Dating is not for the weak-hearted

May 18, 2009

Writing dating advice is tricky because it's such an
overarching concept -- not every reader is in the same
place at the same time. Orlando Lima does a nice job of
choosing important topics and extrapolating upon the
specifics to let readers apply it to their own lives in
varied ways. As a newlywed, I don't need her day-to-day
advice, but she almost always has lessons someone in
any stage of a relationship can learn. I'll check in
with her from time to time .

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Love the concept

May 18, 2009

The concept is here. The writing is here. The author is
fiesty. It just all needs to be a little more ...
fresh. I can immediately think of four "competitors"
who all write as well as Simone Grant (I wouldn't say
better or worse as their ideas complement rather than
overlap). So what makes Grant stand out? I haven't
figured it out yet. I'm not saying it's not there, but
it's got to find a way to knock me out. I will say,
though, that I'll keep reading in search of it.

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(Specific) Crowd pleaser

May 18, 2009

World of Warcraft is a popular game. I understand. But
it's not my bag, which makes this blog less than a
must-read for me. The writing is fine and the topics,
I'm sure, are entertaining and beneficial for those
whose interests sit in computer gaming, but the blog
doesn't pull in new devotees; rather, it speaks to
those already involved in the game. In that respect, I
wouldn't keep reading. But for those interested in
World of Warcraft, why not try to connect with kindred
spirits?

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Here today, gone tomorrow

May 18, 2009

Though Stephen Cass is a talented writer with a lot to
say and a smart, interesting way of saying it, his
topics (and those of his editorial team) are simply too
varied for my liking. I almost feel like he doesn't
know what his niche should be so he's pulling from
every direction -- which isn't right or wrong, just not
a tactic I find useful. For a random tidbit, I might
check out Cass' writing, but for a more structured
agenda, I'd head elsewhere.

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Humor - you can't go wrong

May 18, 2009

I like humor. It makes every subject better -- even
some of the terrible clips that end up on the evening
news. And I like Drew Curtis because he KNOWS humor and
can articulate it well. While I wish he were less
political in some respects (and I'm not saying I agree
or disagree with his points, only that there might not
be a place for them on a news site), the overall feel
of his writing is genial and entertaining. The
aesthetics of the Web site leave much to be desired,
but the writing is worth ploughing through the storm.

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Sports talk for the lay man

May 18, 2009

I'm not into sports. The idea of it all, at least for
longer than ten minutes or so, has never appealed to
me. That's why I was so surprised to find myself
interested in what Rick Reilly has to say. As other
reviews mentioned, he delves into personal anecdotes
and shares stories not just about games and players,
but about himself. It's this touch, coupled for his way
with words, that endears me. I think if he wrote about
garbage disposals, I'd be just as interested. He's done
a lot in life, but I can tell he's got a lot left.

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Read her! Read her! Read her!

May 15, 2009

She's sassy, she's snarky -- and she's usually dead on.
Gail Collins writes, it seems, to put her ideas out
there and stir up emotions. Why else write? In my
opinion, she's the epitome of quality. She stays fresh
and current, shares smart insights on smart topics, and
encourages conversation. Other columnists should take
notes from her. Brava.

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He's done it all, so read about it

May 15, 2009

When you've done so much in life, the next logical step
is to write about it. Or so thinks L. Gordon Crovitz.
And to be fair, he's right. While his
sentence-by-sentence writing isn't the stuff of
Hemingway or Conrad, Crovitz has a lot to say and does
an okay job of saying it. He's worth reading for the
topics alone.

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Strong writing and background

May 15, 2009

Working as an OpEd columnist gives writers a unique
freedom to express personal opinion in a piece. David
Brooks does a commendable job of combining news with
personal opinion to form the arc of interesting pieces.
While I wish he took more of a stand and showed a
stronger slant (in either direction), he's unarguably a
strong writer. The point of an OpEd, though, is to make
readers think, ask, and discover. I wonder if Brooks
could do a better job of that.

1 / 1 found this review helpful:

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Needs to define an audience

May 15, 2009

The problem with writers like Peggy Noonan is that they
cover one topic, gain a bit of exposure, expand into
more topics, gain a bit more exposure, then take the
liberty of writing about everything under the sun. It's
the same concept as a celebrity turning to singing /
designing a perfume / spearheading a clothing line.
They do it because they can, not because they should.
That's how I feel about Noonan. She needs to understand
her audience better and write for them--not for
everyone.

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