I don’t subscribe to writingwhitepapers.com, but many of the other blogs I do subscribe to have recently been mentioning their contest that ranks the top ten blogs for writers. Note that by "writer" they often mean "copywriter". I'm fairly confident that the next great American novel won't be cobbled together with tips from a blog called "Freelance Writing Jobs".
Anyways, here’s the final Top 10 list:
If you’re a writer, you’ll find daily doses of inspiration and discovery at these excellent blogs:If you want even more blogs about writing, here's the list of those in the running.
1. Copyblogger: As the undefeated champ, this blog has held the number-one spot for three straight years! The baby of Brian Clark, this blog keeps winning because of its excellent and educational articles.
2. Men With Pens: James Chartrand and Harry McLeod are the dynamic duo who continue to deliver rich content and community discussion.
3. Freelance Writing Jobs: Founded by Deb Ng, this site is the first stop for freelance writers seeking new work and great articles (and it remains a top winner since this contest began).
4. Write to Done: This blog delivers a steady stream of excellent articles for all writers and is the product of top blogger Leo Babauta.
5. Confident Writing: Looking for encouragement? Joanna Young will help you take your writing to the next level.
6. The Renegade Writer: Linda Formichelli and Diana Burell, authors of a book by the same name, help freelance journalists find inspiration.
7. Remarkable Communication: One part writing, one part marketing and one part selling, this excellent blog by Sonia Simone will help any writer succeed.
8. Writing Journey: Looking for a great stop on your writing journey? Bob Younce’s blog will refresh and energize you.
9. Freelance Parent: Two moms, Lorna Doone Brewer and Tamara Berry, provide excellent perspective on writing while balancing time with little ones.
10. Urban Muse: Susan Johnston covers a wide range of excellent topics that all writers will enjoy.
Of those, I'd say I read Copyblogger and Men With Pens on a near-daily basis. Every once in a while I check out Write to Done, The Renegade Writer, Confident Writing, and... well, that's about it.
As a result of this contest, I think I'll be giving Remarkable Communication and Urban Muse an especially serious look. In fact, I'll probably add all ten of these blogs to my RSS feeder (Vienna is awesome) and simply delete the ones that I don't end up reading often.
A lot of these blogs also serve as sources of income for their authors - which means that while they teach you to sell your stuff, they're trying to sell you their stuff. It means that virtually every part of these sites (from the advertisements, to the content, to the linkbacks, etc.) has specific point. They're trying to get you to subscribe, or they're building up their own credibility, or they're trying to build their SEO.
Sure, the advice on these blogs is good. But what I find even more informative is to actually pick them apart. Regardless of what they advise you to do, I enjoy taking a look at what they actually do.
