Writing. Blogs.

I love the Paperback Writer blog. Such great advice and discussion for authors and those who'd like to be published. I have to give a shout out... even though she doesn't know me. I learn so much from the site. And... if you're new to the game, or want to get into the game, definitely check out the site.

I like to read the blog of Donna Hill. Again, though I don't know her personally, I learn a lot from her experiences working full-time and writing several novels. It shows that it can be done... that time is available. She recently took a leap of faith and quit her full-time to write full-time. Bravo! Some day the same will happen for me, I hope.

The blog of Tayari Jones is so classy and always challenging you to think. Much like Tayari does in the times I've met her. She does something that authors should do, and I'm guilty sometimes of not doing... keeping the blog strictly literary. I think there's a lot to be said for keeping the professional professional, and the personal just that.

And Monica Jackson is a mixture of fun, literary news, and keeping people aware of the issues of African American writers and books.

I love reading the daily blogs of two guys who I consider peers, and part of the Class of 2005 in terms of releasing books and doing the same thing I'm doing.

Rashid Darden keeps a diary of his ongoing work with Lazarus, his first novel, and the fun it is to promote.
Trent Jackson gives us news about his first novel, At This Moment, and also keeps us "in the know" about bloggers who are soon to be authors.
Now, if only Alphonso Morgan and Brent Dorian Carpenter kept blogs... my Class of 2005 blog reading would be complete.

One of my favorites, Alisa Valdes Rodriguez, just shut down her blog. I was sad. But I definitely respect her reasoning. She said the amount of time spent writing blog entries could be used doing what she's paid to do... write novels.

Something to think about. But in the meantime, happy reading... and writing!
fs