*From all over the country ... no, all over the world (I love my Aussie and English writing pals!)
Last Friday, I was lucky enough to be able to attend a meet and greet of local writing/blogging friends.
I'm telling you - these ladies are amazing. Every word out of Elana's mouth was a book title. You either love it or die of jealousy, so I decided to love it (and her!) My favorite was when someone said something about just dying and Elana quipped "Sometimes death is better". That's a book title if I ever heard one (but it's hers...drat!)
Check out their blogs. Pictured are:
Front row left to right: Jen Wilkes, Me, Ali Cross, Natalie Whipple
Back row left to right: LT Elliot, Mary Campbell, Nichole Giles, Kimberly Webb Reid, Elana Johnson, Angie Lofthouse, Carolyn Vawdrey, Lady Glamis/Michelle, Suzette Saxton, Windy Aphayrath
We're toasting Al Gore. After all, he invented the internet, right? So, to him I am eternally grateful. Without same, I would never have met these cool ladies.
Tell me: what has blogging given you? What about Al Gore?
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49 comments:
It gave me you! And all of those excellent women above. =D
It was so delightful to meet you in person. You're even more wonderful in person!
I am with you! It gave me connections to amazing women and guys who write and I am blessed by them daily.
I am still stunned at how many amazing people I've met through Twitter and now blogging - Love it!
Looks like a fun party and a wonderful group of friends, Tess! What a blessing!
Tess, it sounds like you all had a wonderful time!
Some of the best things blogging has given me? Community. I've gotten to know so many great people.
It's also pulled me out of myself. Nicola Morgan had a great post on writing for your readers and not for yourself. You need to make sure your story is something that speaks to your target readers, and you should edit with that in mind. Blogging is great practice for that. It's really difficult to write a good post that concentrates on just me and how I'm doing.
I think you're a great example of writing for your readers, by the way! Your posts always invite readers in!
Hey, now, don't go bashing Al Gore. He's from my state, ya know . . . and his mother used to sing him the 'union label' song when he was an itty-bitty baby. He remembers it so clearly!
Blogging has given me a sense of community, a sense of knowing that I'm not alone in this crazy writing adventure. I've also met a great group of people who I keep in touch with beyond the comments on the blogs.
Diggity dang...what a meeting of the minds! That must have been some party! Blogging has introduced me to some fine folk, strengthened my understanding of the industry and publishing process, gotten me some free things ;) and taken up chunks of time I could be cleaning.
Yeah blogging.
~ Wendy
Am jealous! That looks liked a great party. Makes me want to have one down here in the South!
So, you gals all live close enough to party?
Lucky ducks you are!
Trying not to be too jealous.
Shelley
LT: it was fun, wasn't it? and, great to meet you too :D
Tabitha: I like that word, 'blessing'.
Michelle: I know! It's fun to connect to like minds.
Susan: The Wad is another blessing ... but I owe that to the good folks at Chautauqua :)
Sarah: Wow, what a kind thing to say. thanks. and, you are right. I do think it's good practice and pulls us out of our little writing nook for a moment.
Scott: I knew you'd make me giggle .. thanks. And, funny how a few people at the party didn't get my Al Gore toast/joke. It dates me, I think.
Wendy: I agree .. writiing pals and lots of good lessons, too.
Beth: Do it!!!
StoryQueen: Yes, we do and I think it's rare to have so many in such a relatively short distance (max drive was about 2 hrs I think). I'll count myself lucky.
I love the network of friends and writers I've met through blogging. I love forming those friendships from blogging that translate into so much more. It's just an awesome way to connect.
Now I'm jealous of you and getting to go to such a gathering. There are precious few in my area to get together with, but I'm so happy you got to have such a great visit.
I'd love to do that in person thing! So cool.
Definitely I'm blogging for the community.
It is so TRULY TRULY wonderful to have been able to make so many friends through the internet, and then MEET many of them in real life! Thank you so much for the ride and your friendship, Tess!
It was so fun! And Elana has titles oozing out of her pores! Tess, It was great to meet you and what a great idea to toast Al G. Whoop to the internet!
Ahhhh! I love this post. To Al Gore!!
I'm so jealous. Why do I have to live so far away from you guys? That looks like so much fun. Blogging has helped me meet lots of wonderful writing friends. When I come out there, we are going to have to have one of those meet and greets.
Aww! This is so great! Friendship is a beautiful thing!
As for Al Gore, well, he may have had a hand in legal issues, but he didn't invent the internet. Sorry... Sometimes I get a little too factual. :)
PJ: and we get to learn about cool books - like yours!
Eileen: it was pretty fun, thanks.
TinaLee: funny how our we connect so well w/ our blogging friends when we do have the opp to meet them in person. something about that writers blood, I think.
Glam: I owe it all to you!
Carolyn: yes, Whoop the internet :D
Elana: you BETTER write that book someday!
lotusgirl: YES! That's a fantastic idea. Next time you come out this way, give notice and we will have to plan something. (like you plan cross country trips every day- ha!) Still, it would be cool.
Nisa: yeah, I know. It's all tongue in cheek ;)
Very cool!! :) How did you end up being in the same place at the same time??? What fun to meet in person! (So jealous you got to meet L.T. She's so funny!)
Blogging has given me a sense of community and I have made some friends through it as well.
