I want to be an expert on experts.

May 5, 2008 7:38 AM

I'm looking for advice blogs. Like Dear Abby, but in blog form.

These must be out there, but googling for "advice blog" doesn't get me quite what I'm looking for. I'm looking for blogs where the writers/experts give advice in response to emails/comments/etc. from readers, just like in a newspaper advice column.

The topic of the blog (I think I've seen one specifically about financial advice) isn't important. I'm just interested in finding question-and-answer format blogs. Not something like Ask Metafilter or Yahoo Answers, but something where there is one writer/expert (or a panel of them) who writes all the answers.

posted by katieinshoes to computers & internet (22 comments total)

Ask the Blondes
posted by kimdog at 7:48 AM on May 5

Tomato Nation, The Vine.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:49 AM on May 5

Manolo the Shoeblogger has Q&A posts that are actually published in a newspaper somewhere.
posted by GuyZero at 7:50 AM on May 5

Seconding the Vine, but also suggesting Amalah's Advice Smackdown.
posted by nkknkk at 7:54 AM on May 5

Ray's Place hasn't updated for a while, but I enjoy reading the archives. I would say that you don't need to read the Achewood webcomic to enjoy Ray's advice, but it might help to see where he's coming from as a fictional cat.
posted by Jorus at 7:55 AM on May 5

Oh, and some of Ray's Place (such as the most recent column) is NSFW.
posted by Jorus at 7:56 AM on May 5

Not blogs, but message boards:
- Top Wedding Questions: All types of wedding planning and etiquette questions, answered by experts
- Ask NACHI: Ask your home-related question here and it is answered on the InterNACHI message board by home inspectors and other professionals
posted by LolaGeek at 8:01 AM on May 5

Ask Moxie (Parenting Advice)
posted by anastasiav at 8:01 AM on May 5

I like Rabbitblog. Not exactly an "expert" advice blog, but still very entertaining an often illuminating. The author, Heather Havrilesky, is a writer for Salon, and the blog has the feel of a talented writer's side project.
posted by lunasol at 8:02 AM on May 5 [1 favorite]

I like Dear Margo (now at Yahoo) and Slate's Dear Prudence and subscribe to both of their feeds in Google Reader. Both are the old school "Dear Abby" type of advice column, but aren't "blogs," in the strict sense of posts/comments/etc. Rather, a group of questions/answers gets published once a week-ish as a column and is published as a feed. The Dear Margo author used to write under the Dear Prudence name at Slate but separated from them, restarting her column under her own name. (Dear Prudence is now written by another woman.) Margo Howard's mother wrote the Ann Landers column and her aunt founded Dear Abby.
posted by jroybal at 8:42 AM on May 5

Help Me Bubby features advice and answers to questions by an 88 year old Jewish grandmother and uploaded by her grandchildren. Now sporadically updated due to her ill health. Also features video advice columns.
posted by peacheater at 8:45 AM on May 5

Ask Sister Mary Martha - entertaining advice from a possibly real nun
posted by thirteenkiller at 9:18 AM on May 5

Hey Tom is a panel of guys that take questions on home improvement and relationships. Kind of an odd mix, but the idea is that it's a guy perspective on things.
posted by happyturtle at 9:18 AM on May 5

The Ethicist is a weekly column in The New York Times Sunday Magazine giving, obviously, ethics advice.
posted by Shebear at 9:51 AM on May 5

I really like Ask a Manager.
posted by CiaoMela at 12:10 PM on May 5

As ever, I recommend IndieEtiquette, the Indiebride wedding etiquette column for all things wedding etiquette, and if you like it, her book is great too. Or so says I, but then again she's my lovely wife.
posted by The Bellman at 12:16 PM on May 5

Since You Asked at Salon.
posted by so_necessary at 12:48 PM on May 5

For Korean advice, Ask a Korean!
posted by ignignokt at 5:04 PM on May 5

I'm amazed I'm the first to mention Dan Savage's sex advice column
posted by CwgrlUp at 6:21 PM on May 5

Single Ape
posted by violetk at 7:34 PM on May 5

It feels wrong to give *everyone* a best answer, but you've all been helpful. Thanks!
posted by katieinshoes at 3:15 PM on May 6

Go Ask Alice is a health and sex advice site from Columbia.
posted by MS_gal at 10:20 PM on May 6