Wow! What a week. I had a ton of fun working my way through the blog hop and getting to know my fellow Indelible authors a little better.
Welcome to all the new followers on the blog, twitter, and through readers! And a big thank you to everyone who posted on their blogs and tweeted and supported us.
And now onto the winners!
The winner of THE LIAR SOCIETY is Denise Z.!
The winner of an Indelibles author’s ebook is Susan @ the Book Bag!
And if you haven’t checked the Indelibles blog, Chris Fenimore won the Kindle Fire. Yay!
And now let’s talk about blog reading trends. And you.
What makes you click through?
Are there certain hot topics that seem to take up most of your blog reading time?
I definitely read the blogs in my feed even if I don’t comment on them. But when I’m scanning Twitter, I go through phases.
At one point, I was reading all about query letters. Trust me, I don’t need to read another one as long as I live. There cannot be new info on those things that I don’t already know. (Now knowing and applying are completely different things.)
I’ve been through the story structure phase; and, of course, the result of all I learned and how I learned to apply it to my writing came out on the blog in the form of Plot Busters.
Last spring and summer, I was reading all about the pros and cons of traditional publishing and self-publishing and agents becoming publishers. I was fascinated! And that all came out on the blog this past summer.
So much is changing.
So much has changed.
But in a lot of ways, some aspects of writing have stayed the same.
Most recently, I’ve been reading about formatting, coding, and HTML. Oh and throw in marketing and promoting for good measure.
What about you? What have you been reading and does it influence what you blog about?
I read about what catches my interest. It’s often about books and some about the writing process. I try to follow the blogs I read regularly. And I read way too many. So far it hasn’t affected what I blog about because I only blog once a week.
Funny, my blogging habits have changed a lot over the last year as well. I find I don’t read any industry blogs at all, no more publisher or agents blogs, barely any writing blogs unless it catches my eye because I’m working on that very problem in my own WIP.
I think I’ve started reading the “real life” side of blogging, now, instead of the “writing” side of blogging. I find myself attached to struggles we’re facing as authors and writers, insted of the hungry posts I used to read when I was in the query trenches.
I’m like you, Laura. I go through phases of what I’ll click through on blogs. I go through marketing and promotion phases, simply because I find it interesting. I go through some of the phases you mention above. I go through spiritual phases. Sometimes, I only click through if it sounds like a great discussions is possibly taking place, because in that case I’ll probably learn some things about a lot of people.
Now that I’m starting back to work on Monday, I’ll probably read a lot more blogs than I’ll click through to, just because I can’t when I’m working, but I am still reading and keeping up the best I can.
My reading definitely goes in phases, but I think that the business does as well. Certainly self-pub is a hot topic right now, all around. Sometimes I read writing related posts, sometimes I glass over, figuring I’ve got it. Depends on the stage I’m in with a piece. Right now, if anyone posts a fantastic piece on editing, I’m all over it! 🙂
My current reading is for official reviews, but reading others work always inspires me, moves me to want to improve myself. I can remember when it was a negative, giving me thoughts about how I’d never get there.
I like reading shorter posts. I’m a visual person, so photos and pictures can draw me to a post. Writing technique topics are always a hot spot for me, too. But sometimes, I enjoy reading a post for the simple humor and humanism of it. Those are refreshing.
Have a great weekend.
Congratulations to the winners!
I read a variety. I follow a lot of blogs that have nothing to do with writing. Lately I’ve been talking more about how to blog. Need to move on!
Like Alex, I read a mishmash of blogs. I couldn’t read so many posts just about writing.
I tend to write about what I’m reading. And since I’m always reading craft books . . . 😉
I just finished a book about codes. Different kind of codes than the ones you’ve been reading about. Mine dealt with symbolism.
I read way more than I can comment on. I still like to read about the craft of writing and how other writers process their thoughts/stories.
Most of the posts I read are writing-related in some way, but they differ pretty widely. It depends on what happens to show up in my feed that morning or what links I come across over the interwebz. Today I have more posts to read than usual thanks to all those wonderful weekly roundup link posts. ^_^
Thanks everyone. It sounds like your blog reading habits are a lot like mine – reading for what we want know or are currently struggling with or curious about. And I guess that’s as it should be. That’s why blogs are important. We gain so much information or entertainment from them!
I think I look for things that I’m working on at the moment, whether that be querying, story structure, or outlining.
I definitely like reading about the struggles others go through, makes me feel like I’m not alone.
I read what catches my interest. Sometimes it’s a topic, sometimes it’s who is doing the blogging or a combination of both. Like today, you’re title had “thoughts on blogging,” and well, I’m interested in that because since I’ve started teaching again I don’t have as much time for online things so my blog has been a bit quieter and I’ve been visiting less blogs. I’m still blogging regularly at Project Mayhem a couple times a month.
I go through phases like you do, Laura. It depends on my interests at the moment and what I’m working on. Then there’s my favorite blogs, like yours :-), that I always love to read no matter the topic.
I’m still enjoying hopping around to meet all the Indelibles. Congrats to the winners. I’m trying to bookmark tasty posts on specific topics so when I need to dig up information they’ll be waiting for me when the need arises.
Congrats to the winner, and really good question. I’m trying to stay informed about the publishing changes, and I follow my Row80 bloggers closely to support them. I also keep an eye out for writing related posts that inspire me or tell me something new. And it depends on whether my mind is on writing or getting the book that’s in submission published:)
I guess that’s why so many different blogs get read! We all are at different stages. 😉
Okay, I think I fixed the sign in issue. Thanks for the tip!
It really depends! I like to read my friends’ blogs (and I am trying to be more consistent!), but on Twitter, usually the title grabs me. One thing I seem to always gravitate to? Agents and editors who blog about what they’re acquiring. I love those!
Have a great weekend!
I’m not sure what makes me click through and read a blog. Usually a topic that touches on something I’ve been thinking about. I don’t want to read the same ol’ thing. I’m like you though, I love html tips, etc. since I did my own blog design and am always fiddling with it.
I do the same as others. Sometimes I’ll skip through but more often than not, I read the blogs I’m subscribed to. I’ve let a few go recently because they were exploring a different area of writing than myself, and rather than receive their newsletter and ignore it, I chose to make room for other blogs I enjoy. I love the links some writers have on their blogs. I couldn’t possibly keep up with everyone’s, so this idea helps me see which topics I want to read more of. Sometimes it even leads me to follow that blog too.
I went through a stage where it seemed like every other one of my posts was about voice!
I went through the query letter stage too, but I think I’ll have to go through it again soon because I know I need to craft another before I get to far into my current wip. I’m the kind that needs lots of refreshers 🙂
I read the blogs in my blogroll so it’s all pretty random. Sometimes there are weeks when everyone seems to be blogging about the same thing. So I get a good fill on whatever is going on in the writing world at the time!
Thanks everyone! My kids have no school today so I haven’t been able to check out everyone’s posts as frequently! Hope this helps you in your own story structure!
Thanks for selecting me to win book!! Hmmmm, what do I need to do to get it?
And thank you so much!!