes is the sweet spot but we're splitting hairs. Appreciate the feedback!
Ah, I should've figured!
Anyway, I'd say multiple articles are the way to go ultimately. Can't wait to read em!
Definitely the shorter option, unless you're writing fiction, and it harms the story to break it up into parts (I've posted 10,000ish word short stories on Medium on occasion, for that reason).
I'm actually surprised! I would've pinned you as a long article guy. Thanks for the feedback!
Actually, I am. But I think you personally would be better off with the shorter articles, purely so more people read them (sadly, attention spans these days are not what they once were). But I stand by what I said about the exceptions for fiction: Some stories simply need to be read in one hit.
A bi-weekly. And then….
Put them all together to make one king article with subtitles. And then….
Put 10 articles together to sell Fanfare- The Book. And then….
Make up a sitcom, where each week the characters research one article and become mired in details that cause awkward office situations. Hilarity ensues
Lol true story, I'm considering doing pretty much this. Except the sitcom part.
A whole hour reading? I don't even do that with books! I'll be stopping and starting so many times it'll be a huge turn-off. I can get through 10 mins (mostly speed reading and non-absorption!) or seven minutes is good, solid, read time. But an hour? Feels too much like study.
What if I sweeten the pot with gratuitous dick jokes?
I hear you and I'm the mostly the same. Thanks Reuben!
Apart from profiles, I dislike really long articles. Personally, I wouldn't want to write (or read) anything that requires more than 10-15 minutes to read (unless I'm reading a book or a short story). That said, it might pay off for you, I dunno. To me, the whole idea would have a greater appeal if you've chosen a different subject. There are a tons of pieces written on Point Break at this point. If you'd write about something that's not as popular/known/beloved, I'd have more interest to actually giving it a shot, even if I might abandon it halfway through or something.
I hope that helps.
PS.: I'd read something extensive on John Carter for instance. But I'm sure that it's been covered somewhere on the internet already, I just haven't bumped into it yet.
Appreciate the feedback! As for topics, I'm just pursuing things that interest me. :)
Yeah, of course. And don't get me wrong, I love Point Break. I'm just not sure if it's worth to cover it so extensively, but you might prove me wrong and I'll end up loving the piece ;)
I have a lot to say about this. But mainly, Ernie from Tedium.
But then again I chose the bite sized option.
We should chat on the side if you want to brainstorm how to do both.
Also, I walked into the gym yesterday and Regulate was playing. So two Warren G exposures in two days. I must have died and gone to heaven.
Okay.. I've never heard of Tedium before but this is scratching itches I didn't realize I had. I saw 3-4 articles immediately that I wanted to read. All long form? I'm going to "research" and will report back. Thank you!
It occurred to me that I could do both, and both could even take many forms (including books). My ideas have ideas. Anyway, I'll circle back with you when I've digested this bounty.
We need Kevin to pipe up and explain whatever happened to Warren G.
My husband reads tedium. It’s just amazing and that’s the first thing that came to my mind when I learned the scope of what you were doing. I have read a couple. The thing is you’re going to capture different people with different ones. Sometimes I like knowing about a random thing I never knew I was curious about, but some of them I just cruise on by. It’s an interesting model and he does it well.
What DID happen to Warren G? As I was listening to Regulate yesterday (a tune I still have memorized from when it came out when I was 11 or 12) it struck me how gruesome and misogynistic it is, among other things. But I still groove to it.
I greatly appreciate the help!
Thank you Holly! I subbed to you too. 😀