Top 10 Writer Blogs--My Honorable Mentions (Part 3)

For the final installment in my series of blogs that didn't make Michael Stelzner's Top 10, but (IMHO) deserve "honorable mention," I'd like to suggest including these blogs--one that deals with writing for marketing purposes and one that deals with a topic of interest to writers (which I categorized as "miscellaneous"--and I do hope I punctuated that correctly). To wit:

Small Business
Business and Blogging -- Whether you're a business (including a freelance writing business) seeking to market yourself through blogging, a freelance blogger or someone seeking to make money from ad revenue on blogs, this is the blog for you. It is, in fact, a blog about blogging--business blogging in particular. Now, blogging about blogging might sound solipsistic (but, then, so does writing about writing, and writers have certainly done that often enough), but it isn't at all. In B&B, Laura Spencer and Liz Fuller have created a highly informative, helpful and entertaining resource. They write, for instance, about various corporations and business entities that use blogs (like Major League Baseball and Dell). They explore the many different types of businesses that might blog, such as air conditioning repair companies or fashion stores (Macy's, Lord & Taylor and a slew of others didn't; Nordstrom did). They offer advice on effective blogging--how to keep blogging from becoming a chore, how to recycle old blog posts (a dozen ways!), the importance of responding to comments and how to avoid plagiarism and copyright violations when you blog, just to name a few. And every week, there's the Sunday "Coffee Break"--a blogging news roundup. Polished, well-designed, consistent in look and tone and well-written--it's a professional blogger's blog if there ever was one.

Miscellaneous Writing Topics
The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks -- It's amazing how many people use quotation marks for the wrong reasons--for emphasis, to jazz up the writing or for who-knows-what purpose. Bethany Keeley (with an occasional assist from her friend, Brian Atkinson) has been posting photos (many of which are sent in by readers) and funny commentary about these gaffes since 2005. Keeley's takes on the misused marks are often hysterical, such as this, this, this, this, this and this. Oh, and I like this one, too, not to mention this (which made my stomach queasy thinking about it). And I can't leave out this one and I couldn't forget to mention this or this. Basically, there are too many great posts to choose from (and I can't seem to find the one I remember, where the quoted words were interpreted as being code for a ship sailing at dawn or something like that . . . but I found all these others while I was looking), and I skipped plenty that are also worthy of checking out. Anyone who appreciates good writing or a good play on words will find plenty to enjoy from this site.

Quotation for the Week of September 28

"You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do."
-- Olin Miller

Top 10 Writer Blogs--My Honorable Mentions (Part 2)

Everyone (including moi) has been blogging about Michael Stelzner's Top 10 blogs for writers--a competition that he described as "intense" and about which he noted that the "top 3 blogs . . . were within 1 percentage point of each other, making this an exceptionally close race."

So, how about the "also rans," I say. Surely, some blogs out there are worthy of special mention, even if they can't be in the top 10.

I will now list what are, (IM-ever-so-HO), some writing blogs that may have been entirely overlooked in the contest, based on their not being about freelance writing. The writing business is made up of various types of writers. For all those writers, there's a creative side and a business side. I think the business aspects of fiction, publishing and screenwriting are all interesting topics on which one can find particularly good blogs. Such as the following (again, in no particular order):

Fiction
The Writer's Edge -- This is a flat-out great blog for fiction writers. It covers topics germane to fiction writing as a creative and business endeavor. The posts are timely, well-written and thoughtful examinations of major issues in the fiction writing world, like the future of the publishing industry (is there one?), the fine points of book publicity, the role of editors in publishing today (is there one?)--parts one and two, and an examination of the "self-publishing conundrum" by some highly opinionated guest blogger. (Oh, yeah, that was me . . .) Required reading for anyone who writes fiction.

Work-in-Progress -- This is a good, concisely written blog that is just packed (packed, I tell ya) with useful and fun stuff to read. There is the useful, such as information about contests, workshops, events, jobs or other resources for fiction writers. And there is the fun stuff, like this book giveaway or this list of great books to read. There are also guest posts--this one by Paula Whyman was an absolute stitch. Updated frequently--and always with something interesting to offer--this is one to check daily.

Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind -- Okay. I ask myself, is Sarah Weinman's blog a fiction blog or a publishing blog? Either way, is it geared toward fiction in general or crime writing in particular? Is it an "authors and books" blog? A book review blog? Or something else entirely? The answer is "all of the above." Weinman truly has her finger on the pulse of the publishing industry--and she does acknowledge having a particular fondness for crime fiction, but she doesn't limit herself to it. Some of her posts are presented in great detail (like this item on Dennis Lehane); some are roundups of tidbits she refers to as "smatterings" (often she'll throw in a fun, possibly off-topic, frequently "news of the weird"-style item at the end of these roundups). Weinman also has a link list to die for--almost every crime fiction author you'd ever want to see is on there, along with other helpful resources. She recently finished up an in-depth, six-part series about various publishing imprints that should be read by all fiction writers with a serious interest in getting and keeping their work published. In fact, this blog should be read by all serious fiction writers (especially you crime and thriller writers out there) who want to keep track of the publishing business, along with what's new, what conferences are taking place and what your peers are up to (on the creative and business fronts). And Weinman does all this while writing for the Baltimore Sun and other publications. I mean, jeez, when does she have time to read?

Publishing
A Newbie's Guide to Publishing -- I've just gotten into this one, but I can tell you I already like it because JA Konrath provides no-nonsense, straight poop advice about the publishing business. No artsie-fartsie angst-ridden crap about writer's block or finding your muse. No promises of "if you write it, they will come." Just good solid advice like how to decide what writers organizations to join (or not join) and how Konrath has used social networking to market his books. Also, he's got interviews with authors (like Jason Starr) and tips on the creative part of all this. Good reading, all around.

Editorial Ass -- Moonrat, the "recovering editorial assistant," gives you a truly insider's view of the publishing world. Want to know how not to impress a publisher? This blog will tell you. Want to know about the latest acquisition news? This blog will have it--sometimes an opinion on it, as well. Want to understand the deepest, darkest thoughts of an editor working on a project? Yes, you'll find it here. Moonrat also discusses the need to have an agent (something we can perhaps have a friendly debate over someday?) and various fun things like a piece she enjoyed in the New Yorker or a recipe or a funny story about her great aunt. A highly informative and personable blog.

Self-Publishing Today -- Haven't seen much activity on this one lately, which makes me nervous. Nonetheless, Ray Robinson has put together some posts that interest me. Anything on book marketing always gets my attention--it's a challenge for all authors, but especially the self-published author. There's a list of 10 things editors and agents hate, as applied to self-publishing--an intriguing topic. And, of course, the stigma of self-publishing, a reality that must be acknowledged. And I love the most recent post, which showcases examples of self-publishing success stories. But it's dated August 25--please, sir, may we have some more?

The Book Deal -- I was tempted not to include this because I've only just started reading it, but even a cursory scroll-through shows that it's a highly practical, advice-oriented blog with interviews and information you can use. The latest post on the power of the opening sentence caught my attention right away. An article about an agent seeking writers (wow!) plus five tips for unpublished writers really grabbed my attention. An amusing post followed on how not to do a book signing (practical and funny!) and advice to writers from literary luminary Tom Robbins. Looking really good so far. Looking forward to more.

Screenwriting
Jane Espenson -- Titled "Jane in Progress" (but no one calls it that), Jane Espenson's blog is a great place to look for advice on writing spec scripts for television. A writer and co-executive producer on Battlestar Galactica (a show I so love), Jane's credits are impressive. She's written for a wide variety of shows, including Gilmore Girls, Ellen, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (an eclectic mix). She'll clue you in on all the tips and tricks of the TV screenwriting trade--stuff like how to use the intentionally bad joke in your script, how to write good character descriptions and how to choose a show for which to write a spec. She answers reader questions about script writing (though I've never been able to locate her email--is it me?) and gives you the inside scoop on various aspects of the TV biz. And she'll tell you what she had for lunch. (Hmm . . . okay.) An excellent resource for the aspiring TV writer. And what a perfect segue to this blog . . .

Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer -- Again, we're talking TV here. And, in this case, the blogger is an agency assistant, working her way up the ladder of the television industry--and sharing the process with others. Where Jane has the experience, Amanda gives it to you from the viewpoint of the up-and-coming (relative) newcomer. Reading her blog not only gives you an inside look at the business, but the occasional glimpse at her life in general. As an agent's assistant, Amanda gets to read a lot of scripts, so she can offer good advice on what works and what doesn't. She gives information on writers groups and keeps you informed of upcoming contests. She also tells you what types of assistant jobs are out there for people looking to get a foot in the door, how to go about finding an internship or job and the little, practical things you need to know--like where to live in LA and what to wear to various jobs. Not only is the blog a treasure trove of information, but Amanda has a wry, funny, endearing voice that makes her blog a great read. So, if TV writing is your ambition (or even if you're just curious about it), you simply must read this blog.

