virtualDavis

Most of my best blog discoveries over the years have come through recommendations from other bloggers. Peer-to-peer, the power of the interwebs! It’s time for me to pass along my best blogs 2013. I know, it’s already mid-March, but  “posting on time” was not one of my 2014 New Year’s resolutions… Better late than never!

Caveat emptor: This collection is totally personal (read esoteric), guided only by my limitless curiosity. In other words, don’t expect a tidy “Top 10 Author Blogs” or my “Secret Sauces Stash”. These are inspiring, timely blogs that I currently frequent, and recommend check them out.

Best Blogs 2013: Storytelling & Writing

• This American Life Ira Glass. Storytelling 101 all the way up through post-doc!
• Positive Writer Bryan Hutchinson: “I’m a positive writer and when that doesn’t work, I eat chocolate. I encourage writers and all artists to slay the beast of doubt within and create work that matters.” A friend of chocolate (and optimism) is a friend of mine…

Best Blogs 2013: [Self] Publishing

• Jane Friedman’s Blog One of the sharpest tools in the “brave new world of publishing” shed (along with a long list of smarties drawn to her glow!)
• The Book Designer Joel Friedlander’s practical advice to help self-publishers build better books. Really!
• The Creative Penn London based Joanna Penn’s from-the-trenches guidance for writing, publishing and marketing your book.
• Media Bistro More smart people saying smart things about the smart new world of publishing.
• Audiobook Creation Exchange Blog Audiobooks are going to be a big, bigger, maybe even the biggest part of tomorrow’s publishing world. So many reasons, and I’ve blogged about them elsewhere so I’ll spare you now.
• FutureBook Explores “how the digital revolution will re-shape publishing in the 21st Century…”
• Digital Book World’s Daily Daily dose of ebook and digital publishing news address “the radically changing commercial publishing environment…”

Best Blogs 2013: Inspiration

• Brain Pickings Maria Popova’s “Brain Pickings is a human-powered discovery engine for interestingness, a subjective lens on what matters in the world and why, bringing you things you didn’t know you were interested in — until you are…”
• The Airship “Surveying literature, art and culture from an altitude of 5k feet while traveling at 53 mph.”

Best Blogs 2013: Doodling

• Keri Smith Illustrator, author, book builder and self proclaimed guerrilla artist. I own everything she’s permitted into print, and her blog offers great in-between-books nourishment.
• Mike Lowery Playful illustrator who misses nothing and doodles everything!
• Elizabeth Graeber Artist, illustrator with the quirky-but-addictive vision of the world and its many little pieces.
• Doodlers Anonymous Sort of like a big block party for doodlers.
• Doodlebomb! A sparse but ace tumble of inspiring doodle bombs from the Doodlers Anonymous team.

Best Blogs 2013: Creativity

• Medium A newbie but goodie where interesting, usually articulate “people share ideas and… little stories that make your day better and manifestos that change the world.”
• Picture Correct Tip-top photography information and techniques.
• TEDx I’m a longtime fan and ambassador for this nexus of creative thinking, innovation and bravery. It’s about as close as I come to “watching television”…

Best Blogs 2013: Home & Garden

• Cabin Porn Inspiration for your quiet place somewhere. Few words needed. Photos tell the stories.
• Gardenista and Remodelista (joined at the hip, so to speak) describe themselves respectively as, “the sourcebook for cultivated living” and “the sourcebook for considered living”… Lofty goals, but worthy reads. Clean, classic aesthetics and intelligent, well-edited design.

Best Blogs 2013: Simplicity

• The Minimalists Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus write about living a meaningful life with less stuff. Can you imagine? Aaahhh…
• Zen Habits Zen Habits is about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives. It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important, create something amazing, find happiness… Zen Habits features a couple powerful articles a week on: simplicity, health & fitness, motivation and inspiration, frugality, family life, happiness, goals, getting great things done, and living in the moment.

Best Blogs 2013: Adventure? Habitat? Culture? Wander Wider! Meander Marginalia…

• Atlas Obscura “The definitive guide to the world’s wondrous and curious places. In an age where everything seems to have been explored and there is nothing new to be found, we celebrate a different way of looking at the world.”
• Adventure Journal “The deeper you get, the deeper you get… Adventure Journal is an online magazine devoted to outdoor adventure in all its forms.”
• 70 Degrees West “70 Degrees West is a photo-documentary project… [created by Michelle Stauffer and Justin Lewis that explores] the impact our modern world has on eight unique regions and the people who connect with these environments. Realizing the vulnerability of habitats and cultures along a line of longitude demonstrates a fraction of a larger truth: the natural world and cultural ways of life are endangered on a global level.”

Best Blogs 2013: Blogging? WordPress?

• WordPress Tavern Wonky WordPress hangout that’s good for keeping abreast of the latest community news, updates, themes, goals, etc.
• WPBeginner Syed Balkhi’s site is a veritable WordPress clearinghouse that I’ve followed since it was launched back in 2009. Lots of resource intro/comparison and how-to posts.

Best Blogs 2013: Miscellaneous

• The Burning House If your house was burning, what would you take with you? It’s a conflict between what’s practical, valuable and sentimental. What you would take reflects your interests, background and priorities. Think of it as an interview condensed into one question.
• Uncrate Digs up the best men’s gear with spot-on recommendations and daily updates. 9k+ items to date and over 1.5 million monthly readers.