The Millions evolves from litblog to online magazine

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One of the earliest literary weblogs -- litblogs, for short -- The Millions is writing about ‘Mad Men.’ Why? Because the site has just shed its old blog format and stretched out into a new full-fledged online magazine. It still has a literary sensibility and a focus on books. But now it also includes essays about other stuff, like the excellent, ubiquitous television show ‘Mad Men.’

Instead of the classic bloggy vertical, the format is distinctly horizontal, giving a reader buffet-like options across her computer screen. Two big features top a list of recent headlines for essays, articles and news pieces. The Millions’ new design -- like other literary websites The Second Pass and The Rumpus -- showcases a variety of content at a glance.

That’s in contrast to how things go here in blog land. We give you a story, and then another story on top of that one and another on top of that one. Eat! We say. We got more for ya! So in the interest of restraint -- or at least, non-gluttony -- it’s nice to see bookish websites where you can pick and choose.

But one thing about a blog: On it, you can always find the freshest content. The Millions doesn’t include dates with its headlines, so it’s not entirely clear what’s newest. I think, after clicking around, that the top pieces are new, and the other pieces are newest at top left and oldest at bottom right -- but mostly, it seems that new isn’t all that important.

What may be important, as The Millions grows into its new skin, is regularizing content. There are columns with schedules that are somewhat haphazard; sections seem a bit indistinct, and where they do or don’t overlap with columns isn’t yet clear.

Those things are likely to shake out as The Millions, now 6 years old, moves into its new digs.

Full disclosure: I’ve chimed in on The Millions’ Year in Reading feature. There was no compensation, but I thought you should know that my voice has been one in The Millions.

-- Carolyn Kellogg