What Changemaker Authors Have Blogs?
by Britt Bravo

I'm speaking tomorrow at the Writing for Change Conference in San Francisco about "Changeblogging: How to Create Positive Change With Your Blog." The conference is for nonfiction writers who want to write books that will create positive change, "from the personal to the planetary."

I've been creating a list of changemaker authors who have blogs. The blogs could have been created as a platform for a particular book, evolved into a book, or simply be a part of the author's overall web presence.

I'd love to hear your suggestions for changemaker authors who have blogs.  I know I'm missing a lot of people. My list is rather heavy on "green" topics. I'd like to see examples from other fields like politics, culture, business, technology, spirituality, health, nutrition and personal development.

Here is the sampler I've got so far:

Blog: 100 Mile Diet Series on The Tyee
Book: Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon

Blog: WorldChanging
Book: WorldChanging: A User's Guide to the 21st Century by Alex Steffen

Blog: Gristmill
Book: Wake Up and Smell the Planet: The Non-Pompous, Non-Preachy Grist Guide to Greening Your Day by Grist Magazine

Blog: Katya's Nonprofit Marketing Blog
Book: Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes by Katya Andresen

Blog: Big Green Purse Blog
Book: Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World by Diane MacEachern

Blog: getcha grub on
Book: Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen by Anna Lappe and Bryant Terry

Blog: Take a Bit Out of Climate Change
Book: Eat the Sky (Fall 2009) by Anna Lappe

Blog: ecosoul
Book: Organic Soul by Bryant Terry (2009)

Blog: Barbara's Blog
Books: Barbara Ehrenreich has written so many important books, there isn't space to list them all. Her most popular is probably Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Britt Bravo, also blogs at Have Fun * Do Good, and NetSquared

Submitted by Britt Bravo (view blog) on Fri, 08/15/2008 - 14:55

Comments

 

Does Fiction Count?

Given that your audience is nonfiction authors.  

I am an activist who writes feminist hip hop fiction and chick lit, and I maintain a blog at www.blackartemis.blogspot.com.  I often post entries about the politics of popular culture. My purpose in writing commercial fiction is to raise social and political issues beyond the converted.

If you're amenable to fiction authors, you'll also want to check out the blog kept by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez. Recently, she is most known for pioneering the "chica lit" blog. However, she is also an award-winning journalist who frequently blogs about current events and political issue, particularly race and ethnicity.  Her blog is at www.alisavaldesrodriguez.blogspot.com.

If any others come to mind -- fiction or nonfiction -- I will be back. :)

Best of luck with your presentation! 

Sofia Quintero, President

Sister Outsider Entertainment, LLC

Submitted by SofiaQ on Fri, 08/15/2008 - 12:16
 

Changemaking fiction writers/bloggers

Hi Sofia,

For the purposes of the talk I gave this weekend, I needed nonfiction writers, but I'll give this talk at other venues where I'll definitely want to include changemaker fiction writers.  I will check out your blog!

I love Alisa's books and have read her blogs off and on--they seem to change names, or end and then relaunch a lot so it is hard to keep track of when she has an active one.

Submitted by Britt Bravo on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 10:58
 

This is an amazing list

Some of these folks I haven't visited in a long time. I'd really like to go and surf their blogs and see what they're up to now.

Thank you!

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Submitted by Denise on Fri, 08/15/2008 - 14:52
 

Thanks, Denise

People have added a lot of good suggestions for additional blogs in the comment and on my cross-post on Have Fun * Do Good.

Submitted by Britt Bravo on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 11:00
 

I recommend

Stuffed and Starved

 http://stuffedandstarved.org/drupal/frontpage

 

 

Ruchi

http://arduousblog.blogspot.com/

Submitted by arduous on Fri, 08/15/2008 - 17:16
 

Stuffed and Starved

Thanks, Ruchi!  I will definitely check out the blog and book.

Submitted by Britt Bravo on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 11:01
 

Can I add a non-toxic parenting?

Britt - It may be too late if you are speaking tomorrow (and good luck!), but I've got my book coming out in 2009 from Hachette Book Group.  My blog is thesmartmama and the book is The Smart Mama's Simple Steps to Non Toxic Babies!

 Jennifer

Submitted by thesmartmama on Fri, 08/15/2008 - 20:34
 

The Smart Mama's Simple Steps to Non Toxic
Babies!

Hi Jennifer,

As I mentioned in the comments above, I'll be doing this talk again, so I will add your blog and book to the list.

Submitted by Britt Bravo on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 11:02
 

Not sure if this is exactly what you're
looking for...

