Blog | Dec 21, 2010 | 3 Comments

[best of the blogs]

[a darn good reading list]

This year I’ve been on an incredible learning journey in the world of social media. Fortunately, it’s a world populated by good writers who feel compelled to share their wisdom and experience with total strangers. Here’s a list of my favorite bloggers from this year. I hope all of them are back next year!

These are not all “heavy hitters” of social media, but they’re my favorites.

Kommein: Deb Ng has founded, and continues to run, several successful blogs. She writes primarily about blogging and social media, and is especially knowledgeable about managing online communities. Her posts are thoughtful, informative, and easy to read.

Chris Brogan: Chris is possibly the country’s top blogger and business-consultant-at-large. His intelligent advice is essential for anyone who blogs, works in social media, runs a business or non-profit, or just likes thinking about life and work.

RedheadWriting: Erika’s style is, um, very direct. She exposes, scolds, and yes, occasionally flames. She also writes posts about life that are inspiring and sometimes heart-breaking. I recommend her for bloggers, social media enthusiasts, and any writers.

Pushing Social: Stanford writes primarily for other bloggers, and his perspectives on blogging, social media technology, and trends are great. If you have a blog or are even thinking about developing one, please check him out.

Social Media Design: From Lori Randall Stradtman, who built my blog, come regular posts and video tutorials with practical tips about social media for everyone. Lori tries it all and lets you know how it went, with the goal of saving you a lot of time and trouble.

The Working Chronicles: I have to plug my team’s blog, don’t I? This is a one-of-a-kind site by, for, and about working people. Every week, we post new stories about interesting people and their careers. Next year, we’ll open up submissions to our readers, too.

Of course, there are many blogs and websites just for freelance writers.

They’re too numerous to name here, so that list can wait for its own blog. But just for fun, check out Diary of a Mad Freelancer, where P.S. Jones writes about the freelance life. She’s a writer like me, but with a better sense of humor and more time for blogging.

This time of year, many bloggers post their own “best of the blog” lists.

Here’s the list of my most popular posts. I was surprised. Are you?

[six rules of writing]: a very short compilation of my favorite writing advice

[witness me]: some musings on why social media exists (because people need others to witness their lives)

[telling stories]: story-telling is fundamental to any kind of marketing (look for more on this topic in 2011)

When I launched this blog early this year, I had no idea what would happen.

It’s been a successful experiment, thanks to you and the people I listed above. Happy Holidays!

Photo credit: salendron on flickr. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Author: Claire Wagner

I'm a seasoned freelance writer/editor and an enthusiastic community manager. I'm passionate about developing and sharing good content.

3 Comments

Claire, thank you for the kind words. I always say, “You can accuse me of many things but you can’t say I’m not a good time.”

Thanks for putting this list together.I knew most of the blogs (especially The Working Chronicles, which you introduced me to and I’ve been lurking around since). The only new one to me was Social Media Design, which I’ve promptly added to my RSS reader. The site is beautiful and I trust your taste.

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