There are more than a hundred blogs participating in this year’s Freelance Success/WordCount Blogathon (for a full list, see this post). Every year I participate (this is my fourth), I make it a point to visit each participating blog at least once. Some of them sign up and don’t do much. Some are not to my taste. But every year, I find blogs I love. Every year, I subscribe to about half a dozen new ones, bookmark others, and send notes to friends and relations who might like something I discovered.

This year, I found enough to love that I’m splitting my list into two or three parts (I’ll know for sure after this post is done and see what’s left), Reading and Writing blogs, Food/Cooking/Gardening blogs, and potentially, other blogs I love. But I may append those on tomorrow’s list if there aren’t enough to make a robust post. Otherwise it will seem like cheating.

So here are some good blogs about reading and writing. Some are for newbie writers looking for advice on how to make a living with words (good luck with that; possible, but it takes work). Some are for folks who have more experience. I’ve added the book blogs in with the writing blogs because, well, reading and writing, right?

Randy Southerland’s blog Southwrite covers both the writing business, and also issues surrounding journalism. I’ve never read one of his blogs that didn’t make me think. I particularly liked a piece he wrote about self-censorship in the media — like what some international organizations are doing in China in order to maintain access or even just press credentials.

WordCount: Freelancing in the Digital Age is one of the best resources for a freelance writer there is. Michelle Rafter, the founder of the blogathon and the writer in charge at WordCount. If you write for a living, you need this blog. Full stop.

Jen Miller’s blog, Notes From a Hired Pen, has appeared every year we’ve blogged the thon together. It’s another place to go for information on writing for a living, including a great post on why writing for free is a Bad Thing.

The inner workings of a writer’s mind (oy! what a mess!) are the subject of Meredith Resnick’s blog, The Writer’s (Inner) Journey. How to keep the faith, how to handle writer’s block (is there really such a thing) — these are the subjects you can read about, along with interviews with working (paid!) writers.

Jaya Wrote This is a language lover’s paradise. I can’t believe that the author, Jaya Powell, is still a student. She writes beautifully and considers her words carefully. Love it.

Need a dose of Freelancer advice every week? Christina Hernandez Sherwood provides, every Friday. She blogs about writing other days, but you can be sure every Friday that there will be something pertinent to the freelancing life. Most of her blog is about writing. But there’s other stuff, too, like a weekly “One Good Read” feature during June, where she talks about a favorite non-fiction book.

Dollars and Deadlines, by Kelly James-Enger, is the blog of the author best known for her book, Six Figure Freelancing. She’s a great writer and teacher, and any freelancer, newbie or old pro, can learn from her.

Elizabeth Hanes is a nurse AND writer. She writes about writing for everyone, but she’s also been blogging lately about how nurses can take their knowledge and make a writing career out of it. She’s one of the healthcare writer colleagues I most respect.

Nicky LaMarco has a great site, Freelance Writing 4 Beginners, and offers classes, as well. She had an awesome guest post on Monday with C. Hope Clark on query letters. If you’re new — or need a refresher, it’s a good place to look.

The co-sponsor of the blogathon, Freelance Success, has its own blog, penned by the mighty Jennie Phipps. You don’t have to be a member of this wonderful organization to read the blog (but if you make a living as a freelancer, or are trying to, I highly recommend it).

Mrs. Payan Reads is a great place to find books for kids and young adults that have been vetted by a careful (adult) reader. Blogger Andrea Payan is an 8th grade teacher. Every Monday she has a reading round-up.

Librarian-on-the-loose (isn’t that better than at-large?) Katy Manck writes BooksYA Love, a blog devoted to young adult literature. If you have a teen, or precocious tween, this is a great place to find some titles that will resonate.