Saturday morning's idle question

[rolanni]

If you're reader of this blog (by which I mean either Eagles Over the Kennebec, on LJ, or The Blog Without a Name, at sharonleewriter.com), you obviously read at least one author's blog.

My question to you today is:  Why?

Why do you read writer's blogs?

. . .and, Special Bonus Question:

Of the author blogs that you do read, which is your favorite -- and why?

Have at it.

Comments

[sfminou.livejournal.com]

I enjoy reading writers' blogs, particularly when I also enjoy their novels. They know how to write, how to manage prose, and they often show insights into daily life which are much more amusing than my own.

But if you think I'm going to fall into the trap of declaring a favorite, hah! My ma didn't raise no stupid kids!

[otterb.livejournal.com]

I read 7 or 8 author's blogs regularly, with another half dozen I drop in on occasionally. There are 2 or 3 others I would still be reading if they were still blogging - one moved primarily to Facebook, which I don't have a presence on, and others have cut back to spend the time on, y'know, their fiction and/or Real Life, which I understand but I still miss their routine posts.

"Authors whose books I like" and "authors whose blogs I like" overlap by quite a bit but are not the same group. I came to some blogs because I enjoy the author's books and to others through a link and then liked what I saw enough to hang around.

I enjoy reading about writing and the writing life, vignettes of the everyday by someone who knows how to put words together, and sneak peeks at the author's upcoming work. I like some humor but more of the "amusing things in everyday life" and less of the "let me tell you a joke." I like snark that's heavy on wit without crossing into meanness. I enjoy the occasional link to things I wouldn't have seen otherwise.

If I had to pick a favorite, I think I'd have to flip a coin between you and Ursula Vernon.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

I read your LiveJournal mainly because we've known each other online for decades. Even though I don't respond much, I've been here consistently, pretty much since I started on LJ ten years ago. And I generally read authors blogs because I know them personally. But I suspect that I'm a little bit of an outlier--except in the SF community.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Well, I read your blog because we know you . . .

Don't have favorites. If a blog writer keeps me interested, I read. Sort of like with books.

[romsfuulynn.livejournal.com]

I read writer's blogs because they are writers. Usually, but not necessarily because they are writing about the writing process and about what they are writing and the status and progress of a book from birth to when I can get it.

Favorites is hard though, and not really a question that has one answer.

I don't read John Scalzi's "Whatever" because he happens to be a writer I like, although I do like his books.

Robin McKinley on the other hand I read because of her voice, but it isn't a type of thing it's her.

Diana Gabaldon I read/follow for snippets.

I do like "knowing" some writers. (Other writers I'm just as happy not knowing.)

[topayz4.livejournal.com]

I started reading author blogs when they were new. It was interesting to see into the lives of those who created the worlds I loved (though, sometimes seeing into the lives of authors ruins your enjoyment of their books.) Then I started reading more of them because I was writing novels myself. Now that I'm back to being fan instead of nowhere-near-pro writer (don't get a concussion) I read them because it's still interesting to see into your lives. And, at this point it's part of my daily routine.

blogs

[nfurman.livejournal.com]

You and Ursula Vernon, neck and neck in my bookmark bar, and - well, you are interesting, and you both write well, and I like your work, and -not sure why. Such a new world we live in, and it does sometimes seem like celebrity stalking- but not really, just, what is your neighbor doing in life, even if it is only one way info flow. One attaches in such odd social ways these days. I have very few physical friends where I live- many more on line.

[patti ludwig (from livejournal.com)]

Kinda like Nfurman there, (and you're both on my daily list of what to check online) I find what you say interesting, and don't feel the need usually to comment on it, so it's sort of a way to be sociable without having to, y'know, interact. I started yours looking for more about what you'd perhaps written that I'd missed since the original Liaden Universe books, then kept on because, in part, you're so "life is like this, just like it is for you. Fame doesn't magically make this stuff go away."
I'm on Patricia Briggs' website, but she doesn't really blog.
I follow Robin McKinley's twitter links to her blog. Sometimes I follow a link from the Patricia Briggs board (Hurog) to another author, Ilona Andrews or Seanan Maguire, usually. Sometimes from twitter I go to Jim C. Hines, because he's funny and ... hmm, it sounds pretentious, but he's got his finger on the pulse of certain social issues and he highlights them well. John Scalzi also sometimes ends up on my screen from either twitter or a lead in from Mr. Hines.

