My Kingdom for a Riff

There is a site that I've alluded to in the past but I don't think I've never mentioned by name due to its author often writing cynical, toxic, sexist creeds that I'd rather my readers ignore. But it has a publishing model that I believe that I need to replicate if I ever have a chance of this site being an actual revenue generating part of my writing career. What this individual has done is that he has been able to make his blog the main part of his career and made a decent living from it to the point he takes oversea vacations during times when there isn't a global pandemic. He has gained a strong enough reputation where he gets press passes and invited to the major film festivals.

His main income comes from ads on his site from the best I can surmise. This means that he must have some pretty significant readership in order to get great rates from sponsors. My guess is he get about hundred the times of readers that I have.

Now he is controversial and I will confess that the car crash mentality is likely what draws a significant amount of his readers. I have no interest in creating a site that is soaked in cynicism and cranks out angry posts in a way to elicits strong reactions from my readers. I'd rather craft a place that is about the love of movies and creativity and pushes poeple to be more positive, kind and loving. 

There is one thing that I feel this blogger has mastered. It is the riff. He probably posts anywhere from 6 to 9 pieces a day. He usually will have at least one piece that approaches close to a thousand words. But many of his pieces barely make 200 words and sometime even less. He has found a way to pound out short but interesting pieces that keeps the site an active place to check in throughout the day.

My struggle is that any time I write that I tend to start getting buried in the words and my quick pieces bloat to a few thousand. When it comes to reviews, I always feel they need to be these epic deep dives into the movie in order to justify daring to have thoughts on a beloved or popular picture.

While I'll always have longer reviews or write articles that span several thousand words, it is my goal to also come to terms with the hundred word piece. Or to just do a quick review that is only a few hundred words. Or quickly muse about a news item with only 80 words. Basically create valuable content that doesn't take an hour to write.

I'm well aware the key to growing this site is to have lots of article. I need to have quantity without losing touch with the quality.