Lee Goldberg -- Yes, it's titled "A Writer's Life," but no, nobody calls it that. (Is it a TV blog thing?) Lee Goldberg is actually a two-fer--a TV writer-producer and a novelist. So he writes with great authority and experience about both the television and publishing industries. That's one thing that makes his blog unique. Another is that, in addition to writing about those industries, providing all sorts of news and information about both, traveling between the two worlds and succeeding in both with a stunning effortlessness (at least, I find it stunning and his photos don't show him breaking a sweat or looking like he's nearing the edge of a nervous breakdown or anything), he also keeps you up-to-date about feature films. And then, on top of that, Lee provides cautionary advice on some of the shady players in the publishing business and some of the unethical behavior you run across. But that's not all! In addition, every week, Lee throws in the "TV Main Title of the Week"--a video of credits from an old show like this one. Covers a lot of ground and is relevant for novelists (especially--yes--crime writers) and screenwriters of the big or small screen. I highly recommend it.

What It's Like -- This blogger, Lisa, has worked on Sci-Fi Channel shows like Flash Gordon (one of my favorites) and Painkiller Jane (just can't get into it--sorry, Lisa). She's written for the Star Trek franchise and for other sci-fi and action shows. I like this blog because it gives good, straightforward advice--on writing, on networking, on asking for favors. While written for TV screenwriters, much of it can be useful for any writer. I like the tone and style of Lisa's writing. Her advice seems sound. She doesn't feel the need to post each and every day, which allows her to write longer, more substantive pieces than people who blog constantly--I like that a lot. A great blog, well worth the reading.

The Artful Writer -- I was on the fence about this one, because it's of such specific interest to members of the Writer's Guild of America. Then, I realized that this is the only blog I know of that focuses almost single-mindedly and exclusively on that topic, so I decided it was worthy of mention for that reason alone. If you want to follow the politics of the WGA and SAG, this is one place to do it. Craig Mazin, who writes the blog, has no shortage of opinions. Being an industry outsider myself, I scan his blog, note what's going on with a certain detached interest and am in absolutely no position to agree or disagree with most of it. He often writes on internal guild matters like board elections and political infighting within or between unions. However, his recent post about screenwriters (still!) not getting the respect they're due was one I could relate to (if not as a screenwriter, then at some level) and expressed a position I could support. He has also (sometimes) written about writing. Other topics, like the creation of StrikeTV, I find interesting because it's sort of the screenwriters' version of self-publishing, providing them an alternative to the studios for getting their work produced (as self-publishing provides an alternative to traditional publishing). I'm always fascinated by the parallels I find between the screenwriting world and the published writing world. So I like to keep my eye on both. And this blog provides one good way of doing that.

Next time: Honorable Mentions for Small Business and Miscellaneous Writing Blogs.

Stelzner's Top 10 Writer Blogs--And My Honorable Mentions (Part 1)

Michael Stelzner, in his Writing Write Papers blog, has listed the Top 10 blogs for writers based on popular vote. He notes that the "top 3 blogs in this contest were within 1 percentage point of each other, making this an exceptionally close race."

The winners are:

1. Copyblogger
2. Men With Pens
3. Freelance Writing Jobs
4. Write to Done
5. Confident Writing
6. The Renegade Writer
7. Remarkable Communication
8. The Writing Journey
9. Freelance Parent
10. The Urban Muse

We can't all be in the top 10, but there are several other writing-related blogs that (IMHO) deserve honorable mention. Some of these were on Stelzner's short list; some didn't make the cut. Rather than trot them all out at once, I will name and discuss the merits of these various writing blogs, broken down by category and in no particular order, in a three-part series starting here:

Freelance Writing
Inkthinker -- Kristen King is a successful freelance writer whose blog has a lot of great advice, conference information and other resources for other freelancers. She provides news and information of genuine value. She blogs, she writes, she edits and she's active in the American Independent Writers. King gives seminars and speaks at conferences. She was recently quoted extensively in a MediaBistro article (which you need an Avant Guild subscription to access--sorry) on how freelancers can survive economic downturns. (Did I mention that she leaps tall buildings in a single bound?) And she's not above throwing in the occasional fun link or video or blogging like a pirate (argh!). A daily must-read.

