About blogs... by Liz Flaherty

They've changed, haven't they? In reading blogs by and about writers...at least the ones I'm part of or read often...I find that the regular post is frequently replaced by the promotional spotlight. Even if valuable, helpful, or downright funny information is included in the post, it's often buried above the writer's bio but below the newest book cover and the "available at..." paragraph. It's good promotion for writers, a way to make their work more visible.

So, no, I'm not criticizing it. I've done a bunch of spotlights when I've been a guest on other blogs. I do them here and invite others to do them on my blog. But I miss the coffee at the kitchen table feeling that comes from reading others' blogs. I love reading about Kristan Higgins' kids and pets and her beloved McIrish. I enjoy sitting around the fire on D. V. Stone's blog. Vicky Burkholder always offers food for thought on Sparkling Book Reviews. My own Window Over the Sink as well as many others are slice of life essays and I seek them out. Sean of the South is a daily read for me.

I probably have, I shouldn't admit, more readers of my blog than of my books. But that's changing these days. My blog has fewer visitors than it used to. Readers don't respond to giveaways, to questions asked with the hope of engagement, to thoughts that invite discussion.

This morning, as I read Sparkling Book Reviews, I saw a message I've come to dread: Announcement: I will be discontinuing this site come the end of the year. More on this later.

Well, dang.

Vicky's not the first one to call it a day. I don't know her reasons and I can only hope things are okay with her, but I'll miss visiting. Her tips. Her reviews. 

I read Wrangler Nan Reinhardt's Sunday Snippet before church every Sunday and I miss Janie DeVos's posts on Word Wranglers so much. The blog is how I keep up with Margie, Kristi, Nan, and Jana. As I count on Facebook to keep me up-to-date on my nieces' and nephews' lives and well-being, I count on blogging to retain closeness to friends. 

Just as trends come and go in romantic fiction, blogging came and conquered on the internet and now seems to be well on its way...I don't know...out? Over? Or is it just changing? 

So, anyway...maybe I'm just complaining about nothing. The Window is going to have its celebration of writers telling holiday stories between Thanksgiving and New Year's this year. I hope you visit us there. 

For now, what are your favorite blogs, the ones you read every post from and you wish other people knew about? Thanks for sharing--and thanks for reading. Have a great week.