You know that. We’ll take it as a given.

As any half-decent journalist knows, however, it’s precisely this accepted thought that’s there to be torn apart if need be.

Perhaps this was one starting point for Milo over at gaseousbrain.com, a blog which has just published its first ‘zine’. Despite having known Milo for a few years now, I hadn’t seen this coming. With the geek image he likes to keep up (all lies) and his mild obsession with new technology, I assumed blogging/new media/podcasting was his true calling.

And he would be the first to admit that over the past year he’s moved much more of his work on to his self-sufficient online world, away from the extremely limiting space afforded by established print publications.

But even for forward-thinking dudes like Milo, it seems the thrill of seeing your words down on tangible, bendy, physical paper is not completely lost.

Last weekend I received in the post a rather nice ‘catalogue’ of the best writing from his blog. Reflecting his main interests, it covers music, gadgets, travel, TV and Britney Spears. Though I’d love to see it in colour, the design is clean, sharp and easy to read.

I think it’s interesting that he’s taken this step, because he’s not the only one returning to the print format, no matter how distinct it feels from mainstream media. At a time when so many traditional media companies are failing to evolve their product in recognition of the way people consume information, the advantage that projects like these have is their freedom.

I’m not suggesting that Milo or any other bloggers-turned-publishers are for one minute aiming to make a living out of this; to overthrow Murdoch and his ilk (perhaps that won’t seem so far-fetched in a few years). I just think it’s a telling trend – one that I think has real currency right now, so long as the producers maintain their distinct personalities and a free-thinking outlook.

Whether or not it heralds any noticeable trend in publishing, Milo still deserves credit for putting the graft in and trying out something a bit different. Keep the dream alive, etc.

Anyway, I can’t say all this without giving the Gaseous Brain Spring 2010 Catalogue a plug. Order yours here. Or, in Milo’s words…

You can buy the STRICTLY LIMITED EDITION luxury B&W printed version, which has already been described on Twitter as “mindblowing” and “a snazzy catalogue”, for the bargain price of £2 at Elvis Shakespeare, Deadhead Comics & Avalanche Records in Edinburgh, and at Monorail Music in Glasgow.

Out of interest, does anyone have any other examples of blogs turned magazines?

Another highlight: “Fleet Foxes fucking suck!” (even if I don’t agree)

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I’m writing this for my new online home, my digital cubbyhole that is njmitchell.co.uk. You see, until now, all my blogging was done at lotsofrandomwords. I couldn’t even think of a decent name for it, let alone any kind of editorial direction (journo-speak), so here I am starting afresh.

My last blog just ended up as a portfolio (read, word dump) of my published articles on music for The Skinny and a few other publications. It’s not what blogging is or was ever intended to be. I believe a well-written blog is no less important than a leader in a national newspaper, but people have to understand that they’re fundamentally different, by definition.

A good blog is subjective, a piece of writing that says as much about the writer as it does about the subject. It’s not journalistic, because journalism is essentially the striving for objectivity and authority. Of course, bloggers can have authority, but that authority is gained by having a strong sense of personality or compelling views backed up by convincing arguments, rather than having the most powerful contacts or doing the most investigative research.

So I hope that this new blog serves as more than just a word dump. I’ll try to think more creatively this time, and be truer to the blogging spirit.