Best Author Blogs
S.R. Beaston
Crafty with words, wit, and wisdom, just add caffeine to make it more interesting.
With the world at our fingertips, there are many ways to learn and grow our interests. With writing, there is often an influx of places to get information, often the same information in different formats.
Author blogs can be a great way to get insight and learn about the industry, the pitfalls of writing, and how to structure your own writing path, but with so many blogs out there, how do you know what to choose?
Though I tend to $ watch advice$ more than read it, I found some of the best author blogs to help you and your writing career.
The Creative Penn
Joanna Penn must be busy! With podcasts, blogs, and books (oh my!) $ The Creative Penn$ is a name that many writers turn to when seeking almost anything related to writing. Their blog covers the whole spectrum of writing and publishing, as well as interviews and more nuanced discussions on trending topics like writing and AI.
Neil Gaiman’s Journal
Though not strictly about the ‘how to’s’ of writing and publishing, $ Neil Gaiman’s Journal$ gives a tasteful glimpse of the life of an author who seemed to have his every goal a lot of wish to achieve.
The further back you go, the more you can read on his thoughts of his own work and publication as a whole. It puts quite a few things into perspective and is a great pick-me-up of motivation and wonder.
Though he doesn’t post a whole lot now, he’s trying to be more active again, but you have a good decade of content to catch up on, starting with his first ever post in February of 2001.
David Gaughran
This Irish born indie author is a big advocate for writers who wish to self-publish. His blog focuses on practical advice in all angles of publishing with articles like marketing strategies, promoting your own books, and the latest industry trends.
He’s well known for his insightful commentary on the hardships that come with being an indie author while providing tips on how to navigate such things successfully. If you are new to the indie scene, $ David’s blog$ is a gold mine of information.
George R.R. Martin
Going down the rabbit hole that is George R.R. Martins blog ‘$ Not a Blog$ ’ is a gift that keeps on giving for fantasy readers and fans of the man himself. You’ll often get a glimpse at his thoughts on his own work and what he thinks of people's reactions to the adaptations of his work.
Like Gaiman, he updates the blog when he goes to conventions, shares experiences he has with his fans, and shares other creative projects. However, it mostly focuses on new regarding his main series A Song of Ice andFire. Now if only he’d put as much effort into finishing the series as he does writing about it.
Filling the Well
Carrie Vaughn is an accomplished author well known for her urban fantasy and sci-fi books and uses her blog, $ Filling the Well$ , to share the challenges she faced as a writer while giving insight to the writing life, the creative process, and a broad look at speculative fiction.
She’ll also use the blog to update her own life and her works while sharing her own thoughts on storytelling media from books to movies and shows.
Holly Lisle
$ Holly Lisle$ is a light at the end of the writing and publishing tunnel. With over forty books under her belt, her knowledge about the evolving industry is vast.
I’ve never read one of her books, but I DID take one of her courses way back around 2009. The tools I learned then are still being implemented in my writing now. So when I saw she had a blog, of course I had to put it on this list.
Her posts detail subjects like writing techniques, how to develop stories, and self-publishing. She also gives tips on how she’s overcome common writer problems like writer’s block, how to make believable narratives, and managing a writing career. Her personality and humor are just the cherry on the cake.
Self Publishing Formula
Once a traditionally published author, Mark Dawson took control of his career after a handful of book ‘flops’, but traditional and independent. Throughout the years, he’s cultivated the means to write successful books and make a living most of us dream to make with our stories.
$ Self Publishing Formula$ focuses on the strategies of the independent authors. There are plenty of posts with advice on marketing, optimizing sales, effective advertising, building a reader base, and boosting visibility. Everything one might need to start their journey right in the self-publishing world.
LiveWriteThrive
$ LiveWriteThrive$ takes a mindful approach to the new writer, focusing on advice to help hone in their craft and jumpstart their careers. The blog does cover a range of topics, laying groundwork for any curious author-to-be. These topics may include writing techniques, tips on editing and revising, plot development, character creation and overcoming common writing challenges.
Though it seems more geared to the newbie writer, those with experience can also learn a thing or two from this insightful blog.
Terrible Minds
Chuck Wendig takes a humorous approach to his blog $ Terrible Minds$ while providing a mixed bag of writing advice, industry commentary, and the unique and funny aspects of the writing life. As a bestselling author and screenwriter, he shares insights on the various aspects of writing and storytelling, covering the familiar gambit of writing advice (character creation, plot development, etc).
His delivery and personality makes his advice not only relatable but fun to read, showing a candid, irreverent style of blogging while giving practical advice for writers.
Jane Friedman
Jane Friedman is considered a publishing expert and educator, and she uses $ her blog$ as such. With a focus on both traditional and self publishing, there isn’t much she hasn’t covered when it comes to the business side of writing. She provides advice on editing, marketing, and writing, all while keeping you updated on the latest industry trends and changes.
Friedman shares practical strategies for authors to create their own building blocks for successful publication and stable careers. It’s a valuable resource for writers who seek to understand the evolving literary marketplace.
With a wide variety of blog posts, advice, and insight on the lives of authors, we hope you can find a few words that stick with you as you start to write words of your own. Good luck on your journey!
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