The 12 Must-Read Blogs That Feed My Creative Life [Oh. That’s Good.]
We are constantly bombarded with information. Mobile info, social media stuff, TV/DVR/Netflix, books (there’s still books?), those magazines I’m too ashamed to subscribe to but that I still pick up in the checkout line….
AAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!
Beat that information overload! I use my trusty RSS FEED/BLOG reader via http://www.google.com/reader. There are others out there, but I love how it integrates with my Gmail account.
Here is a rundown of the ONLY blogs I read nearly every day to feed my CreativeLife podcast. They are standouts in a crowded field of creativity, writing, and inspiration blogs. They leave me feeling less overwhelmed and a little more enlightened.
YOU LIKE ANY OF THESE? ANY I’VE MISSED? PLEASE LEAVE ME A COMMENT AND LET ME NOW WHAT YOU THINK!
1. Tiny Buddha @ www.tinybuddha.com – “Simple wisdom for complex lives”
Tiny Buddha is just that: bite-sized messages of peace. The design is simple and clear. They always deliver thought-provoking and concise blogs that remind me to take a breath and take it easy on myself. Blog post examples include, “How to Deal with Criticism Well: 25 Reasons to Embrace It” and “3 Things Tweens Teach Us About Living and Enjoying Life.”
2. White Hot Truth with Danielle LaPorte @ wwww.whitehottruth.com – “Because self-realization rocks”
Danielle LaPorte has an amazing way of putting things. Her words snap, crackle and pop off the screen. She uses fun and active language to cut to the heart of the matter. The posts are often short, full of mental exclamations and always passionate. Her fierce and sparkly personality comes through when she talks serious personal growth topics, for instance, “why self-improvement makes you neurotic.”
3. Brain Pickings @ wwww.brainpickings.org – “A discovery engine for interestingness”
Brain Pickings is an extremely thoughtful and tightly-edited weekly newsletter that is consistently packed with compelling ideas and creativity resources. Their roundups on great street art books, must-see TED Talks, and the most current ideas in all things creative keep me coming back for more. It was through Brain Pickings that I discovered the “Holstee Manifesto” that hangs above my home office, spurring me to really “seize the day.” Check it out on the roundup of the best manifestos below.
4. Pick the Brain @ www.pickthebrain.com – ” website dedicated to self improvement with a focus on personal productivity, motivation, and self education”
I always find myself bookmarking the articles on Pick the Brain to keep me thinking clearly and motivated, even in the face of self-doubt and all that other stuff that happens when you figure out creative projects.
5. 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think @ www.my168hours.com
Laura consistently presents great tips on how we can make the most out of the 168 hours that we have in a week. One standout post has been her list of 100 dreams. That idea is definitely on my agenda.
6. The Artist’s Road @ www.artistsroad.wordpress.com – “Creativity, writing, and an art-committed life”
Patrick Ross provides comprehensivve weekly roundups of the best tweets and online posts on creativity. A really great service! There’s always something unexpected in his roundups. He’s a Master’s of Fine Arts (MFA) writing student right now and it’s great to track his process on his blog. This example of his post is a roundup of the books every writer needs to read, which apparently, has garnered an avalanche of hits. Of course, he blogs about that process too!
7. Dose of Creativity @ www.doseofcreativity.blogspot.com – “Musings on all things creative sprinkled with inspired hints and tips.”
Love their 30-Day Creativity Challenge! Creativity can happen in big and small ways. There’s always something new on this site about moving forward our creative process.
8. Presentation Zen @ www.presentationzen.com – “blog on issues related to professional presentation design”
I love the level of expertise this blog dives into. They hit all angles of what it takes to present information in a compelling way. This applies to graphic presentations and storytelling. I particularly liked this post on “Storytelling Lessons from Bill Cosby.” A nice breakdown of Cosby’s communication wisdom.
9. Copyblogger @ www.copyblogger.com – “Online marketing that works.”
Copyblogger is the ultimate in quick tips on writing for the web. There’s a strong marketing bent, as you’d expect from a site title that’s a play on the word “copywriter.” But this site is unparalleled in squeezing quick and concise tips on the best ways to create online content. A popular post, for instance, is “7 Ways to Improve Your Writing…Right Now.” They also have a great series of posts JUST on writing headlines. Very high-quality site.
10 . Pintame El Dia @ www.pintameldia.com – an artist’s life
This Spanish artist’s blog about her artistic life is bilingual and a breath of fresh air. Esti lives in Bilbao and exercises enormous restraint in her poetic summaries that accompany beautifully taken photographic slices of her life. I also have a crush on her art – full of simple lines and contemplative mostly female characters. Take a step into her world.
11. Design for Mankind @ www.designformankind.com – “corner of the Internet where Awesome hangs out”
Artwork, design, photography and Erin’s fashion. Visual eye candy. Always colorful and stimulating. Though I’m not a visual artist, Erin’s presentations give me a nice ocular jolt every time I scroll through.
12. Good Magazine @ www.good.is – “the integrated media platform for people who want to live well and do good”
What started out as simply a magazine has evolved to be a movement for bright ideas that help make good things happen in the world. Culture, art, politics, and activism come together in a tightly designed presentation of the latest innovations that are making our lives better. I especially appreciate their graphic representations of complex policy and social issues via their “infographics.”
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