The Winning Blog: Reluctant Habits

After scrolling through the 15 blogs, the one that really caught my eye the most was the one titled Reluctant Habits. This blog is a little different from the others, in that many of the posts are uploaded via audio file through The Bat Segundo Show & Follow Your Ears. These posts also have a written aspect to them, introducing the author, and providing a transcript of the interview. Because the primary source of information on this blog is mp3 links that take up practically no space on the screen, this blog is able to maintain a very modern-esque, minimal blog layout. 

blog layout

modern architecture layout

This sleek look allows me to focus in on the important aspects of the writing without getting too overwhelmed with all of the text. 

Furthermore, the stories this blog reports on, and the style in which they do it, is very appealing to me. Reluctant Habit talk about huge issues, such as our military's nuclear-weapon policy, as well as handgun laws, and use very enticing pictures to drag you in from the start. Personally, I feel as though I learn better with the presence of photos, so I definitely appreciate the stunning images the writers pick as the title pages for their articles.

Apart from all the superior visual aesthetics of this blog, I really like the interplay between voice memos and writing. The interviews are conducted very professionally, and the background information provided in the writing aspects filled me in on everything I needed to know before listening to the interviews. 

Another very impressive feature this blog is in the process of creating is the Modern Library, which essentially is a 1000+ word book review of the top 121 novels of the 20th century, starting from 121 and making its way to numero uno. This is all being done by one man, Edward Champion. Quite the champion indeed. Although extremely ambitious, I feel as though Champion's plan is a very worthwhile one. After reading all these novels, there is no way that Champion does not begin to pick up patterns of great writing and begin to incorporate them into his own writing. The fact that Reluctant Habits has writers such as Edward Champion, who are always thirsting for new knowledge, shows how high its standards are. Every post I read on the blog was uniquely stylistic, yet equally well-thought out and executed. This blog was really something special to me, and I will be sure to check back on it now and again.