Finding blogs, reading blogs

In order to write in any genre, you need to read widely in that genre so that its defining features become second nature. With blogging, reading blogs is itself a defining feature: bloggers regularly read, respond to, and refer to other blogs.

To get you started with wide reading of blogs, we'll explore two tools:
(1) blog-specific search engines, especially technorati
(2) rss readers/news aggregators, especially bloglines

After finding several blogs that interest you with technorati, you can set up a bloglines account that will allow you to read all the blogs you want in one space, and you can use a script from bloglines to create a blogroll.

As you read blogs today and in the coming days, notice what does and doesn't appeal to you. Keep a record of the features of blogs that seem unique to and/or characteristic of blogs: use your blog as a placeholder for these notes.