I try not to get in other bloggers’ business, but…
Big-time blogger and writer Andrew Sullivan held a legendary pledge drive back in 2002 and received about $80,000 in donations from readers. For bandwidth, I presume. That’s hot. But that’s not all. His subsequent pledge drives (two in one year?) generated about $120,000. Good grief.
Well, a few days ago I read on his blog (I check it once in a while) that he was taking a break to travel and write a book. Sullivan writes:
After much hemming and hawing, I’ve decided to put the blog as you’ve known it on hiatus for a few months. The Dish will still exist, the site will be updated weekly with new feature articles, and I’ll still post when I feel like it. But it won’t have the regularity or content of the past four and a half years. Why? The simple answer is that I want to take a breather, to write a long-overdue book, to read some more, travel to Europe and the Middle East, and work on some longer projects.
Except for the part about the Middle East, it sounds lovely.
Other bloggers have criticized Sullivan for holding so many pledge drives purportedly for blogging money, and then taking a nine-month break from blogging. That, and the fact that he doesn’t respond to their e-mail, has stirred up blog-ire.
Michelle Malkin (who’s opened up comments for this one): “Interestingly, Sullivan has already taken a break from his break to publish fawning e-mails from readers. But he apparently doesn’t have enough bandwidth to respond to Blair, Balko, or the many other bloggers/contributors who rightly feel gipped by his bloghucksterism.”
Bill of INDC Journal: “When Sullivan bemoaned and shook down his readers for soaring bandwidth expense, he was either experiencing the mother of all rip-offs or misrepresenting his expenses.”
Tim Blair: “Planning his vacation, Sullivan thanks readers for ‘the financial support that has kept this blog alive and well.’ (Two hundred grand and he still couldn’t afford a blogroll? Way to share the bloggy wealth, Andrew.) Other sites — many other sites — have done more with less…Sullivan’s massive blog earnings have ended up funding a Euro-Middle Eastern stroll with time off to write a book. His next pledge drive might deliver a substantially lower return.”
The Agitator: “Call me envious (and I am — I’d certainly be grateful to make a hundred grand a year blogging), but this strikes me as a pretty schmucky move….If I had given Sullivan money as recently as last July on his promises of continued insight and daily dishing, I think I’d be in line for a refund right about now.”
Polipundit: “[I]f any of Andrew’s readers want to buy an ad at Polipundit, or hit my PayPal or Amazon button, then I promise not to run off on vacation to Europe or the Middle East either.”
While some of these responses are tongue-in-cheek, others are quite serious. They believe Sullivan has misrepresented his circumstances and persuaded (tricked? lured?) loyal readers to give him money for the upkeep of his site, and now he’s hitting the road with the cash. To be fair, Sullivan said he’d update the site weekly.
I’m on the fence about this. There may have been some duplicity on Sullivan’s part; that is, he probably planned to go on hiatus all along, but didn’t tell his readers. An impending break may have affected the amount of contributions. Look, I don’t know. I’m just speculating. That’s allowed.
Then again, I don’t begrudge the man his money. If I had the nerve, I’d hit you people up for cash. I’d go a-begging and pleading for thousands of dollars so I could quit the day job and try my hand at full-time writing. I’m not comparing myself to Sullivan, however, who writes for some high-profile publications and has the talent, drive and motivation I don’t seem to have right now. But…
I finally got the nerve a few months ago to post a PayPal donation button (and Amazon wish list) in the left sidebar. 
That’s about all the “pledge-driving” I’m going to do.
I have no blogger-hate for Andrew Sullivan. I hope he has a safe, fun and productive trip. Bon Voyage!
(I wonder if he needs a research assistant to tag along…)
Unrelated Update (8:31 p.m.): Remember to check for Eason Jordan updates.
Update II (2/4): I can’t remember where I read this, but I think Sullivan also said he wanted to raise enough money so he could quit his day job and write articles and blog.