Neil Gaiman has most definitely changed parts of the world.  Prolific author and blogger @ neilgaiman.com.

Submitted by CRosberg on Sat, 08/16/2008 - 07:52
 

Neil Gaiman

Hi CRosberg,

Can you tell me a little more about how you think Meil has, "changed parts of the world"?

Thanks for the suggestion!

Submitted by Britt Bravo on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 11:04
 

Sorry about the delayed

Sorry about the delayed reply...but the man has blurred the lines between genres, and has managed to create entire worlds based on the one we live in, and translated young adult and adult novels back and forth between the two groups.  I've watched high school students, their parents, and grand parents all come together in order to talk about Gaiman's work.  It's pretty astounding.

Submitted by CRosberg on Tue, 09/16/2008 - 14:47
 

Writer Parents

Hi Britt - I don't know if this is what you are looking for in terms of culture but I'm a novelist with a recently started blog about balancing work and famly life:  What Kate Did Next http://katelordbrown.blogspot.com/  It may not change the world but in a small way it would be great to get more people involved and some good discussion going! Best wishes for the conference.

Submitted by Kate Lord Brown on Sat, 08/16/2008 - 10:24
 

What Kate Did Next

Hi Kate,

I'll check out your blog.  How to balance work and family life is one the challenges everyone is struggling with these days.  Finding solutions for how to create that balance is definitely worldchanging!

Submitted by Britt Bravo on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 11:08
 

Balance

Hi Britt - thank you, and all the best for the conference.  I'm starting to think perhaps this is the way to change the world - if everyone took one small step together imagine what we could do.  Best wishes. 

What Kate Did Next http://katelordbrown.blogspot.com/

Submitted by Kate Lord Brown on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 11:26
 

Inside Outside Activist

I think you are exactly right, Kate.  I'm coming to the same conclusion and I think others are too.

Check out the work of the Seasons Fund for Social Transformation. This is their mission:

"The Seasons Fund For Social Transformation invests in opportunities to couple the expansive power of personal transformation with the public work of repairing societal ills in the United States.

The Fund, a collaborative effort led by several private foundations, springs from a shared belief that cultivating a rich inner life is both a worthy end in itself and an overlooked pathway to heightening the impact, effectiveness, and sustainability of social change initiatives. Together, we aim to raise at least $5 million to support those working for social, economic, and environmental justice to embrace a range of contemplative practices that can deepen their capacity to lead"

Submitted by Britt Bravo on Tue, 08/19/2008 - 09:14
 

The Green Beauty Guide

Good for you! What a great topic. A great blog that matches the book title is:

The Green Beauty Guide by Julie Gabriel (www.thegreenbeautyguide.com). The book will be on shelves in October but in the meantime, you can read the blog and see just how dedicated Julie is to her subject. This book will be the resource guide on your shelf that you'll refer to again and again to help you discern the toxic from non-toxic substances we use on our bodies, hair, and face. And, the one that will teach you recipes to make your own. It's really a great book that I'm honored to be working on.

 

Submitted by kimmerie on Mon, 08/18/2008 - 12:02
 

Thanks for reminding me about Green Beauty
Guide

It should definitely be included.  

Submitted by Britt Bravo on Tue, 08/19/2008 - 09:16
 

Shifting Career Help

 

I hope your speech went well!  Even though I'm a bit late in replying to your post, I highly recommend you check out Marci Alboher's blog and book which are helping a lot of folks navigate changes in their careers and/or find more satisfaction with thier professional life by pursuing multiple skills at once (ie. writer/teacher/speaker).

 Shifting Careers Blog: http://shiftingcareers.blogs.nytimes.com/

 Book:  One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success   Author: Marci Alboher

 

Submitted by cboyle on Thu, 08/21/2008 - 05:38
 

Please add Zoe Weil to your list

Thanks for such a great list! 

Please add Zoe Weil to your list of changemakers. Zoe is the co-founder and president of the Institute for Humane Education, which focuses on helping create a humane world by training humane educators (human rights, environmental preservation, animal protection, media & culture) and empowering people to make choices that do the most good and least harm for all people, animals and the planet.

Her blog/site: http://www.zoeweil.com 

Her latest book, Most Good, Least Harm: A Simple Principle for a Better World and a Meaningful Life comes out January 2009.

She has wriiten other books, including:

Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times

The Power and Promise of Humane Education 

Submitted by humanebeings on Sun, 08/24/2008 - 09:47
 

Thanks for letting me know about Zoe Weill

I will check out her blog!

Submitted by Britt Bravo on Mon, 08/25/2008 - 11:10
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