Pessoa, Walser: would they have blogged?

[Sand]

Fernando Pessoa and Robert Walser both wrote obsessively: Walser, as was shown by the edition of Microscripts recently, wrote on anything he could find, handbills, tickets etc; Pessoa left chestfulls of papers, still being sifted.

If they had lived now, not then, would they have blogged instead? Was it simply the need to write that drove them, or was it the need to write secretly? If the opportunity had been available, would they have been just as content to write out in the open, or would they still have hoarded?

I admit I incline to the view that secrecy, or reserve might be a better expression, was an important part of their writing practice: so that even today they might still be furtive authors. But I am not sure.

[Soukesian]

That's a really interesting question, and I suppose the fragmentary nature of The Book of Disquiet does make it read a little like a blog now. I think you may be right about reserve being important to these writers, but the internet has a tremendously disinhibiting effect on some people, for good or ill: many bloggers (and twitterers) seem quite unconcerned as to whether or not anyone might be listening. It's impossible to know now, but I think there's every chance that compulsive writers like Pessoa or Walser might have responded to the opportunity to post their passing thoughts in quiet moments in cafes and trams.

[ToALonelyPeace]

I don't think they would blog. The blog format can detract from the airy feeling of Pessoa's writing. Then they will have to deal with trolls, spams, and spacing problems. If I read The Book of Disquiet in blog format, I would be bored and annoyed.