down the writer's path

Sharing news: I am the Blogcritic of the Day and why I blog

Went to Blogcritics today and found my name right at the top under the publisher's and listed as the Blogcritic of the Day. Given that they have a pool of more than 1,500 bloggers, I'm delighted to be chosen.

For those who haven't been here before, I've been blogging for a number of years and about two years ago I started contributing to Blogcritics.org. In that time, they've grown to become huge online magazine with more than 100,000 hits per day. I've reviewed books and even had one of my books reviewed and subsequently chosen for syndication. In addition, Blogcritics will sometimes submit my reviews to the online syndication Advance.net. The syndication is affiliated with a number of online newspapers.

Why do I blog? Well, for one thing I love to talk about writing and publishing. As you'll discover if you read further, my blog centers around the craft and business of writing. My one rule is that I cannot post anything unless I can bend or slant or somehow make the topic relevant to writing or publishing. For another, it's a good way to build a name and a reputation. It's also a good way to get your books reviewed or mentioned in different venues.

Will over at Youngest of One has not only read and review my YAs, he even spent his own money. :)

Obviously, I needed another method by which to utilize all the effort still remaining. So, I read a book. Admittedly, it was not a lengthy book. Still, I can’t help but feel gleeful saying that I read a whole book today. The book was Video Magic by Vikk Simmons, talented author and kindly friend of “Youngest of One.” As you may recall, months ago I had some very good things to say about her first novel, Divided Loyalties, and my reaction to this more recent book is just as positive. Throughout the book, character development is genuinely remarkable. It wasn’t only my effort that practically glued the book to my hands today; it was the story as well. I highly recommend Video Magic to all the folks in my general age group (Feb 23, 2006)

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...but there is one very important recommendation I must make—last night I finished reading “Divided Loyalties” by Vikk Simmons, and it was absolutely delightful. I highly recommend it to all teenage-types (confused and non-confused alike…assuming there are any non-confused teenagers, which is not entirely likely). (Sept 11, 2005)

I've also had my blog, my name, and my books featured in posts on several business-oriented blogs, including Wayne Hurlburt's over at Blog Business World. He featured Fan letters: Are they for bloggers too? : Blog Business World and quickly helped out on an experiment I conducted with Best seller list book marketing experiment : Blog Business World

All this goes to expanding the universe for my work. I even had an invitation from MJ Rose to submit a post to one of her blogs, Buzz, Balls and Hype. But mostly I do it because I like it. And no, I don't post every day. What matters is the content of your posts when you do post.

I enjoy the complete process of writing from the initial creative spark to the final edit with the finishing touches. It doesn't matter whether I'm writing a novel, reviewing a great book, writing an essay about a subject that has been rumbling around in my brain for a while or responding to a recent headline.

Why do I submit material to Blogcritics? Well, when I joined up a couple of years ago they had about 700 writers signed up. Now they 1,500 and receive 100,000 hits a day. It helps that they are great people, from the publishers and owners, Eric Olsen and Phillip Winn, on down. They provide a venue for me to contribute content that is apart from writing and publishing. Also, when I do articles, in addition to the books that pertain to the review or post I can also include my books at the end of the article. Now, I don't do it every time but I do take advantage of it. It's just one more way to get my books out there. For more info on Blogcritics.org, read here.

I hope you have some time to read through my blog and let me know what you think.
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A little housekeeping here: My domain name is www.thewriterspath.com but I'm in the middle of changing domain registrars so the address is showing up as the Typepad one.

Back from the intensive and already writing

I returned ready to plunge into the book and produce pages. First, though, I wanted to knock out a few reviews on the books I read. I'll be posting the reviews on Blogcritics in the coming days. For starters, read my review of Richard Doetsch's The Thieves of Heaven. And if you're heading down the speaker's trail, be sure and read my review of Winning Presentations in a Day by Rhonda Abrams and Julie Vallone.

