Kate is working on something called The Axis of Venom, a coalition of bloggers that might wind up being a group blog which replaces Electric Venom, depending on how this vote comes out.
So far, with virtually no votes in, it’s overwhelmingly against. Indeed, the choice I voted for, “No – start the Axis separately and I’ll read it daily” is actually a classic double barreled question. In fact, if it starts separately, the odds are strong that I’ll seldom read it. But, if it starts, I’d prefer it to not replace EV, because I’d likely quit reading it, too, after awhile.
I go back to particular sites because of the personality and insights of the bloggers behind them. There are almost no group blogs on my blogroll, because there are very few that appeal to me. I’m an occasional contributor to both Political State Report and Command Post, but I consider them information portals rather than daily reads. I read Crooked Timber fairly regularly, but it’s a consortium consisting partly of two bloggers-Kieran Healy and Henry Farrell–that I was reading before they pooled their talents. The only other group blog on my regular reading list is Volokh Conspiracy, which has a personality because its namesake, Eugene Volokh, is easily the most prolific conspirator and he has managed to aggregate quite a few excellent scholars in one place.
At its core, a blog is a dialog between a writer and an audience. I’m not a fan of guest posters when the main blogger is away, multiple contributors, or a collection of diverse viewpoints under one roof. Frankly, it’s unlikely that all–or indeed, most–of the contributors to such an enterprise would inspire me to want to read them. If they did, I’d just go read their blogs. It’s not like it’s that hard to get one started. I hear they’re even giving them away free nowadays.