Also, Canny cat demands to keep up with The Cat Farm.

why I read your blog

[nocal-kathyf.livejournal.com]

Hi Sharon, I read your blog daily on livejournal. I am also now on Facebook. As a long time reader I used to check the Liaden Universe (copyright) website and found out about your links there several years ago, before Renovation in Reno. Yours is the only blog I read, although after I read yours I tried reading several other author's blogs. I enjoyed them for the most part, but I wasn't drawn to read them again on a regular basis. I try to start my day at the computer with reading "Eagles Over the Kennebec".
I really enjoy the snippets of stories, Splinter Universe, the ups and downs of publishing and writing. I like knowing when the e-arc versions of your stories are coming out because I really, really look forward to your stories. I buy them then and get at least one more copy when they come out in paperback or hardback. I enjoy your writing whether it is fiction or non-fiction. I enjoy reading bout the cats, and Maine, and your flowers peaking out under the snow. Thank you for asking!

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

I usually read Fred Pohl's. I'll miss him. Others -- At least 9, maybe more as I lose count. They are interesting and sometimes contain news bits that I want to be aware of.

I can't remember how long ago I started reading yours -- probably back with the start of when I joined LJ. That is a pretty long time by now -- earlier than 2007 for sure.

[jilltanith.livejournal.com]

I read quite a few blogs of writers; they usually have interesting things to say, related in interesting and well-written prose. And sometimes I find out about upcoming things I'll be able to read . . .

[jessie-c.livejournal.com]

When I was growing up authors were magical beings who got their names on books! I formed the notion that they were somehow superior beings to we poor mortals who only ever got to read what they gave us.

Then when blogs came around all of a sudden authors were people whose basements flooded and whose cats needed to be taken to the Vet and who had to pay bills and deal with all the other plagues and concerns of ordinary humanity but who still arranged words in interesting ways. And then there are the intriguing revealed details of the mechanics of being an author; dealing with publishers, correcting galleys (I still have the ludicrous image of the author pounding on drums while rows of editors slave away on reams and reams of paper because that's what occurs in my mind when I see the word 'galley') and all the other hitherto mysterious steps between the time the book is written and the time I get to pay the bookseller for it.

[cgbookcat1.livejournal.com]

Authors' blogs are put together by people who craft words for a living, so they tend to be well-written, focused on topics that interest me, and they keep me up-to-date on their (and others') new releases. There is also a correlation between authors whose books I like and people I would enjoy hanging out with, so it's like getting updates from 15 or so friends (most of whom I have not actually met).

[antti-juhani kaijanaho (from livejournal.com)]

If I like an author's works, I often search for them on the web, to find out more. If they have a blog, I read a couple of posts. If I find them interesting, I add the feed to my feed reader. It stays in the feed reader so long as I don't get too bored or too annoyed.

I think Charles Stross's blog is the one whose new posts excite me the most. He tends to constantly find new-to-me angles on interesting topics and I keep learning from him. I also read this blog with pleasure; if I am allowed to exaggerate a little, you and Steve are kind of like favourite characters in a story (also, news about the Liaden universe, not to mention snippets from the same, are of interest, of course).

[adriannem.livejournal.com]

Simply put? I like how you write. And I like reading most things you write. So it follows that I enjoy your blog. This isn't true of every writer. But it is true of this and several other writers blogs.

Added bonus? Knowing when the next desirable book is coming out.

Added extra bonus? Finding more books that I'll enjoy reading.

[drammar.livejournal.com]

I read your blog in several venues. I read John Scalzi as well.
As another poster said, I like the way you right, and I appreciate insights into the glamour! of the writing life. It's helped me to understand just how damn much work it takes to be a writer. And it helps me to realize how hard it is to write engaging prose.

Yours is my favorite. The snippets are wonderful treats -- even with the full understanding that a particular snippet may not find it's way into the pages of a book. I like the advance notice on your plans. I like your Ability To Capitalize to drive home a point. That makes me laugh frequently. And, because you are my favorite author, bar none, I like the fact that I can, on some level, call you friend.

