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Totally Awesome Blogs

Fuel Your Writing
http://www.fuelyourwriting.com/
This isn't just "a" blog--it's really more than half a dozen different regular blog columns on a variety of writing topics. Topics range from inspiration, "writing spaces," "save my writing," and more. The site addresses business issues, personal issues, technical issues, craftsmanship... The big problem, really, is spending so much time reading that you forget to write!

Ghostwriter Dad, by Sean Platt
http://ghostwriterdad.com/
Don't let the title fool you! This blog covers topics of interest to any professional writer, not just ghostwriters. And there are lots of tips here!

The Guide to Literary Agents Blog, by Chuck Sambuchino
http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/
Want to know more about what agents do? Want to find an agent? Want to know what agents want from you? This is an incredible trove of information from Chuck Sambuchino, author of the Guide to Literary Agents. It's packed with interviews with agents, articles about agents, articles by agents, and lots of pieces on "how I made my first sale."

Make a Living Writing, by Carol Tice
http://www.makealivingwriting.com/
Plugging this blog has nothing to do with the fact that Carol recently invited me to be a guest speaker on a Freelance Writers Den "Open House." In fact, I didn't realize Carol had a separate blog until I found the link on another list! Though a lot of the entries are designed to promote classes and activities on the Freelance Writers Den, there's loads of good information here for writers of every kind. Definitely worth a stop.

Men with Pens
http://menwithpens.ca/
Here's a truly awesome blog for anyone interested in business writing, copywriting, writing for business websites, etc. But it's not just for business writers; articles like Digging Up the Bones of Your Unwritten Novel will be useful to just about any aspiring writer. No wonder this was rated one of the "Top Ten Blogs for Writers" in 2010!

Pain in the English
http://painintheenglish.com This is an interesting and entertaining site that offers not only basic grammar advice, but discussions on why certain words and phrases are used, and a host of other topics. It covers word coinage, word history, expressions, grammar, punctuation and mechanics, style, usage, and an intriguing section on "opinions." Information and opinions are contributed by a number of participants, which offers a variety of viewpoints; one can pose questions on these various topics to the "group."

Publish Your Own E-Books, by Gary McLaren
http://www.publishyourownebooks.com/ I've always been a fan of Gary's "World Wide Freelance Writer" site and newsletter. Now he has put together what seems to be the definitive blog on e-book publishing, covering the latest advances in e-book platforms, how to format books and get them published, how to promote e-books, and even how to write e-books. If you'd like to know more but don't have time to track down all the news and articles on this topic, well, Gary's done the work for you. I expect to be spending a lot of time here!

Query Shark, by Janet Reid
http://www.queryshark.blogspot.com/
Wondering why your fiction novel query has been rejected 22 times? A quick scan through Janet Reid's marvelous "Query Shark" blog will give you an idea of what works, what doesn't, and why--but better yet, you can submit your own query for comments. (Brace yourself, though; the comments are likely to be barbed!) Just be sure you follow the instructions--which, as Reid points out, is a vital skill whether you're submitting to her or to an actual editor or agent. Writers who can't follow instructions simply aren't going to succeed (gee, I may have pointed that out myself a few times...)

The Self Editing Blog, by John Marlowe
http://www.selfeditingblog.com/
It's great to find this truly awesome blog on the subject of grammar and a host of other topics that will help you improve and polish your writing skills. But this blog isn't just about grammar and punctuation; it also covers such topics as choosing good character names, avoiding bad endings, the misuse of coincidence, and much more.

Women of Mystery
http://www.womenofmystery.net
The list of topics covered by this blog, run by (as you can probably guess) women who write or who are devoted to mysteries, is so awesome it must be seen to be believed. It covers writing, reading, true-life crime and much more. A link of particular interest is their list of other writing blogs, at http://www.womenofmystery.net/2007/07/writers-who-blog.html

The Write Report: A Blog for the Informed Writer, by Donna Ballman
http://writereport.blogspot.com/
This blog covers legal issues for writers. It has a particular focus on how stories and TV shows get legal issues wrong -- but what keeps me coming back is the incredible number of news items that Ms. Ballman manages to pull together in every issue. If you want to know what's happening in the publishing industry, and especially on the legal side of the publishing industry, this site will keep you occupied for hours.

Writer's First Aid: A Medicine Chest of Hope, by Kristi Holl
http://institutechildrenslit.net/Writers-First-Aid-blog/
Here's a wonderful blog that is designed for all of you who wonder, "why do I feel this way? Why do I do/not do this? Why is this so hard?" It's a realistic look at the writing life, and at the issues that keep us from writing, hinder our writing, or make us feel as if we have no chance of succeeding in our writing. It draws on quotes and tips from a variety of experts, and has a huge archive of topics. Just the thing when you're feeling blocked!

Writers' Treasure: The Definitive Guide to Creative Writing Success
http://www.writerstreasure.com/
As the intro to this blog declares, "If you are looking for information on creative writing tips, search no more, for this blog gives plenty of tips and tricks away about fiction writing, poetry writing, creative nonfiction writing, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Check out our beginners’ guide to creative writing, Creative Writing 101, to learn more." So what makes it awesome? Well, it really is a treasure trove of information... and its host, Idrees Patel, is a truly awesome blogger -- at the time of this posting, he just turned 14!

Writer Unboxed, by Therese Walsh and Kathleen Bolton
http://writerunboxed.com
Since this site has been named to Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for five years in a row, I figured it was time to take a look. It's a fascinating site packed with articles and interviews - dozens of author interviews and "industry" interviews with editors, agents, publishers, etc. My one quibble is that I'd like to see the author interviews focus more on tips than on "tell me about your latest book" -- but it's a small quibble. The authors (and contributors) have put in a truly awesome amount of work on this site!

Writing and Publishing News, by Patricia Fry
http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog/
This blog by Patricia Fry always makes me feel guilty - first, for never having enough time to read all the many, many articles here, and second, for not having anything near the incredible output of the author. Where does she find the time? If you want to find out ways to promote your book, this is as great place to start.

WritingSpark.com, by Alicia Sparks
http://writingspark.com/ There's loads of good stuff here; I particularly liked the article in the "advice" section on how to set up a weekly to-do list. In the October 2011, Alicia provides loads of links to free stuff for writers.


Recommended Reading


Blogging All-in-One For Dummies

Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More)

Create Your Own Blog

Creative Blogging

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Copyright © 2012 by Moira Allen. All rights reserved. Copyright to individual articles held by authors.