Writers write, but they also read. We read good writing and bad writing to help us hone our craft. We also read news, advice and information about our profession. At the risk of sending you all running for other — often slicker and more highly produced — sites, here are a few that I visit every week.
Fuel Your Writing has columns for every kind of writer, from NaNoWriMo advice to actionable tips for getting business writing assignments. The biggest problem is the sheer volume of the information — it can be hard to decide what to read.
Make a Living Writing is a simple, well-produced blog with “practical help for hungry writers.” Writer Carol Tice is an experience copy writer, and has the same attitude as I do about writing professionally: write where the money is, which lets you write the stuff you want.
Query Shark will make you laugh or cry, depending on how bad your query letters are. The author takes (presumably) real query letters and subjects them to a detailed, often brutal, analysis. Entertainment for some, powerful advice for the rest of us.
Writer’s Market is a fixture in the writing community, especially the community of aspiring fiction writers. I haven’t decided yet whether it’s mostly a cynical attempt to tap into that market — but occasionally they come out with some solid advice. The good stuff requires an annual fee, which comes complete with weekly emails asking you to buy more stuff.
Men With Pens is not an 80s band. It focuses on “working writer” topics like copy writing and blogging, but also includes advice about writing novels and simply handling the life of a writer.
Seth Godin requires little introduction to many copy writers. He’s considered one of the best in the world. Not all of his posts are specifically about writing, but almost all of his ideas are relevant. At the worst, his copy is a great example of clean, clear and insightful writing.
Check these out. They’re worth your time.
Thanks for listening.
Love the blog