Blogs and Podcasts I Read and Listen to Every Week
We all have our secret list of favorite blogs and podcasts we prefer. I base my preferences on whether or not I learn anything new and, especially in the case of podcasts, whether there’s an entertainment value.
Don’t get me wrong; solid information is what keeps me coming back week after week. But when it comes to podcasts, the audio has to be clear, the guests interesting, and the topics need to resonate with my struggles or interest. I listen to podcasts while I’m on the treadmill so if an episode doesn’t hold my interest sufficiently, the exercise can become unbearable.
I thought you might want to find out which bloggers and podcasters I pay close attention to. Well, here they are.
Bloggers I Read
Anne R. Allen
I adore Anne’s blog. Aside from being one smart lady, her mix of sass and education is priceless.
Buffer Blog
The folks at Buffer write in-depth posts that always teach me a new skill. I rely on this blog to keep my social media skills sharp.
BookWorks
I’m proud to be a blogger at BookWorks, but that’s not why the blog is on this list. I enjoy the other bloggers, including Penny Sansevieri, Carla King, Helen Sedwick, and Joel Friedlander, who write sharp posts. I always learn something when I read a new post, which is why I read blogs in the first place.
TheBookDesigner.com by Joel Friedlander
Blogger, author, and entrepreneur, Joel Friedlander is a masterful blogger and businessman who blogs on Mondays and has guest bloggers appear on Wednesdays. I always look forward to seeing what’s new on his site. Be sure to read his monthly reviews of book covers. You’ll learn a lot.
Jane Friedman
Jane is an author, former publisher of Writer’s Digest, and astute marketing maven. I always enjoy seeing what she has to say or one of her guest bloggers.
Digital Pubbing
Sabrina is a writer, ebook developer, and blogger at DigitalPubbing.com. I enjoy her interviews, posts, and compilation of top posts on specific topics. I wouldn’t miss an issue.
Podcasts I Follow
Serial
The reporters from This American Life are the hosts of this show. They dissect a story to its core, using their investigative reporter skills. If you can learn something from this podcast, it’s how to tell a story in an engaging, entertaining manner. But these stories are real so while they are entertaining, they can also be quite sad. I love this series. I’ve listened to the first two seasons and am eagerly awaiting season three.
Self-Publishing Formula Podcast
Mark Dawson and James Blatch co-host this podcast. Mark Dawson is a thriller author who hosts trainings on online advertising for indie authors. James Blatch is a former BBC News journalist who is currently writing his first novel. Together they form a formidable team.
Smarty Pants Book Marketing
Chris and Becca Syme, a mother-daughter team. Chris is a marketer and Becca is a hybrid author. Together they interview guests and share marketing strategies.
The Author Biz by Stephen Campbell
Stephen Campbell loves to analyze figures, so his guests often arrive at the show with spreadsheets noting how much they’ve spent, how much they’ve earned, and how many books they’ve sold. It’s always fun to hear about another indie author’s success.
The Creative Penn
This is my favorite podcast. I adore Joanna Penn’s personal ramblings at the beginning of the show, and she can make even the seemingly most boring topic fascinating. She’s bubbly, positive, and informative – a winning combination.
The author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She’s a regular speaker at the San Francisco Writers Conference. In addition, she’s a contributing writer at TheBookDesigner.com, and blogger and Social Media Expert for BookWorks. She’s written several social media books including the 2nd edition of Social Media Just for Writers, The Author’s Guide to Goodreads, and Social Media in 30 Minutes a Day. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, finding new readers, and selling more books. Her clients include authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for my free email course.