Thursday, January 10, 2008

Some of us are sole proprietors

Is it still a "blog", not least an eponymous one, if you have a research assistant and 4 interns in addition to oneself, as Andrew Sullivan says he has? And those interns count even if the blog is only part of their job description. One advantage of Glenn Reynolds' trademark phrases of Heh, Indeed, Jeez, and Ouch is that it's at least clear who's written every post.

UPDATE 28 JAN: For future reference, note this claim from Sully --

I write around half a million words a year on this blog. On a pain-per-word basis, books are harder. But at least there is a point at which they are over, at least in the writing. A blog never stops. The deadline is always with you. Yes, even on a Sunday evening.

FINAL UPDATE 1 FEB: Further insights into the editorial system --

The Atlantic has allowed me to have a home with real support, fellow-bloggers and writers to cavort with, wonderful editorial guidance with no editorial veto, a now full-time assistant, and a bevy of interns tracking down and highlighting a variety of new blogs, sources, and sites to mine for bloggy nuggets and insight.

THE CONFESSION: Announcing that Patrick Appel will sub for him for a week --

Patrick knows the Dish as well as anyone apart from myself, reads and catches the emails I miss, and finds some of the weirdest, smartest stuff online there is. If you keep sending him links and emails and photos, he'll keep providing as much campaign crack and other web-goodies as he can. (I'm a little nervous I'll be busted and you won't notice much of a difference, in fact).

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