The Irreverent Freelancer -- the blogger with the signature tag line Screw You! for all those cheapo and/or deadbeat clients that freelancers suffer from time to time, Kathy Kehrli describes herself as "a ten-year veteran of the freelance writing world whose success has hinged on not sitting back and allowing myself to be taken advantage of." (Can I get an amen?!) For good or ill, there seems to be more than enough material to let Kehrli to blog regularly on this subject, but I have seen posts on other cool topics, like the five things she learned from taking a vacation, so it's not all doom and gloom stuff. Among the highlights from her usual fare are the "Ultimate Get-A-Clue Freelance Request" for each week (like this one), plus her complete willingness to "out" her deadbeat clients. This blog is not only funny (in a sad way, if you think about it), but great payback and, dare I say it, a lesson for all freelancers not to let ourselves be kicked around! And I totally love Kehrli's mantra: "If you stand up for something under the guise of anonymity, you're really not standing up for anything at all." (A-fraking-men!)

The Golden Pencil -- Anne Wayman provides solid, practical writing advice and resources for writers of many stripes. While I think of this as a freelancer's blog, she also covers the publishing business, including posts on trade publishing, self-publishing, book writing and other areas where many other freelance blogs don't go. I love this blog for many reasons, not only for the Q-and-A posts on various freelancing issues (like this one), but for the pragmatic, straightforward style in which Wayman writes and some of the really cool videos (like this one) that she digs up. Always a pleasure to read.

The Well-Fed Writer Blog -- Peter Bowerman, author of The Well-Fed Writer, offers advice and initiates interesting discussions on his blog about the commercial writing world. Among my personal favorites include this post about asking for more money next time (speaking of mantras . . .) and the difference between networking harder and networking smarter. I also read the blog for its free-ranging discussions of topics like whether you should post samples online without permission and what commercial projects people are working on. A must-read for anyone interested in business writing.

The Wealthy Freelancer -- I've just started reading this blog, but I'm seeing highly useful information here, like advice on developing an e-newsletter that will draw clients, the biggest pricing mistake a freelancer can make and a "no-frills" strategy for generating a steady income. The blog is a collaborative effort--it has three editors and several contributors, which may be one of its strengths, in that it offers a variety of viewpoints and doesn't pressure one author to scramble for content. It offers practical advice and information in an easy-to-read format. I'm keeping a daily eye on this one.

Next time: Honorable Mentions for Fiction Writing, Publishing and Screenwriting Blogs

Quotation for the Week of September 21

"The difference between a professional and an amateur writer is persistence."
-- Parris Afton Bonds

This is the End . . . Or is It?

New York magazine has a lengthy (lengthy) article that suggests the book publishing industry may be heading into brand new territory--dying at worst, reinventing itself at best.

But some people say the rumors of publishing's demise may be highly exaggerated. Will it be small presses like Two Dollar Radio that come to the industry's rescue?

Stay tuned for the next exciting installment . . . the next turn of the page, as it were . . .

Writers Unplug From Net

Writers are finding they need to get away from the distractions of the Internet--especially all the MySpacing, the Facebooking, the Twittering--just to get some fracking work done.

Because if you don't unplug from the Internet, you could end up like this.

So writers are making like Henry David Thoreau (who, I suspect, would have taken a pretty dim view of the Internet in general and online social networks in particular) and seeking solitude--time that's uninterrupted by "tweeting," chatting and updating statuses--to do actual substantive writing. What a concept.

I won't say, "I told you so" (even though I could).

HarperStudios Announces Acquisitions--On its Blog

HarperStudio, an imprint that publisher HarperCollins started last spring, has just announced its first list of releases--on its new blog.

Some of the most interesting titles include a collection of short, unpublished humor pieces by Mark Twain, a memoir by 3rd Rock From the Sun star John Lithgow, a history of humor by New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff, and a Toni Morrison-edited collection called Burn This Book, which will feature pieces by her, Salman Rushdie, Orhan Pamuk, David Grossman, and others.

I don't know how many (or if any) other publishers have blogs, but then HarperStudio has been somewhat cutting edge from the start. The imprint has been looking at alternatives to the traditional advance/royalties system (such as profit sharing) of author compensation and would like to reduce book returns.

A tip of the hat to MediaBistro's Galleycat for spreading the news about this. In response to publisher Bob Miller's concern that the blog's audience might be limited to a few publishing insiders, the Galleycat article begged to differ, noting "the debate over whether the big, generalist publishers can really achieve their own brand identity is far from resolved, but what we do know is that there's an awful lot of readers who are eager to hear from publishers who have something serious to say about their vocation, something besides 'look what we're shipping this week.' And so far this blog's holding up on that front."

