By Jennifer Blanchard
Recently, Editor Unleashed and Michael Stelzner of the blog, Writing White Papers, published lists of “the best” writing blogs. Editor Unleashed’s 25 Best Writing Blogs were decided based on votes in the site’s reader forum. Stelzner puts together his own list of the Top 10 Blogs for Writers every year.
Now, I’m not saying these lists don’t recommend great writing blogs because they definitely do. These lists contain blogs that I read regularly, and I’m sure many of you do, too.
But it seems like the same blogs show up on these types of lists over and over again. And the winners are usually the most popular blogs on the Web, which isn’t a bad thing, but it really doesn’t leave room for up-and-comers.
What about all the writing blogs that rock, but are just not as well-known as Copyblogger, The Urban Muse, Men With Pens or Write To Done?
So I’ve decided to put together my own list of the hidden-gem writing blogs I think all writers need to be reading on a weekly, if not daily, basis (This list is in no particular order):
- StoryFix—I can’t say enough good things about this blog. Created by best-selling fiction author, Larry Brooks, this blog takes a no-nonsense, no-BS approach to getting published. If you ever plan on publishing a novel, you need this blog. Brooks doesn’t beat around the bush; he tells it like it is. He gives you everything you need to know to craft a story that will not get rejected by publishers. He shares secrets of the pros—the things only published authors know (and have mastered). Not everyone may like Brooks’ approach, but as they say, if you can’t take the heat, quit trying to get published.
- Daily Writing Tips—If you’re in need of writing basics, including proper word usage, grammar, a word-of-the-day and writing advice in general, this is the blog for you. The idea behind this blog is helping writers (and non-writers, like attorneys, managers, etc) hone their skills and improve their writing. And the best part is, the editorial team posts several times a day, so there’s always something new and good to read.
- Daily Blog Tips—Similar to ProBlogger, Daily Blog Tips offers up a plethora of tips to help you be a better blogger. This blog posts on topics, such as: blogging basics, domain names, blog design, blogging strategy, Web tools, how to write content for your blog and more. If you’re a fan of ProBlogger, you definitely want to read this one, too.
- Lit Drift—I just recently discovered this blog, and I’m so glad I did. Lit Drift is a blog, writing resource and community dedicated to storytelling in the 21st century. Not only do they make several posts a week discussing emerging trends and modern literature, but they also offer up two items daily: A writing prompt and a piece of fiction for your reading/critiquing pleasure. And best of all is Free Book Friday, where they randomly select a blog reader to receive a free book from an indie publisher.
- Write Anything—This is a group blog written by six unique writers from all over the world. Each day, a different writer makes a post, so the blog is always mixing things up, which keeps it interesting. This blog hosts several Creative Carnivals throughout the year and has a weekly Fiction Friday challenge. My favorite part about this blog is the differing opinions. No writer is the same as another, and this blog truly highlights that fact. For example, pre-NaNoWriMo, there were several posts made discussing why NaNoWriMo rocks and why NaNoWriMo isn’t a good idea.
What hidden-gem writing blogs do you read regularly?
About the Author: Jennifer Blanchard is founder of Procrastinating Writers. Be sure to follow her on Twitter.