While the workshop proved productive, getting online eluded me. For some reason my wireless wouldn't connect, my cell phone didn't work, and the rooms lacked land lines. We stayed at Montreat Center in Black Mountain, North Carolina. The next workshop will be in March at Hood River. I KNOW I will be wired then. Rooms have all the necessary capabilities and connections.

Playing catch-up and riding the Donald Maass Breakout Novel Intensive

Have you noticed? We are moving out of summer and approaching fall. Another year is nearly at end. I don't know about you but it's been a busy year for me, and it certainly didn't help when I ripped my right knee in three places on the way to San Jose back in June. Yes, the injury required surgery and I'm in the midst of recuperating now. The Vicodan fog has lifted but the knee is still swollen and walking and moving about can be a problem. One of the tears may or may not still require surgery depending on how stablized my knee becomes so I'm hoping for the best and planning on being like new soon. Not in rehab yet 'cause the doc wants my "angry knee" to calm down a bit more.

That said, he did okay me for a trip to the Writing the Breakout Novel Intensive workshop with Donald Maass that is put on by Free Expressions. I confess I'm a big fan of these workshops. Donald Maass offers terrific insights into the writing process and the construction of a novel that has "breakout" bestseller potential. These are workshops were you can't help but write. The mornings are full of a unique blend of lecture and exercises where breakthroughs become a daily ritual. The afternoons and evenings are left open so the writers can spend the time immediately applying their new insights to the their work. Evenings offer brainstorm and critique groups that are available but not mandatory. Critiques are offered; new friendships are forged.

As a veteran of the Maass weekend and intensive workshops, I guarantee you will work and you will produce. The morning exercises produce rich fodder each and every day. Characters bloom, plots thicken, tension tightens. I'm not sure whether the weekend workshops will continue after 2006 but Maass does plan to continue the intensives. So if you're looking for a new writing experience or if you think you're stuck on a plateau and can't get off, consider plunging into one of the intensives and seeing the new vigor that not only permeates your writing but your soul.

As for me you'll find me in a wheelchair at the airport Saturday preparing to board a plane for Asheville where I'll spend the next ten days re-entering the fictive world of my crime novel, experiencing a huge jolt of writing electricity Maass-style, and laying in bed tapping the keyboard and icing my knee every afternoon and evening while my characters grow large and I struggle to keep up with an ever-increasingly layered plot.

But don't worry. I won't forget you. I plan to share some of the daily nuggets mined every morning right here on DWP.

Who reads Down the Writer's Path?

...I recommend a site where one glance gives writers a feeling akin to what Emily Dickinson said about poetry:...I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off...."
--Arthur Plotnik, author of Spunk & Bite: A writer's guide to punchier, more engaging language & style on reading DWP.

Books? Gifts? DOWN THE WRITER'S PATH BOOKSHOP.

Is writing worth all the hard work?

Sometimes you receive a note that brings joy to the heart and a warm glow to the soul. Last night I came across the following email I'd received on December 1, 2004 from an author who I now consider a friend but who, at the time, was a writer I greatly admired. I'm sharing this in part because I know how hard writing is and how many years writers can toil without any clue as to whether their efforts have any value and who may often question whether it's all worth it. The answer may, as it did in this case, take years (18) in coming. The writer copied me on an email he'd sent to the folks at Writers Digest:

Greetings,

For your blog feature, I recommend a site where one glance gives writers a feeling akin to what Emily Dickinson said about poetry:"...I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off...."

The blog is: Down the Writer's Path by Vikk Simmons

The Dickinson quote came from the blog's quote section, the least of several inspirational sections to balance the immensely practical parts--essays, interviews (including with name authors), resources, exchanges, and a brilliant section--a treasury--or updated links. All put together by a writer and teacher of long insight, demonstrated talent, and seemingly unlimited energy and devotion to the writer's cause. The visual design is an inspiration in itself. How could any site or blog be better?

With best wishes,

Arthur Plotnik
(Author: The Elements of Style, The Elements of Expression, The Elements of Authorship, and Spunk & Bite: A writer's guide to punchier, more engaging language & style)