Blogs

I did say I'd check out John Joseph Adams list of the best 21 blogs. I have now fulfilled that promise.

Here's what I found:

Authors Blogs

John Scalzi: Yes he writes about writing on occasion and his advice is pretty good, but it's not often enough for my requirements. I won't be adding it to my feed list.

Tess Gerritsen: Some really good stuff here. I'll add it to my feed list but she had family issues at the moment that is seriously cutting into any writing time, let alone blogging time. It did however lead me to this site Murderati, which markets itself as a Thriller/Mystery/Murder type of author site, but we all know that sub-genres of horror are called all sorts of things today. It has some really good information from a wide variety of authors. I'll be adding this one to the feed list. Unfortunately Murderati didn't make John's list at all...

J. A. Konrath is already on my list.

David Louis Edelman admits to not blogging regularly. I'd read into that, he isn't overly fussed about blogging at all. I have no need to wait with baited breath over his laboriously thought over words. Pass.

Tobias S. Buckell - some interesting stuff , but not really my cup of tea. I wonder if the US election being on is screwing up what American writers would otherwise blog about?

Jay Lake's live journal. This I like a lot. It's honest. It covers a lot of stuff - writing included. It reminds me of my own blog except I haven't sold books or live in America or...well it reminds me of my blog. I'll be adding this one to the feed list.

Group Blogs

Deep Genre: I'll be adding this one even though it boasts David Louis Edelman among its contributors. There are others here who blog on interesting issues and the article on vampires helped to persuade me ;c)

Writer Beware: I'll be the first to admit I should already have this one and don't. I shall immediately rectify this oversight.

Editors

Deanna Hoak: Any insights you can gain from those in the industry is a good thing - and she looks good hanging upside down from a tree.

Rose Fox: Lots of interesting stuff including heaps of interviews.

Agents

Like editors blogs, I don't think you can really go astray with including these blogs. The more you know about the industry the less mistakes you're likely to make.

The Knight Agency: Represents all genres and types of writing.

Jennifer Jackson: Represents all genres and most types of writing. No children's or poetry.

BookEnds: Represents most genres and most types of writing.

Rachel Vater: Lots of interesting stuff here.

Janet Reid: It was about this time was was becoming convinced this is a little community of people. They all reference each other somewhere along the line.

Dystel & Goderich Literary Management: Some of them even look the same.

Kristen Nelson is already on my list and highly recommended.

Others

I won't use the Anonymous Professionals tag that John uses. They may contain good information , but surely people should be able to put their name on their opinions.

Miss Snark no longer posts but the archives are there. Nothing you can't get from other sources and they (see list above) are much more up to date.

Evil Editor, if you want to see what people are doing with query letters. Personally there are other sites out there that give good advice and aren't liable to lead you into copying others.

Editorial Anonymous is for children's books and claims the information will cross all publishing. Much of it will but I don't write children's books and I'm not interested in trying to manipulate information to make it relevant to me. Call me lazy...

The Rejector: Do we really want to read someone who claims to immediately reject 95% of query letters? I understand that these businesses are in it to make money but if you don't have the staff to take on the job and give each query its due, then perhaps you shouldn't be in the industry. I know many are small in number of staff, but then a proper business expansion program, coupled with not over stretching your resources would probably solve many issues.

Lastly I found it interesting that the article appeared in the 2009 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market. It then went on to say if any of the sites were now dead, they apologise but if you have any you think should be included, then please let them know - why? So they can produce another article they can get paid for???

Here's a tip - go look at my feed list. It's free and updated regularly.

Have fun surfing.

BT