So jealous. That looks like so much fun. I would say the same as you, that writing has given me a group of friends that "get" me like I never thought I could have. I just love it. To Al!
Oh! I want to come and hang out! That looks like fun! And thank you, Al Gore, for giving me the lock box. :)
Omigosh, you are SOOOO lucky to live near all those people! Damn, Utah has some talented people! I'm packing my bags :D
Just like you--a whole world of new friends. Plus an outlet for all the writing stuff that no one else wants to hear about. It was so terrific meeting you in person!
Blogging has helped me find like-minded people across the world. I have learnt about writing from many of the blogs I have read and received help via my own blog.
It also helps to satisfy my huge ego by having intelligent people read what I say. :-)
Blogging has brought me connections to loads of like-minded, creative people. Also, it keeps me in touch with what's going on in the publishing and kidlit world that exists outside my own head.
I'm totally jealous! It looks like you had so much fun.
Blogging has given me a lot. When I've posted exerpts from one of my stories and get wonderful feedback, I feel a bit more confident. I feel like I've gained a group of knowledgeable friends. I love that if I have a question I can email Elana....and she'll answer it. I learn so much from reading other people's blogs. Every time I blog I'm working on my writing skills.
Oh...I'm still jealous! When are we going to get together again, Tess?
Amy: all the stars aligned just so, I guess.
Janice: hi! Looking forward to tonight...loved the book for this month :D
Kasie: other writers 'get' us like none else
Jill: you'd be welcome anytime!
SolvangSherrie: you can stay with me, we have a guest room...but you'd get real tired of the snow real fast. No beaches here *sigh*
Angie: I love your hat in our picture. It's a perfect writers look.
Martin: nah, I don't see you as having an ego at all.
Michelle: yes, I am amazed at how much goes on that I would have never known about without blogging friends keeping me up to speed.
Sharon: anytime! Well, I say that, but schedules are so tough. Are you considering coming out for Amy's signing at all???? I'll be there with bells on.
Didn't know you knew all those ladies!! Some of them are my bloggy friends, too! (LT & Carolyn V, love 'em both!)
Al Gore...ummm, just the request to ride his personal jet before it's grounded for causing global warming. :P
PS: Blogging has given me a world of blogging friends more dear to me than I ever imagined possible. Many have helped proof/edit my essays & poems before journal submissions, they have held my virtual hands while awaiting responses from editors, and that's just the first year of my writing adventure.
What a lovely post & toast to bloggy writer friends!!
Fun times! Makes me want to almost move back to Utah. Almost.
Blogging: Yeah, it's given me permission to be a little self-indulgent... uh... I mean, *introspective*.
Like everyone else, we're totally jealous! We want to come to your fun parties. Boo. Maybe when we're all rich and famous we can just hop on a flight, right?
ah I love you guys - wish I could have been there. cant we have a skype party?
Blogging has given me:
So many virtual friends from whom I learn so much every single day.
A vision of what I want my career to be.
The opportunity to go on a school visit during Hispanic Heritage Month even though I'm not even published yet.
Sanity. Spending my days chasing after 4 little ones doesn't seem so tiring if I know at night I'll get my moment of peace to blog or browse other blogs.
I remember when Michelle (Lady Glamis) posted about a Bloggers get together last year. She wrote about the wonderful circle of writers ya'll have out there - how wonderful to meet together! Blogging makes the world smaller and I've found so many friends through the internet that otherwise I wouldn't have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Great post!
That's a whole lotta cyber/writer friends in your area! That's awesome! I've met a few at a local SCBWI conference, and just met downtown for fun too. I would love to attend the LA SCBWI conference one day and meet lots more!
What fun! I don't have a whole host of new friends from blogging, but blogging does give me a creative outlet, and I feel "like a writer" even though I'm really not.
That is so cool! Glad you had fun in the "real world" haha. Maybe I'll follow suit and step outside today for some untainted oxygen.
I saw this same picture on Elana's blog yesterday and I was so jealous!! Meeting in real life is awesome. Nothing beats it! Glad you had fun!
ROFL You are so funny Tess. I SO enjoyed meeting you! The internet has been HUGE in my life. I could go on and on, but it would take forever.
((hugs!))
My world was once a tiny little nest in a tiny little dot of a place. Now, I'm in my hot air balloon soaring all over the earth. The world is full of wonderful people, writers, and generous spirits.
How fun!!!! It's given me exactly what you said so perfectly!!
I saw this over on Elana's blog yesterday. I am SO jealous!
I agree that blogging, Twitter, etc. has given me the opportunity to meet and get to know some really great people. And how fantastic that you got to meet friends face to face! That's the best of all.
Ooooh, Tess! Looks like you guys, er, girls, had LOADS OF FUN! How I wish I lived closer! Well, when your book is published, FSG just HAS to let you do a booksigning in New York (at least I hope they will!) :)
Oh, and to answer the question: Blogging has given me the best chance right now to meet new writer friends (like you, Tess!) from all over the country that I probably would not have met otherwise. I think blogging is the greatest thing since, well--to sound cliche--sliced bread!
It's uplifting to read what blogging has given all of us. A sense of community, education, a creative outlet....
it's a bit of work (as we all know) but worth it, I think.
Have a great weekend and thanks for weighing in. I loved each and every comment/visit :D
Blogging has given me a whole world of people who care about children's books and writing, a whole community I would have never had.
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