I am occasionally asked to list the magazines, newsletters, and blogs I read to stay informed about our industry. It is a good question. But when I started compiling the list, I realized how ridiculously long it is. Therefore, I can only list selected highlights by type of media.
Lest you get the wrong impression, realize I’m an eclectic reader who skims the surface of the waters gleaning information quickly. Occasionally, I will dive deep for real food; but mostly it is a thin sampling. Five miles wide and two inches deep is one description. I estimate that I read/skim at least 200+ pages each week of industry-related material, just to stay on top of this ever-changing profession.
Note the intentional diversity of theological and political perspectives. I believe it is important to read widely to stimulate your thinking.
Magazines (received in the mail)
Topic: Publishing Industry (not many print publications left)
Publishers Weekly
Writer’s Digest
Topic: Christian Worldview
World
Christian Century
Charisma
Touchstone
Salvo
Modern Reformation
Tabletalk
Plough
Sports Spectrum
Bible Study Magazine
Topic: Business/Finance
Bloomberg Businessweek
Topic: Miscellaneous
BBC Music Magazine (classical music world)
BBC History Magazine
Biblical Archeology Review
Christian History
Consumer Reports
Email Subscriptions: These newsletters arrive periodically in a separate inbox reserved for this kind of information. These are not RSS emails; they are email newsletters. Some, as indicated, are paid subscriptions. In no particular order:
Publishers Lunch (a part of Publisher\’s Marketplace)
Publishers Weekly Daily
PW Religion Bookline
1440 Daily Digest (best free summary of yesterday\’s news)
Shelf Awareness Pro
Rush to Press from ECPA
The Hot Sheet by Jane Friedman (I\’m glad to subscribe to her insightful, weekly newsletter. She is one of the smartest observers of the publishing industry.)
The Worldview Bulletin Newsletter (brilliant writing by brilliant thinkers)
Banner of Truth magazine (comes monthly as a PDF)
Text & Canon Institute
The Passive Voice
Family Fiction
Thirdmill Weekly (Biblical Perspectives Magazine)
Terms of Service with Chris Martin (biblical worldview perspectives on technology)
I also have bookmarks, on my customized browser home page, to a half dozen sites that I visit regularly. Each day I view Not the Bee and The Babylon Bee. (I happily pay a membership to have access to all the bonus content on both these sites.) Other daily visits include Tim Challies, The Christian Post, and The Stream. The most intriguing articles I send to myself as an email using the Chrome plug-in called AddtoAny. I rely on my customized browser home page for world news updates.
Blogs: Bazqux Reader is the main collector of over 300 RSS subscriptions. Some are blogs and some are RSS feeds from a website. I then use the FeeddlerPro app on my iPad. This app draws from the Bazqux Reader and helps me to read these feeds each day as part of my morning routine after reading the newspaper. The app allows me to scan the headlines quickly and send ones I want to read more carefully to myself as an email. These RSS feeds are grouped into nine categories for ease of organization (Publishing, Marketing, Theology, Technology, Blogging, Clients, Daily, Weekly, and Christian Writers).
I subscribe to far too many blogs to list here. (You really don\’t want to follow 300+ blogs; you have better things to do.)
There you have it. A ridiculous list of information. However, to do my job effectively, I need to keep on top of what is going on. Yes, I have read Nicholas Carr\’s book The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. It is a terrifying read due to its insight and accuracy, but I know of no other way to keep abreast of our industry.
Your Turn: Is there another source you would suggest or blogger I should be following (other than yourself)?
Fun Fridays – June 17, 2022
I scan the Instapundit blog – https://instapundit.com/ It is mostly a roundup of political headlines from a conservative, not necessarily Christian, perspective. It also has some science and tech pieces sprinkle in as well.
If you read these every day, when do you have time to do anything?
I subscribe to the Daily Wire and I read also the Durden Dispatch, the WND and the Blaze. Also, an occasional glance at Fox News and American Military News.
That’s about it. They’re all conservative news outlets. I occasionally read the mainstream media stuff but usually its way out there in left field so I restrict that unless I want to hear the other side’s argument.
I spend most of my day writing, editing and reading some publishing articles.
And about three books, two nonfiction and one fiction. Which I read a small portion of every day.
I don’t have time to read everything. I’m trying to balance things. And, of course about 2 to 3 chapters of the Bible too to keep God’s perspective in place. Especially in the crazy times we live in…
I know that I should stay informed,
but really, bubba, why?
My life is one that is ignored,
and my words will not fly
to influence the idiots
that hold future in sweaty hands;
I can’t counter Twitter-bots,
and now I understand
that all I need’s contained within
the Testaments, both old and new,
and I don’t need no modern spin
to try to write ’bout what is true,
so goodbye TikTok, Instagram,
and I will hew to what I am.
I enjoy Albert Mohler and The Briefing—World events from a Christian World View.
The Author’s Guild is another good resource. They often present free webinars on various topics for authors, such as contract negotiation, libel protection, tax laws, etc. These webinars are available to members and nonmembers alike, and the replays are available on YouTube.
I debated posting this, but it has helped me cope with what is happening in the world. This video format comes out every couple of days. This is worldwide news that has a biblical conservative slant. You won’t hear any of this in the mainstream media.
http://www.andweknow.com
Besides my creditors’ and bank manager’s posts, I’m subscribed to Daily Maverick, and defenceWeb (South Africa) and US Writer’s Digest, Query Tracker News, AWAI, agent blogs, e.g. Lucinda Literary, Sarah Bullen, and Yours Truly. I daily read CNN. I just joined ‘1440’ thank you. Although I would dearly like to join Jane Friedman, $ subscriptions are a no go for me.
Hi Stephan,
Jane also offers free blog posts with great content. If you sign up for her emails, she will send notifications for all of her offerings on a daily or weekly basis, depending on your preference.
Thx Wendy, I’ll definitely do so 🙂
Wow, Steve – this is an extensive list of reading! I must say that I think your efforts to remain current in the Christian Publishing realm are respectable. I certainly read through a few blogs and I have subscribed to some newsletters, but nothing remotely close to what you’re scavenging on a daily basis. Thank you for sharing!
That is a lot of info to take in! I don’t consume nearly as much as you, Steve, but I do read this blog, Books & Such Blog, the Oregon Christian Writer’s newsletter, info from ACFW blog form, Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers blog, and some books on writing craft.