[kk1raven.livejournal.com]

I read writers' blogs either because I want news about when their works are coming out and/or because they write interesting things in their blogs. What constitutes "interesting" varies a lot. I read Kate Elliott because she says interesting things about her books and the way she writes them and because she sometimes talks about more general issues related to books. I read Jim Hines because his comments about the sf/fantasy books and fandom are thought-provoking and interesting.

[gilraen2.livejournal.com]

because you and steve are my friends and i am interested in your activities. i would read your blogs if you never wrote another book. of course, the books ARE a nice bit of lagniappe.

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

Why do I read writer's blogs? For the same reasons I read non-writer's blogs. Writers are people, after all, each unique and each with something for me to learn or find valuable. The stories may draw me, but the person behind the stories is what keeps me.

I don't have one single favorite. Each is a different flavor of comfort.

[thewol.livejournal.com]

I read CJC's too.

[melita66.livejournal.com]

I read yours because I want to keep on the news of one of my favorite authors. Hearing about the writing process, comments about clueless readers/correspondents, snippets, etc. are interesting to me. I'm never going to be a fiction writer myself.

Hmm, favorite writer blog. Probably yours because I check yours most often and for the longest. Others: Martha Wells, Jo Graham, Robin McKinley, CJ Cherryh, Madeleine Robins, Melissa Scott (not very active), Sherwood Smith, John Scalzi, Kate Elliott, Jo Walton, Moira J. Moore, Daniel Keys Moran's Google+ page.

[readinggeek451]

I read author's blogs in part to find out what's up with their books. It's also interesting to see what they're up to in daily life (their writing style is enjoyable to me or I wouldn't be reading their books either). In a few cases, the blog has either been Too Much or talking about things I'm actively not interested in, so I stop reading those--but not their books!

And no, I'm not going to name names.

Blogs

[gareth griffiths (from livejournal.com)]

... because they are interesting, often insights into the writing process. I probably read yours and Elizabeth Moon's Paksworld blog more than others who I dip into. Often I read for the comments of commenters - paksworld blog has an array of characters who speculate and are very often hugely entertaining.

Your blog rarely fails to amuse, I love the way the words manage to communicate mood and often I 'hear' the words - I love the snippets and tales of the cats.

To be worth reading a blog has to be regular - I get bored of looking and finding nothing new (maybe I could get software to tell me when something new but I'm lazy), and it has to have a great community of contributors - they make the blog as much as the author - hence Liaden universe or Paksworld both have people who I suspect in their dreams live in those universes. Their thoughts and comments are wonderful.

Reverse question - why do YOU write the blog, and what do you get from it?

[anghara.livejournal.com]

Current favourite? Kelly Barnhill. So funny, so poignant, so spot-on.

Otherwise, I will skim-read (and linger if there's something that catches my eye) the blogs of a lot of writer-folk whom I now consider to be my friends, just to keep up with their lives and their dramas and their thoughts and tragedies and successes. Just the keeping up with the life-and-times-of people...

[wystii.livejournal.com]

I'll confess that your's and kinzel's LJs are the only official published authors' blogs I read and mainly because of the connection to Binjali's over in the Baen forum. I guess that would also make yours my favourite...

On the other hand I follow quite a few fanfiction writer's journals for the story content. When I'm stuck in the middle of a story waiting, dangling off a cliffhanger, for the next chapter, it's hard not to read the blog where it will appear eventually. Then again I am friends with some of these writers from when we hung out a lot in the same fandom.

[baobrien.livejournal.com]

I started reading author's blogs to find out when the next books were coming. Then I realized that the stories told in some of those blogs were just as appealingly written as the books written by those favorite authors.

I'll always remember the wonderful story from yours about the mannerless or clueless college students in your way on the sidewalk and stair to your attic.

