As mentioned in my last post, here's your chance to highlight some of your own favorite blogs.

Just use the comments section of this post to mention some of the blogs that you've been enjoying as we continue through the opening phase of this competition.

-Tom

As promised, here are just a few of the blogs that I'm currently enjoying:

absolutebest: More than one interesting topic choice and a very readable style

MooreSports: Consistently solid

HiPlainsDrifter: A finalist from NGS I. Great series of Kentucky Derby articles

And following up on a few requests, we will have a post early this week where you will have a chance to highlight your own favorite blogs.

-Tom

Do pictures help my blog?

Echoing what Ty said in one of his answers, graphic elements certainly help the reader's experience and can actually help bolster your argument, but that said, they're not required and the writing is what will actually help or hurt your cause.

Are previous finalists eligible?

Yes. And I already see a handful back for NGS 2, but simply because they made it last time, doesn't mean they have a spot locked up in the finals this time.

What can I do to help my chances?

One thing that I pointed out in NGS 1, and certainly helped some of our finalists land their spots was participating in the "community" of the blogs. That means commenting on other people's blogs, something like having a post on your own blog talking about some of your favorite posts by other authors, or just going through and listing some of your favorite blogs in the "My favorite blogs" part of your blog.

Will this help a lesser writer get the nod over a better one? No, but it could certainly help serve as a tiebreaker of sorts.

Hope that helps a little, and I'll be back later this week with a look at some of the blogs that have caught our eye so far.

-Tom

Just a reminder that the winner of the first Next Great Sportswriter, Ty Hildenbrandt, has been answering questions over on his blog and sharing some of his experiences from the first competition.

NGS Mailbag #3

NGS Q&A (Mailbag #2)

NGS Quick Slants

NGS Mailbag #1

Later this week, I will be touching on some of the topics that Ty addresses as well as trying to shed some light on other questions you might have. So if you have questions that the above links don't answer, please leave them in the comments below and I'll do my best.

-Tom

Do you need an NBA playoff fix?

Dime Magazine, one of the NGS 2 judges, dishes daily on NBA playoff happenings with the Dime Smack blog.