A Question of Taste: The Epic Dilemma of Writing Styles – 2026 Edition (Now with Extra Sass!)

Martyn Rhisiart Jones

Bandoxa, Friday 2nd January 2026

Picture this: Back in 2020 (feels like ancient history now), I unleashed Laughing @ Big Data upon the world. It was a gloriously unhinged, freight-train-of-a-book. The book steamrolled through the Big Data hype machine. Polemic? Check. Combative? Double check. Irreverent sarcasm dripping from every page? Oh yes. I called out the acolytes. I also highlighted the snake-oil salesmen. And I criticised the dimwitted data disciples who thought throwing more terabytes at problems would magically solve them. It was me, in full warrior mode, swinging a verbal battle-axe.

To my utter shock… it sold! Not bestseller levels, but enough copies to make me grin like a Cheshire cat. People actually bought my venomous takedowns of the industry I love (and occasionally hate). Who knew rage-reading was a thing?

Fast-forward six years. I’ve since split into a literary trinity:

• Martyn Jones,  the serious, suit-and-tie version. These are deeply researched, academically rigorous tomes. They cover data architecture, information strategy, analytics maturity, and governance. It’s all the nuts-and-bolts stuff that keeps enterprises from imploding. Think “respectable professor at the front of the lecture hall.”
• Martyn de Tours,  the philosophical wanderer, Celtic vibes, historical musings, and a dash of poetic flair.
• Martyn Bey,  the wild card, postmodern fragility, steamy reflections, and whatever chaotic energy strikes next.

I smugly assumed the “professional” books would crush it. After all, they’re the grown-up ones! The ones with citations, frameworks, and zero gratuitous insults. Surely the market craves depth over drama?

Plot twist: Nope. The snarky, no-holds-barred Laughing @ Big Data still outsells them all. By a mile. The venom pays the bills (or at least buys the coffee).

So here I am, the grizzled data contrarian, staring at my keyboard like it’s betrayed me. Do I dust off the old battle-axe and go full savage again? Channel that inner punk-rock architect who doesn’t suffer fools? Or stick to the high road, polished prose, hoping the world eventually wakes up and appreciates nuance over outrage?

Pros of going savage (the “Rage Mode” comeback):

• People love the drama! Engagement skyrockets. Shares, laughs, heated debates in comments.
• It cuts through the noise in a world drowning in bland LinkedIn thought-leadership.
• Feels authentic, it’s how I really talk when the mics are off.
• Bonus: Way more fun to write. Cathartic, even.

Cons:

• Risks alienating serious clients who want gravitas, not grenades.
• Might get labelled “that angry guy” instead of “the expert.”
• Harder to cite in peer-reviewed circles (though let’s be real, who reads those anyway?).

Pros of staying professional (the “Respectable Elder” path):

• Builds long-term credibility in boardrooms and academia.
• Attracts the thoughtful crowd who value substance over spectacle.
• Easier to defend in polite company.
• Feels… dignified?

Cons:

• Snooze-fest sales. Crickets.
• The industry rewards hot takes, not humblebrags.

My latest hot take (after much soul-searching over too much coffee): Embrace the chaos, do both!

• Keep the serious Martyn Jones books for the grown-ups.
• Revive the irreverent voice in a cheeky newsletter. Create spicy blog posts. Develop a sequel like Laughing @ AI Hype or Fck Data Mesh: The Revenge*.
• Or go hybrid: Start with dry facts, then drop the sarcasm bomb in the footnotes. Best of both worlds!

It’s a tough call, but honestly? Life’s too short for boring books. Readers crave entertainment and enlightenment. Why not give them both?

What do you think, fellow data warriors and info architects? Savage mode revival? Stick to the script? Or the glorious middle finger to convention?

Spill your thoughts, I’m all ears (and ready to laugh at myself).

Thanks for reading this ramble. Now go buy Laughing @ Big Data… It’s still the rowdiest kid on the block!

Many thanks for reading.

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