Blogs never completely died, but they’re far less common than they used to be — and arguably more important than ever. After Google Reader was killed and social platforms became the default hub for way too many people, maintaining a single feed to follow everyone I’m interested in became almost impossible.
Post-Twitter, I’ve re-established my own blog as my primary hub, while rebuilding my network across a few different platforms, and these are the blogs I check in on regularly via their RSS feeds or Mastodon activity. I’ve also included some podcasts and video channels that have become blog-adjacent favorites because old dogs can learn new tricks!
NOTE: This isn’t a comprehensive list, nor is it static. It’s a curated selection of some of my current favorites, in alphabetical order, and I’ll periodically update it to add/remove entries as needed.
Blogs
Baldur Bjarnason
Seamlessly combining technology and humanities in his insightful posts, I learn something new from Bjarnason all of the time. He’s also the author of the must-read The Intelligence Illusion, and a good follow on Mastodon.
The Casual Optimist (Dan Wagstaff)
If you like book covers, Wagstaff has you… um, covered! I’ve been following him for years on different platforms, but have particularly appreciated his continued commitment to blogging. He’s also on Mastodon and Tumblr.
Chris O’Donnell
A Mastodon discovery, O’Donnell’s another old school blogger who writes about birding, camping, and being more intentional about engaging online.
HeadSubhead
I’ve known Travis since my DBW days and am thrilled to see him blogging regularly again. We have some overlapping interests, but he’s typically a little more positive about things than I am. He’s also on Mastodon.
Jane Friedman
One of my most trusted professional colleagues who I also consider a friend; I knew her when she was still “the other Jane Friedman.” Even though we don’t often run in the same publishing circles anymore, her site remains an invaluable resource, and it’s also the home for her must-read industry newsletter, The Bottom Line (fka The Hot Sheet).
Kleefeld on Comics
Kleefeld is an OG comics blogger and historian with a great mix of insightful posts commenting on industry news, history, and reviews. He’s a good follow on Mastodon, too.
LesterSmith .com etc.
An early Mastodon follow where I was initially intrigued by his D6xD6 RPG system, Smith is more active on his blog where he shares a mix of insights on gaming and personal observations. Old school vibes in all of the good ways.
librarian.net (Jessamyn West)
Jessamyn “putting the rarin back in librarian since 1999” West is one of my all-time favorite librarians, sharing a mix of the mundane and insightful across various platforms, while never neglecting her blog for too long. She’s also a good follow on Mastodon.
The Naming Way
Old school blogging done right. Randomly personal and insightful, very often funny, and we frequently have overlapping tastes in various media, so his recommendations carry weight. Bonus: I have no idea who he actually is IRL, but I think we’d get along great!
New Virago
Every blog needs a good tagline, and her original “a newsletter about whatever the fuck I feel like writing” is both the epitome of blogging, and exactly what I want from Dawson, in particular, one of my favorite DBW-era partners in crime!
Revenue Rulebreaker by Lex Roman
Impressed by their ability to balance the tricky combination of authenticity, enthusiasm, and insights, Roman became one of my favorite sources of business insights in 2025, and I decided to treat myself with a Legends membership for 2026. Their free resources are great, too, and they’re also very active on LinkedIn.
Second Breakfast (Audrey Watters)
I’ve always hated EdTech and Watters was one of my favorite critics back in Twitter’s heyday. I’d lost track of her post-Musk and was thrilled to find Second Breakfast. You will be, too.
Well Sourced (Kelly Jensen)
Jensen continues to do amazing work at Book Riot, covering libraries better than most of the profession’s own trade journals, and she also has her own newsletter where she goes deeper into specific topics.
Words & Money (Andrew Albanese)
Albanese has been one of my favorite industry journalists for years, so his new media venture aiming to “center the role of libraries in the 21st Century publishing business” was an immediate must-subscribe. If you like going deep on libraries, you should subscribe, too.
Microblogs
azteclady (Mastodon)
I’m usually leery of anonymous social accounts, but I’ve been following her for years and she became even more important to me post-Twitter. She also has a great blog that’s mostly romance reviews, but occasionally touches on other topics.
Jim Fallone (LinkedIn)
If you like my newsletter, you’ll love Fallone’s LinkedIn feed, as he regularly posts insightful commentary about publishing and geeky topics.
L. Rhodes (Mastodon)
Of the interesting people I’ve “met” on Mastodon, Rhodes is one of my favorites, with consistently thoughtful posts about technology, along with a varied mix of other topics and a wry sense of humor. He occasionally gathers his thoughts on a specific topic on his blog, too.
Video
Arbitor Ian
My primary source for Warhammer 40k lore since I got sucked in a couple of years ago, Ian’s approach is chill and inclusive, avoiding the usual YouTube histrionics.
Ray Delahanty | CityNerd
Truth in advertising, Delahanty is seriously nerdy about walkable cities of all sizes and loves digging into big datasets to unearth interesting insights.
Rogue Hobbies
I will never get into the miniatures side of 40k, but I enjoy watching people who are passionate about the painting side of the hobby, and Louise is a favorite.
Sandwiches of History
A silly concept that shouldn’t have lasted more than a few months, but I’ve been hooked ever since I first stumbled across the channel because it’s so simple and earnest. I’ve also discovered some great recipes and condiments along the way!
Podcasts
Coming soon…