Archive for April 7th, 2012

The old Elif

With her characteristic esprit, Elif Batuman has leapt into the twitterdom – but not without a little trauma, first.

Gregory Cowles wrote this in The New York Times Book Review a week ago:

There was a time, three or four years ago, when it seemed every novelist had a blog, and why not? Blogging gave writers another way to reach readers, to promote their work or air their grievances or test their ideas in mini-essays that played to their strengths. But technology evolves, and despite some notable holdouts (Elif Batuman is one) Twitter has killed the blogging star. Now writers connect with their publics in 140 characters or fewer.

The new Elif

“It’s hard for me to convey how seriously my world was shaken by these lines,” she writes.  “I had NO IDEA until I read it in the Times that writers had stopped keeping blogs!! Three or four years ago—that’s just when I started blogging! And now I’m one of the last ones left?? How did this happen?? When?? I became obsessed by the phrase ‘notable holdout.’ ‘Notable holdout,’ I kept thinking to myself. ‘Notable holdout.’ Sometimes it sounded good; other times, not so good. I went through a long period of fruitless thinking. I looked up ‘holdout” in multiple dictionaries.”

Then she turned over a new leaf. “OK human history – I can take a hint. You can find me on Twitter.”  Look for her at @BananaKerenina.  Among her first tweets:  “I can’t believe @BananaKarenina wasn’t taken!” ” I HEART GREG COWLES” and “Did I mention that hat took me a REALLY LONG TIME?”

She’s leaving her blog up for the occasional post that takes more than 140 characters to explain.

We think she has another reason for throwing her blog on ice:  “I swear every day I get +100 comments from some crooked robot trying to sell me used term papers.”

Join the club, Elif, join the club.