Favorite things: life stories like letters or FB posts to the reader, snippets, progress reports, engaged readers who discuss clues about the story or world we care about in the comments as with Fledgling, editorial-style writings like Elizabeth Moon sometimes posts - I'll read a blog if the writer's voice in the blog reinforces my liking for his/her books
Less favorite things that can make me stop reading a blog:
- blogs that only focus on personal life-stuff and/or navel-gazing about personal stuff (self-pity) in long, excruciating detail every day with no mention of a book for months - it's like reading someone's diary.
- twitters and tweets - too short, not engaging

Barbara

[charlie russel (from livejournal.com)]

I read a writer's blogs for the same reason I read ANY blog -- because it's interesting. In the case of your blog, I read it virtually every day (assuming you post every day :) ). Sometimes I get good snippets. Sometimes I get good cat pictures. Sometimes I just get a weather report, or its moral and ethical equivalent. And if it's just your reading list, I skip it - I already have WAY too many books in my TBR.

As for the writer's blogs I read, this is the only one I read regularly. There are 3 or 4 others that I sometimes sample, especially if I think they have a new book coming out. But mostly I can't be bothered.

[ext-1743106.livejournal.com (from livejournal.com)]

Funny, you're the only author blog I read. I guess that makes you my favorite. (You're actually the favorite blog I read, so kudos!)

I read your blog because I enjoy your writing. I laugh, I get frustrated, I smile--the same way your books make me do.

And yeah, reading blogs written by people who Know How To Write and don't just garble on and on (and don't have terrible spelling/grammar) is a joy.

(And I didn't know about the snippets until i was already absorbed.)

[thewol.livejournal.com]

I follow the blogs of nine writers, all because I've enjoyed the books they've written. Writers write interesting blogs. I enjoy reading about their writing process, what they're writing and how they write -- also gives me a heads up on when what they're writing now will be available for reading. It gives me a chance to get to know them and interact with them, which is the only way I'll ever get to since I can't afford to travel to conventions. In addition to writers, I also follow the blogs of several artists and painters and a musician (two, if you count Emma Bull). The writers who's stuff I follow, besides yours, are Elizabeth Bear's blog, LJ, and Tumblr, Seanan McGuire's tumblr. Emma Bull's LJ, Jackie Morris's blog (she's both a writer and illustrator), Jane Fancher's blog, C.J. Cherry's blog, Terry Windling's blog, and Scott Lynch's blog. I also follow Tor.com, which is the publisher.

I have a feed reader (NewsFox), so it's easy to keep up with the blogs, tumblr's and webcomics I follow.

the Author's Blog

[catherine ives (from livejournal.com)]

I don't read other blogs. Just this one. Yours is the only one that is constantly updated with lots of very useful information plus news of cats.

A lot of authors seem terminally determined to hide from their fans. I'm very grateful that you don't do that.

[kay-gmd.livejournal.com]

Sorry for taking so long to respond.

I usually start reading an author's blog because I like their work. I like getting to find out the process, when something new is coming, tidbits of what's being worked on...

I stay if I enjoy reading the blog. This usually means the blog is about things I'm interested in, or well written, or best both. In a couple of cases I've found author blogs from posts about issues and appreciate the exploration of these issues. That's how I started reading Jim Hines and Scalzi.

In the case of this blog in particular I used to really enjoy the quotes of what you're working on at the bottom of posts (for whatever reason I like these a lot more in relation to the Liaden universe than other works. I enjoy all the books, but the excerpts are less enjoyable for me). I like reading about the cats, and the struggle of writing professionally, and finding out more about the other end of the country (I'm a Californian).

[margotinez.livejournal.com]

Yet another late (lame?) response, apologies offered. I first started out reading the Bujold list, which isn't really an author's blog, although Lois herself obviously reads the list and occasionally contributes. The highlight of my participation there was having Ms. Bujold weigh in confirming my point of view on the rationale for two character's interaction. However interesting the various contributors are to this list, most of the time I just don't have time to read it. I was getting up to 20 Digests (compilations of multiple entries) a day! BUT this list is how I came to the Liadan Universe (Trademark). Thus I now sample the Bujold list maybe once every few months, and read your LJ blog every time a new one is posted. It suits my tastes in all the ways described above by others. I have looked at a few other author's blogs, mainly to see what is coming up as to new books. I have tried to sign up for Twitter for Elizabeth Moon, a great favorite of mine, but have not figured out how to receive the tweets on my computer. Sigh. By reading the responses here, I'm pointed to the Paksworld blog, and reminded that I need to get signed up for kinzel on LJ. You can tell by this who my favorite is. Thank you for sharing.