Writers Blog Till They Drop

New York Times reported They work long hours, often to exhaustion. Many are paid by the piece — not garments, but blog posts. This is the digital-era sweatshop. You may know it by a different name: home.

And no newspaperman have ever died in the newsoom?

A growing work force of home-office laborers and entrepreneurs, armed with computers and smartphones and wired to the hilt, are toiling under great physical and emotional stress created by the around-the-clock Internet economy that demands a constant stream of news and comment.

And is no other job stressful?

Of course, the bloggers can work elsewhere,

But would it be less stressful than in their homes, with their families, and where they can eat when they want, sleep when they are tired, don't have to commute to work, etc.

and they profess a love of the nonstop action and perhaps the chance to create a global media outlet without a major up-front investment.

Something the NYT fears.

At the same time, some are starting to wonder if something has gone very wrong. In the last few months, two among their ranks have died suddenly.

James Joyner blogged There’s no doubt that blogging can be stressful, especially for those trying to make a living at it. Then again, most white collar jobs are stressful. Indeed, life itself is rather stressful.

Karl blogged Normally, this is where I would add some commentary, probably something about this becoming the pretext for the nanny state to regulate blogging. But I have already commented here a bit today and I am trying to lose weight.

See-dubya blogged Have you ever seen such shameless traffic-baiting from the failing New York Times?

Rjjago blogged In order to determine this I’ve made a questionnaire. Answer ‘yes’ to even half of these - and you are definitely a blogging addict and you’re probably in danger of deep vein thrombosis and/or fatal fat-assitude

Doug Mataconis blogged I tend to fall into the blogging as therapeutic category as well. For me, blogging is really just a 21st Century extension of something that I’ve enjoyed since high school — keeping up with politics and world events and talking about them. Today, instead of an audience of one or two people, the whole world is watching.

Classical Values blogged Wow! That sounds even worse than cigarette smoking, gay sex, or even Global Warming! Seriously, I had no idea that I'm shortening my life with every post.

Bill Jempty blogged Maybe the NYT can do an article on how working for the print media is stressful. Telling about the writers and staff on newspapers who either closed up recently or possibly in the near future or face job uncertainty because of newsroom jobs being reduced. I'd think that type of career has to be stressful also.

AJStrata blogged My home is not a sweatshop, my life is not stressful. And that is more than likely due to the fact I don’t work for a decrepit place like the NY Times.

Swaraaj Chauhan blogged To me blogging is a pure joy. I have been a working journalist for most of my life but now find that the mainstream media has undergone a sea change, and those who learnt the professional nuances in the pre-1980 era have little opportunity to contribute.

Scott blogged “Some write for fun.” I think, realistically, this might say, “Most write for fun.” The emphasis now suggests that “a limited number write for fun, but THOUSANDS write for publishers…” To me even “thousands” seems exaggerated — does the pro blogosphere really employ that many?

Marc Andreessen blogged Future New York Times headline submissions from yours truly:

Blogging Causes Herpes
Bloggers Shorter than Normal People
Want To Contract Malaria? Try Blogging
Bloggers Have Bad Breath
Leprosy and Blogging May Be Connected
Hitler Probably Blogged
Now Bloggers Aren't Even Wearing Pajamas
Blogging Fad Almost Over

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