A Little Off Topic, I Know, But What is Literature, Really?

Literature, just like art, is a very difficult concept to define.  We’ve come to the age where art is defined as pretty much anything that one creates.  A chair is art if the maker says so.  There are so many possibilities for art, and thus, literature, that we can’t truly disregard blogs and other online writings as literature.

I think the ability to gather and hold an audience is the most important trait of literature.  Just as if a painting has viewers and fans, so does a piece of writing.  Just because blogs are more accessible and, because of that, less exclusive, does not mean that they are not literature.  There is no secret club stating, “if you’ve written a piece of literature, you will get a letter in the mail inviting you to join us at our next monthly meeting.  Of course, this is secret, so don’t tell any of your other writer friends.  We decide what literature is.”

Would we even believe them if they sent those?  I wouldn’t, that’s for sure.

I think popularity is absolutely a defining feature of a good blog.  I mean, it takes time, but you must blog to your readers.  If you start off with something people seem to like, stick with it.  And it’s definitely about advertising and playing to your strengths for sure.  The conversation between readers and authors is a great way to do this, keep on doing what those readers love.

I would say the travel blog which Kacie presented on http://www.wanderingearl.com/ obviously has an enormous following and is playing to his audience.  He’s had some insane experiences, and has been EVERYWHERE!  That is what his readers love about his blog, and that is what he will continue to write about.

In my own blog, I would like to reply more to comments made on my posts.  I would also like to post more than once a week.  I know, all you readers, that you would like to read more, and I’m so very sorry for the negligence.  I will try my utmost to post more often.  I realize, that if I posted more often, and actually had a conversation with you readers, my blog would steadily become more popular.  I know there’s a readership out there somewhere.

While the design is a little odd and strange at times, Alison’s blog (http://idreaminmilligrams.blogspot.com/) be considered literature for sure, especially to me, a fanatical reader.  Dreams and sleep related things are exactly what I like to read about and humor just makes it that much better.  It is absolutely my favorite thing to read about.   If I find it interesting, I will read it and I consider it literature.  Readership is the main trait of literature.  If you’ve got a good readership, the more literate you work will become.

This is literature.  My work is literature, but it will become more so when and if my work gains in popularity.  And I don’t just mean my blog, I mean my work which will be in print soon, hopefully.  All are literature in my eyes.