Do you agree?
Well, that's the name of a blog I find in my inbox every morning. I love that title. It leaves the content wide open to whatever the participating authors want to discuss. Sometimes poignant, sometimes hilarious, usually something to think about.
That got me thinking about what makes a blog worth reading and why readers/subscribers keep coming back to a site. I have a long list of bookmarked blogs: Killer Characters, Mystery Lovers Kitchen Type M for murder, Writers Who Kill, One Woman Crime Wave, Mystery Writing is Murder, Cozy Chicks, Meanderings & Muses, The Stiletto Gang...and one that just a whole lot of fun -- My Book, The Movie. These are just a few on that long list.
After checking that the correct blog has been posted on Mystery Maven Canada, or writing it, I always check Killer Characters. That's because Erika Chase is part of the contributing group of mainly cosy writers. And also, because it's enjoyable. Then I read at least one of the other bookmarked blogs. I have a long list and not enough hours in the day to do more than that.
It's an effective way to keep up with what's happening in the writing world and possibly a validation that my ramblings are not all that unusual. Because it's often hard to come up with topics. That's no surprise. The fall season is upon us and that means a bumper crop of new mysteries on the scene (I'll do that blog next week). However, in other areas, the publishing world is in maintenance mode. No startling revelations, no bankruptcies, no closing of stores or distributors. All this is great...but not much fodder for a blogger.
So, I'm asking you -- reader, writer, blogger -- what do you find interesting in a blog? What brings you back to the site? What are some of your favourites? I'm serious -- I really want to know. This could be the start of another blog.
Linda Wiken/Erika Chase
A Killer Read, coming April, 2012
from Berkley Prime Crime
Linda, this is a timely post for me. I've been using your blog list extensively the past few days to look for new and interesting blogs to follow, particularly in the area of crime fiction, which is what I write. Some have caught my interest, some not so much.
ReplyDeleteAs a relatively new blogger I'm looking for blogging models, trying to teach myself the craft. The occasional novelty post catches my eye, like the one with the embedded video from Foodista featuring the Thai baker who makes creepy body parts, but mostly I like to read posts about the creative process. I had no idea until I found it in a blog yesterday, for example, there was such a thing as a drabble; what an interesting tool to stimulate and challenge the imagination.
I'm also very interested in the struggles of emerging writers. I had great fun going back through Amanda Hocking's blog this past summer to follow her rise to fame and fortune. It's not easy for writers to build a foundation from scratch in this current climate and it's comforting to know that there are many of us out there sticking with it, throwing our best pitches. I'm drawn to the honesty of such blogs, the genuine humour and the willingness to be human.
Okay, I might be ashamed to admit that it's usually food or else humour. I find a good come-on can pull me in to reading something I might not otherwise have, say, for instance: Get new funding for your retirement, find out how at Burbly Blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for you comments, Michael. I'm always on the look-out for new blogs to keep following...now if I could figure out how to find more time in which to read them!
ReplyDeleteSomehow the humour part doesn't surprise me, MJ! Burbly Blog...hmmm.