Harry Miller’s blog does what I think all writing blogs (including ours) should do–a podcast. Actually, this site seems to be “all podcasts all the time”, relying on them more heavily than print pieces. I am a big believer in the podcast format for many reasons–when they are done right, they are engaging visitor magnets that add a lot of value to a website or blog.
Miller’s podcast is fully produced, with intro music, interviews, and commentary. He does quite a professional presentation and is definitely doing it right, at least for my money. If you want to learn more about the business of technical writing, Harry Miller’s site is worth the time investment. The sad thing about this site is that it hasn’t been updated since August of 2007–a shame since the potential for this blog is endless. The content on the site is archived for two years so you can glean a lot about technical writing.
For some, Harry Miller’s Technical Writing Blog probably loses some points for being in limbo, but in my mind that’s offset by the large volume of information available. I feel safe in recommending this since you can learn a great deal from what’s there now.
Kid Magazine Writers popped up on my editorial radar while searching for completely unrelated material. How it got into my search results is a mystery, but I am glad it did, as this is a great resource for anyone with such a specialized niche. From an outsider’s perspective, writing for kid magazines is fairly under-represented when it comes to writer’s resources; Kid Magazine Writers fills that gap nicely. Editor Jan Fields writes, “Most children’s magazine writers suffer from a bit of an inferiority complex. To borrow a metaphor from my Southern roots, we’re the redheaded stepchildren of the children’s writing world.”
Thanks to her work at KMW, Jan Fields goes a long way towards eliminating that feeling of inferiority. For most Freelance-Zone readers, the most valuable part of the site is the Editors Speak section where kid magazine editors explain what they’re looking for, how to submit, and what topics are hot at present. There’s also an excellent archive of these for you to explore. Great stuff. I don’t write for children’s magazines, but if I decide to take it up one day, Jan Fields and KMW will be my first stop on the research trail.
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