Quotation for the Week of September 14

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."
-- Walter Bagehot

An Informative (Dare I Say, Inspirational) List of Lists

Some creative writing tips from masters of various forms of the craft, including creative writing in general, detective fiction, screenwriting and more.

There's even a list of ways to handle rejection--and do take note of the number of rejections Louis L’Amour (more than 300), John Creasy (743) and Ray Bradbury (about 800) got before publishing their first stories. Beatrix Potter, author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, got so many rejections, she decided to self-publish. The rest is history. The moral is never, ever give up.

My thanks to Star Lawrence for sending this handy list of lists.

Setting the Record Straight

You may have seen, making the "frequent email" rounds, "Twenty-Eight Reasons Why English Teachers Die Young," a list of preposterous similes and metaphors allegedly written by high school students. The (new) legal writer says this email was actually made up of entries in two Washington Post contests (held in 1995 and 1999) to see who could write the most outrageous analogy. He lists some of his favorites (with citations to the source).

Another urban legend debunked. Gotta love it.

Also, gotta love all the examples listed. But this one really takes the cake: "She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs." I mean, it almost sounds like a parody of Ross Macdonald.

Quotation for the Week of September 7

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
-- Dalai Lama

Now Appearing at The Writer's Edge

Just a quick note to let you know I've made a guest appearance at The Writer's Edge, a blog that has "debate and discussion on fiction craft, writers conferences, literary agents and book marketing," where I talk about what I call "The Self-Publishing Conundrum."

Check it out--if only to see the "glam" (or as close as I get to glam) photo of me and the Picasso-like cover of my novel.

Make Good Writing Contagious

Freelance writer and consultant Rick Holton recently offered some great advice in his recent email newsletter on how to improve organizational writing. With his permission, I've reprinted it below:

Bad writing can be contagious. People in organizations learn bad writing habits from each other in two main ways: by copying bad models or by copying the wrong models.

Everyone is busy, so employees often look through the files to see if there's something they can use or modify to meet their present writing needs.

I once worked at a company where a letter sending someone information typically started, "As per our telecon, please find enclosed . . ." Not only was this a bad model, but many people thought the formal and stilted style made it sound "important." They were shocked at the idea that one could simply say, "Here's the xyz document I mentioned."

Other people follow a model that was developed for a different audience or a different purpose. They may, for example, copy a letter that was originally targeted at engineers and forget that the CFO they're writing to in this case has completely different concerns.

Our goal as business owners or managers should be to make good writing contagious. We can do this, not only by providing good models, but more importantly, by encouraging our employees or colleagues to focus on purpose, audience and scope.

When they first sit down to write, people should ask, "What am I trying to achieve? What result do I envision?" It's helpful if we can get them to articulate the answers to these questions in advance. If they don't know what their purpose is, they're not going to achieve it.

They should also ask, "Who is my audience? What function do they have in the organization? Are they hostile or friendly to my message? What is going to motivate them to buy my product or service? What might cause them not to buy my product or service?"

At the same time employees should ask, "What do I have to include to achieve my purpose? What one or two key messages MUST I succeed in communicating? What is irrelevant to my purpose and should be left out?"

If people master purpose, audience and scope, they are 90 percent of the way there. We can then reinforce good writing by complimenting exceptional efforts, preferably within earshot of other employees.

Rick Holton owns The Holton Group, providing a wide variety of business writing and consulting services.

Praise for the Copy Editor

Not long ago, The Washington Post ran this piece on the copy editor. It was written in an email to Post staffers by Deborah Howell, the paper's ombudsman, and was judged by Metro copy editor Jeff Baron to be "such a good and succinct description of how copy editors see their work that I thought it was worth sharing with readers."

A couple of days ago, Howell devoted her ombudsman's column to the "evolving" (some might say dying) art of copy editing. I especially like the quote from Bill Walsh, the national copy desk chief: "A lot of the time, the drawing-out-sources-and-ferreting-out-facts gene and the tighten-it-and-polish-it-up gene aren't contained in the same person." Which is to say that reporters may get all the facts, but may also be in such a rush to write the story and get it to press, that they can get a trifle sloppy with the way they express them (or, sometimes, with the facts themselves).

God (or the Devil) is in the details. And copy editors are there to see that one or other gets its due. Even though newspaper copy editing staffs are being cut back, let's hope that someone is always there to catch those itty-bitty errors that can create havoc and embarrassment later.