Why mainstream blogging advice doesn’t always work—and what to do instead
Ten years ago, I started writing a blog about the British constitution entitled A Venerable Puzzle. Even though I’d worked as a journalist and halfheartedly run a personal blog, I felt like a novice. However, when I went looking for advice, I came away feeling frustrated. I found plenty of guidance, but the vast majority of it was aimed at a very different type of blogger and a very different type of audience. I found myself wondering if my project actually had a future. Spoiler alert: it did, but I thought it might be helpful to explore some of my early frustrations and the lessons I learned from them.
Why blog about the British constitution?
Before I go any further, it might be helpful if I explained my vision for A Venerable Puzzle. I wanted to make Britain’s constitution more accessible to the general public. While most countries have a codified constitution, the British have an uncodified constitution (it’s often described as ‘unwritten,’ but that’s a bit of a misnomer given that many components of their constitution have actually been written down). Instead of being enshrined in a single document, the United Kingdom’s constitution is a mix of statutes, conventions, and common law.?
Because of this complexity, public-facing discussions of the British constitution often rely on broad generalizations in a bid to keep things as simple as possible. For example, the Royal Family’s website describes the King’s role like this: “[W]hile The Sovereign is Head of State, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament. Although The Sovereign no longer has a political or executive role, he or she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation.”?
Based on that passage, you might assume there’s a wall of separation between the Monarchy and the Government. But the truth is far more complex. Modern monarchs still play a vital role in the process of governing. Countless acts of state require their approval, from the appointment of government ministers to the election of the High Steward of Stratford-upon-Avon.?
In most cases, the Sovereign doesn't exercise these powers according to their own personal judgment. Rather, they act on the advice of the government of the day. But even this rule has caveats. There are a few areas where the Monarch still retains an element of discretion, and there's also a distinction between formal and informal advice!??
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Failure to grasp the intricacies of the Monarchy’s role can have serious repercussions. During Boris Johnson’s premiership, there were reports that he would refuse to resign even if MPs passed a motion of no confidence. Allegedly, he believed that Queen Elizabeth II lacked the power to dismiss him. He was mistaken, but it shows why the intricacies of the constitution can be so important.
My approach to blogging
I started my blog because key information about the UK’s constitution is secreted away in monographs and journal articles, but they aren’t always accessible to the general public. A scholarly book on the subject can easily cost $200 or more. Journal articles are usually cheaper, but they can be difficult to find if you aren't already knowledgeable about the field.?
With a graduate degree in British history and experience as a journalist, I knew I could write material that combined academic rigor with approachability. For example, many of my posts feature extensive endnotes. In addition to helping me give proper credit to my sources, they’re also a good place for excursuses. That way, readers who aren’t interested in all the nitty gritty details don’t have to wade through a bunch of information they don’t care about.?At the same time, readers who do like that sort of thing can enjoy it.