Hey, everyone! I have a story to tell today.
This time last year a reader notified me of a contest going on over on Write to Done. They were soliciting nominations for the Top 10 Blogs for Writers of 2010. I said, “You want to?” and you guys said, “Sure!” And a bunch of you stampeded over in what I like to think of as the greatest writers’ rave ever, and you nominated me!
And I was overwhelmed and deeply moved. Awwww. You guys!
Imagine then my surprise to learn during the December holidays that your nominations had placed me in the Top 20 Blogs for Writers.
People! My chin wobbled a bit. I really hadn’t realized the power of this online community we’ve built, the spirit of giving you have in you, or thrill of being our own tribe. You’re all too darn sweet for words.
And I was grateful and touched and filled with the zeal to do even better for you in the coming year, to earn the faith you’d shown in me. To really be what you need: the mouthpiece for the greatest writers’ rave ever.
So imagine my total shock and amazement to learn a week later that your nominations had earned me a spot as one of the Top 10 Blogs for Writers. The top ten! That’s like the ninetieth percentile of the Writers Digest Top 101—with cherries!
Yes, I cried a little. (No, I did not let my loved ones take pictures.)
But I did hold myself to that promise to do even better in 2011 than I’d done in 2010, to work as hard as I could to teach you what it’s taken me thirty years in this art and craft to learn—how to create wonderful fiction—and to do it in a way that becomes so intuitive once you get it you can’t remember a time when you didn’t know this stuff.
Also, I got the chance through the Top 10 Blogs for Writers to meet the most fantastic other folks out there today blogging for writers:
Writer Unboxed, with the simply adorable Therese Walsh and Kathleen Bolton (where I now write the editorial column Ask Victoria on their monthly newsletter opposite agent column Ask Chuck with Writer’s Digest‘s Chuck Sambuchino)
The Creative Penn, with the self-marketing powerhouse Joanna Penn (who has interviewed me on video)
Cats Eye Writer, with the wise and kind blogging guru Judy Dunn (now an editing client of mine for her up-coming memoir)
Storyfix, with the long-time best seller Larry Brooks
{Courage 2 Create}, with the idealistic Ollin Morales
Renegade Writer, with the uber-professional Linda Formichelli
Make a Living Writing, with the savvy business writer Carole Tice
Wordplay, with the young self-publishing novelist K.M. Weiland
I brought them here to meet you and sent you over to their sites to meet them. And almost all of them have become permanent good friends of mine here in the online writing community, people I turn to again and again throughout the year to share our thoughts and ideas, interviews and book giveaways, the myriad aspects of our developing careers out here helping you do what you do best.
You people are the very reason this blog exists. You keep me sane.
Plus you bring me cherries.
Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.
I nominated! And I wanted to share what I said with you:
Victoria Mixon’s content BLOWS MY MIND every single time, without fail. She gives us little tidbits that she puts into her books and professional work, but for free, so poor writers like me can soak it up like cocaine, but a really good cocaine. In any case, I’m an addict.
Did I take that metaphor too far? Who cares, she rocks
Oh, Sophia, thank you! You are so sweet. I had to read this one out loud to my family.
🙂
For the record, you’re our #1 🙂
Tamara, you’re so kind! You just made my Monday. 🙂
Congratulations! This is completely well deserved. I read your blog posts as often as possible!
Thanks, Karen! It’s a wonderful writing community.