Writing for an Audience
When an audience do not complain, it is a compliment, & when they do it is a compliment, too, if unaccompanied by violence.
- Samuel L. Clemens, Letter to George W. Cable, Jan. 15, 1883 (reprinted in Twins of Genius by Guy Cardwell)
WC has written for an audience of one sort or another for about five decades, now. For more than three of those decades, WC has written as a lawyer, which has likely seriously and permanently injured such style as he once had. Engaging legal writing is very nearly an oxymoron; anyone who can call a 50-page document a “brief” already has several problems. Combine that with a fondness for vocabulary and an obscure voice, and it’s a wonder anyone reads this stuff at all.
But you do. And, for the most part, you don’t complain. There are, WC understands, about half a million new blog posts each day on WordPress alone. And yet you, WC’s kind readers, are generous enough to read Wickersham’s Conscience.
So on the third anniversary of Wickersham’s Conscience, here’s to the loyal readers <clink>, who pay WC the great compliment of reading this blog.
Written by Wickersham's Conscience
July 13, 2011 at 6:15 am
Posted in Commentary, Law, Meta Comments
Tagged with Commentary, Law, Meta Comments
4 Responses
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Happy Anniversary! Three years is well past adolescence for a blog; so many fail to garner an audience or the blogger folds-in for whatever reason. We’re so grateful that you have both the stamina and the talent to last.
Your blog is one I visit every day. Even though I do not comment on every post, I do read and enjoy them. You always have an insight worth absorbing, information worth knowing, a reaction worth sharing, or photographs worth seeing. A day without the WC blog is a day slightly diminished. There are only a handful of blogs I read regularly, and yours in one of them.
I seem to be always reading one of your posts to my husband or sending a link about one to family or friends because everyone enjoys what you have to say – be it in verbal or photographic form.
Thank you for all the time and effort you put into this blog. Be sure to share our thanks with your lovely wife because we’re sure she must sacrifice sharing some of your time as you work on this. However, it is worth the investment. You are reaching people far from Alaska who are grateful for your thoughtful commentary and gorgeous photography. How many people can say that? You can, that’s for sure.
We hope we will be able to read your opinions, benefit from your research, and enjoy your photographs for a long time to come. Again, thank you!
kssunflower
July 13, 2011 at 7:37 am
Congratulations on your stick-to-it-iveness, as the expression used to go, and for your postings.
How time consuming is it? It seems like it must take a humongous chunk of your time to do this.
Paul Eaglin
Fairbanks
paul2eaglin
July 13, 2011 at 8:35 am
Hey, WC, congratulations on your third anniversary.
Generally, I tend to forget your legal background as I read, so thank you for the reminder. I’m sure your informed legal perspective contributes to the wisdom I find here.
Best wishes to you this special day from “a lurker”.
elsie09
July 13, 2011 at 9:58 am
Greetings wc -
Wow three years. Seems like you should qualify for retirement benefits by now. Of course, if you billed at YOUR rates for all the time you’ve spent on this, you probably could retire….
Keep it up, everyone needs a (truly) smart liberal they can beat up on once in while. Someone who can dish it out every bit as well as they can take it. And for that I applaud your efforts, as misguided as they may be occasionally.
D.
mrderik
July 14, 2011 at 8:36 pm