Some Reading on Writing

Hello friends,

Just a short post today to keep in touch. I thought that I would share with you a few of the writing blogs which I've discovered in recent months.
I'm a bit picky about the blogs I read. When it comes to creative writing, I appreciate posts with succinct, constructive advice. I'm a big fan of list posts--odd, since I never write them. Blogs with lengthy musings lacking in advice pertinent to me tend to bore me quickly.

Writing blogs typically come in two varieties. The first sort, which I tend to enjoy less, are personal blogs that writers use to advertise their works. The second are specifically focused on advice for writers. Most of the ones I will share today fall into the later category.

In no particular order, here are my favorites:

1. Writer Unboxed
This blog is a treasure trove of information, composed by multiple authors on a wide variety of writing-related topics. Here you can find everything from musings on the psychological aspects of the writing life to practical advice on how to market a book. Possibly my favorite of the sites I visit.

2. The Write Practice
This blog is based more on the personal writing lives its small group of contributors than Writer Unboxed. Its particular virtue is its focus on practicing the craft. Every post comes with a practice prompt. I confess that I rarely use these, but they're a great resource.

3. Goins, Writer
The personal blog of author Jeff Goins. His writings are a particularly valuable source of tips for bloggers. You can find recent posts on how to build an audience and how to come up with post topics when you're fresh out of ideas. I should probably pay more attention to that post, as it's a problem that often afflicts me.

4. Live Write Thrive
Another personal blog, combining practical advice on crafting a good story with more general, inspirational posts. I need to delve deeper into the archives here, because there seem to be a lot of really valuable and practical posts on the finer points of plot and character development.

I couldn't really write a post like this without also recommending the blogs of a couple of friends.

Kellydavio.com is the blog of a teacher I've worked with for the past couple of years. She's a wonderful, insightful poet and a committed member of the Seattle literary community. I really enjoy keeping up with her literary adventures.

Some school friends of mine at Quill Pen Editorial Services have also recently started a blog with advice and author interviews. They've already posted some interesting articles.

Anyway, these are the sites I visit as I'm trying to hone my writing abilities. I find these sources of practical help encouraging and interesting and hope you will enjoy them as well.

P.S. If you have favorite writing blogs, feel free to comment and tell me about them. I'm always on the lookout for new reading matter.