www.inkthinkerblog.com — 11 Heaven-Sent Blogs for Writers
by Sarah E. White
We all know that blogging can be a lot of fun, and reading other people’s blogs is a great way to wile away the hours when we should be doing other things on the computer.
But did you know there are tons of blogs that can actually help you with your writing career? Here’s a sampling of some of the best blogs for writers of all stripes.
The Artful Writer
A blog for screenwriters, The Artful Writer contains information about how to make it as a film and television writer. With frequent Q&As and less frequent personal asides, this site provides useful information to screenwriting hopefuls as well as those with more experience. A huge bonus of this site is the organized archive, which you can use to find posts on copyright law, credits, the Writers Guild and more. The authors are true advocates for writers and work hard to ensure that writers know what they are getting into when the get into the business.
Angela Booth
Angela Booth’s blog is a treasure-trove of tools and information for writers of all types, from fiction writers to copy writers. She covers lots of ways to become more efficient, more creative and make more money from writing. Angela runs several blogs, including ones on freelance writing, business writing, blogging for money and more, all of which are linked to this site for easy reference. More than 30 categories, from web writing to books, help you find what you’re looking for easily.
Editors Weblog
For all you newspaper nerds out there (I know I’m not the only one) there’s the Editors Weblog. With a big focus on newspapers, this site lets you know what’s going on in newsrooms around the world. Learn about trends in journalism and online newspapering, as well as citizen journalism, photojournalism, ethics and more. It’s a good source of information about the current state of journalism on paper and what the future might hold. If you want to get a job in newspapers, this site can give you a lot of insight into that world.
Evil Editor
Evil Editor is one of my favorite blogs because it has a real purpose: helping people write query letters that agents and editors might actually want to look at. The bulk of the blog is taken up by “face-lift” posts, where the evil editor rewrites, or offers suggestions for rewriting, real-life query letters. People can also submit the first 150 words of their novel and receive comments from readers. While the critiques will often make you want to laugh out loud, the point is to really help writers get their books looked at, which seems a noble enough purpose.
The Golden Pencil
If you’re pressed for time, The Golden Pencil offers quick little posts chock-full of information. From tips on writing, billing, and making a life in writing to highlights from other blogs, nearly every post is useful for writers and aspiring writers. She even recently featured a blog post from our fearless leader Kristen. The Golden Pencil also features regular links when the job postings are updated at AboutFreelanceWriting.com, so it’s a good source for leads.
Language Log
You don’t have to be a linguist to love the Language Log, but being a word nerd certainly helps. This very regularly updated site can tell you everything you always wanted to know about word origin, morphology, dialect and foreign-language expressions but never knew who to ask. If you prefer your blogs in book form, the Language Log folks recently published a book, Far from the Madding Gerund. Be sure to check out “recent hits and old favorites” for a popular selection of past posts for language lovers.
Miss Snark
The name “Miss Snark” is certainly apt for this witty, sarcastic blog all about getting in good with agents and editors. It’s mostly a Q&A type format where Miss Snark, a real-life New York literary agent, answers questions from writers who really need help. Occasionally the Crapometer is open, where she will accept queries with first pages and critique them on the blog. Even when it’s not snarking season, this site is full of wise and funny words for all of us who dream of getting out of the slush pile.
Pro Blogger
If you’ve ever wondered if you really can make money blogging, you need to check out Pro Blogger. This blog on blogs teaches you how to use ads, along with search engine optimization, promotion and good writing, to drive traffic to your blog and make money. The site also includes good information on things such as working from home, setting up an RSS feed, how to apply for a blog job and getting more from your blog, among many other things. Even if you just blog for fun, this site has some tips that are bound to be useful.
Romancing the Blog
A cooperative blog staffed by romance writers, Romancing the Blog is full of news, information and insight into the romance writer’s life. Authors recommend their favorite books, tell you how their work is going, and give you tips for how to become a better writer yourself. It’s a fun blog with a lot of personality (or personalities) and an active readership that makes this blog feel more like a conversation than a traditional blog.
Romanesko
Romanesko’s blog is my favorite for media industry news and gossip. It’s a great place to find out what’s going on in the newsrooms of your favorite newspapers, magazines and television studios. It’s a wonderful source for learning what people are really talking about in the media, and makes you feel like you’re still in the loop even if you work from home. Poynter, the site that hosts Romanesko, is also a wonderful source for tips on writing and the journalism biz.
Written Road
It’s the dream of a lot of writers to get paid to travel and write about their experiences. Reading the Written Road might help you get a little closer to the travel writer’s life. It’s a great source for jobs, information on training, calls for submissions and much more. Keep up with the world of travel writing or just learn about some great new destinations while perusing this blog.
Sarah E. White is a freelance writer and editor based in Arkansas. You can find her blog at http://lifeinbooks.blogspot.com.
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www.kristenkingfreelancing.com
Finalist in 2006 Writer’s Digest Best Writer’s Website Contest
Contents Copyright © 2006-2014 Kristen King
Comments on this entry are closed.
I found your blog via The Golden Pencil. What a great post with lots of useful links. In fact, your entire blog has a lot of links I wouldn’t have found otherwise. Nice to find another Virginia blogger who loves writing and editing!
I don’t know what’s more amazing – that my blog wasn’t listed (*sniff*), or that there are writing blogs listed here I DIDN’T know about!
Either way, great list. Found it off the Well-Fed E-Pub mailing list. (I’ll bet that’s why your traffic’s spiking.)
Chris
Austen, thanks! I’m a fan of your blog, too. Everyone, click on Austen’s name to head over to Red Inked. It’s worth the trip.
::insert innocent face here:: Chris, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Your link is right there in my alphabetical listing! Silly thing. ;]
I don’t care why the traffic is spiking–I’ll take it! Actually, I do care because I’d like it to be “spiked” all the time, but you know what I mean.
kk
Thanks for the headsup on these great resources. Your blog is on my list of daily reading. I appreciate all the work that you do to help all of us lazier, less creative people. :) May your traffic continue to spike!
Thanks, Desiree! Glad you’re reading. :]
Kristen
Verification word: dignbk. Yeah, I’m digging books, too!