Dickens was a blogger

Charles Dickens from the Victorian era of the 1800s is legendary not only for his writing but also for how he released his work in multiple formats, modified his stories based on audience feedback, and masterfully used the serial to garner attention and publicity. -Jane Friedman, The Business of Being a Writer I read this paragraph today, and my casual interest in Dickens’ publishing history came into focus. Published serially, in multiple formats, responding to reader feedback...sounds like blogging to me. For starters, Dickens published his first novel, The Pickwick Papers, in monthly installments. He went on to publish most of his novels as weekly or monthly serials, like a newsletter or Substack. He was also known for writing about the mundane stuff around him, as bloggers do, observing everyday characters and social dynamics. Or sometimes, in blogspeak, ranting. Apparently he edited characters based on reader feedback, like when his wife’s podiatrist was self-conscious that one…