I fell in love a few weeks back. I fell in love with a love story. There is an extra soft spot in my heart for love stories, and The Pioneer Woman’s love story made me laugh, cry and hope (you really should read it if you like love stories). All the good makings. So, like any good little blog follower I added her to my Google reader, an action I now deeply regret.

As a marketing manager for a major company, I try to stay connected or at least be a strong observer of the social world online. My observations have often left me disturbed and distraught. I have found that most blogs fit into one or more of the following categories, which I have described below.

1 ) I started writing a blog and by (somewhat) chance got a lot of followers and now use it to pay my bills. Because of this I have become a sellout and often do “random” giveaways and have lots of annoying ads on my blog. Some that you even have to click to close. Dooce. The Pioneer Woman. I could go on. I want to know about The Pioneer Woman’s hard life on the working ranch, not enter another amateur photography contest giveaway.

2 ) The expert blogger. Every amateur out there now has the means to become a reporter, social media guru, PR maven, giver of random wisdom, professional chef, etc. for almost free. The problem is most of these bloggers are only in it for purely selfish reasons and have little experience to back up their wisdom. Plus they are often arrogant and big tools. It is also necessary that these bloggers have glamor shot-esque photos and heavily self-promote.

3 ) The emotional blogger. This is where all the teens and tweens and overdramatic 20somethings fit. When I was in high school I started a blog on Xanga under the username abangel28. Those days you wrote, your friends read and perhaps a few nerdy people who came across your blog by happenstance or keyword search. What you did that day. Who you like. Why you hate your parents. You get the picture. A virtual dear diary. Insert all live journal blogs here.

4 ) The niche blogger. You love to bake. You actually are a baker as a day job, but you want to have a creative outlet where you get to blog about your recipes and such. This could also include landscaper, DIYer, decorator, etc. Note: This could quickly become #1 so beware.

5 ) The work blogger. Your business’ Web site has a blog. Maybe you are a photographer, and all photographers have to have a blog these days where they put their pictures and then also insert random quips about their personal life. Maybe your Web design business has a blog about Web design attached to it. Maybe you work for a large corporation that has a blog. This one actually seems to be one of the most legitimate to me.

6 ) Thought leader. Maybe you really have earned the right to be heard, whether by years of experience or resume or both. Seth Godin fits here in my mind. I am thankful for these bloggers because their wisdom is warranted and I often learn a great deal from them.

7 ) The aggregator blog. Now if I’m being honest, I see this more as a simple resource and Web site than I do as a weblog, but it technically fits in this category. Fffound.com. I find these sites very useful because they sort through all the crap and find the good stuff for me. They also can be a wonderful source of inspiration or news.

8 ) The love of. Some people simply love to write. An audience is not necessary, though appreciated. A space on the Web, which might be more convenient than a specific laptop or journal will suffice and adds the element of customization and design to the mix. Perhaps it is a site seen by friends, or just a random onlooker. Perhaps it chronicles the adventures of your family, or acts as a creative outlet.

I have found that most of the blogs I closely follow fit into one of a few categories. I have some level of relationship with the person and therefore they have earned the right to be heard by me and I have given them the space to speak (figuratively). I often know this person in real life (but not necessarily). Niche. I am a lover of design, and so I love to look at blogs that focus on design, whether that is graphic or interior. I am also a lover of cooking, baking and peaking into someone’s exciting life. In some ways blogs like dooce.com are the reality shows of the internet, and I just can’t look away. Thought leaders have a place in my reader because they tend to be more progressive and have actual experience under their belt. Like a distant, one-way online mentor.

Please add any additional categories you believe I have overlooked in the comments section. You might also be giggling at me because you think I am #2 and therefore a huge hypocrite and also ignorant. Be assured, I don’t really care if you are here, which is a huge prerequisite for #2. Unless your name is Bill Handy, Matt Galloway or Andrew Swenson, and maybe a few others, and then I do care.

Note: I realize I switched tense several times and point-of-view in this post. I am OK with that.