By popular demand we are starting a series on author blogs to complement our author snapshot biographies, book reviews and other features.
First up are the blogs of Walter Mosley, popular crime noir author, and George R R Martin, science fiction and fantasy author. These two very different authors have two very different blogs.
Walter Mosley's blog is a publisher sponsored blog. This means that it is heavy on the marketing aspect and light on the author input. This takes away from the value of Mosley's blog by making it a marketing tool instead of a way to connect with the author.
George R R Martin's blog, on the other hand, is author driven. He created it himself and writes it himself with no input from his publisher. It's a better blog because it lets us see the author, warts and all.
An author driven blog is a fantastic way to connect with your favorite author. It gives you glimpses into parts of his life that you may not otherwise know. For example, did you that George R R Martin is a rabid football fan? You would if you read his blog. You'd even know his favorite team.
Mosley, by contrast, is limited by the publisher involvement in his blog. He only writes a personal entry a few times a year, which usually concentrates on his next novel or tour date by decree of the publishing house. It doesn't give his readers any additonal way to connect with him.
Would you rather read an author driven blog or a publisher driven? Do you care, or do you just want the chance to see even the briefest glimpse of an author's "inner workings?" Do you avoid author blogs all together for fear of tainting your view of their work? Let me know what you think.
author blog walter mosley george r r martin
