3 Websites to Stretch Your Thinking

I've always believed in sharing the resources I use to stay current and fresh in my thinking about writing and publishing—no matter how advanced or niche those sources are. With that in mind, I recommend the following 3 sites.

Lean Back 2.0. This is a fairly new blog by The Economist. If you're not familiar with the term "Lean Back" in relation to media consumption, then view this first (essential!).

Twitter: @LeanBack2_0
Sample post: The Rise of the Mass Intelligent 



Brian O'Leary at Magellan Media. This one's been around for a while and deserves more attention for its big-picture analysis of the industry, in a blessedly concise manner.

Twitter: @BrianOLeary
Sample post: Scarcity sells



Laura Hazard Owen at paidContent . Laura used to work at Publishing Trends (another site worth following, but the real goods there cost money). She now reports on the publishing industry for paidContent and has facts and analysis you can trust.

Twitter: @LauraHazardOwen
Sample post: Google: No More E-Books for for Indie Booksellers

If you're a totally new writer, I recommend subscribing to these sites:

My Name Is Not Bob. Some of the best writing advice anywhere, by the editor of Writer's Market.
The 99 Percent. Creativity, inspiration, motivation. And entrepreneurship—essential for today's author.
The Book Designer. For all kinds of 101 related to self-publishing and e-publishing (and more) by Joel Friedlander.

Looking for more?

Check out Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012 from Robert Brewer
Check out the most critical articles I recommend, over at Google Plus (mixed in with Alain de Botton tweets)
Subscribe to my Facebook page, where I share my own posts, plus articles of interest (1-2 posts per day, max)

What do you consider YOUR essential reads—especially to push you in your thinking and understanding of publishing?