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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Good Things Come to Those Who Blog.......(or I am completely magic)

At first, I lurked.

Then I got my own blog, and never posted.

Then, I posted, read other people's blogs (from links on the now defunct disco mermaids blog), but I was way too chicken to leave a comment.

I read other writers' blogs for a long time before I got brave enough to comment. I'm not sure why I was so hesitant.....kind of like being at a party and wondering if it is better to just listen or to jump in, but you don't want to sound like an ignoramoose (yes, I've been to Cracker Barrel).

Finally, when I felt like I had something to say, I did. It was hard at first, because for all of my reckless bravado (can you even put those two words together?) I can really be shy. But I commented.

It felt good.

Then, I noticed something. Good things started happening to the people whose blogs I read. Believe me? Well Laini Taylor not only got awesome book deals and reviews, but had an awesome baby as well. (Her not for robots blog is a must read!!!) Kiersten White got a schweet three book deal, (I am not sure why blogger is deciding to underline all of this....I guess blogger loves you, Kiersten.

Also, Natalie snagged an agent. (Blogger, why are you still in underline mode? This must stop!)

Carrie Harris just sold her book , Katie just got an agent.

I mean, what is going on? (Besides the fact that blogger is gifting me with underlining. Is it a consolation prize of some kind?)

Then I figured it out. One of two things is going on here:

Either I tend to read blogs of people who work super hard, never give up, and have blogs that I find amusing enough to visit over and over again.....and as they blog, they improve their craft, which helps them write amazing stuff.....

OR

I am magic and if I read your blog, good things will happen to you.

Which is it?

(If you have had something great happen, let me know. It was probably because I've been reading our blog. If good things haven't happened yet, well, give it time. I can only exert a certain amount of magic every day.)

hrh


Edited to include the fact that Hilary Wagner just got her contract in the mail. The magic just keeps going on. (But evidently the underlining does not.....yay!)

Edited to include the fact that not only did Stephanie Perkins get an agent whilst I read her blog, she got a 2 book deal!

Edited to include the fact that Corey Schwartz found her agent whilst I read her blog!

OMG! How could I forget this! I started reading Neil Gaiman's blog....and guess what? He wins the Newberry!!

34 comments:

Carrie Harris said...

You ARE magic. I think you need a superhero name. I'm thinking The Underliner.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

All I can say is: I am so glad you started commenting and I noticed you and linked back to your blog. I love what you have to say--plain text, italicized or underlined.

storyqueen said...

Carrie-yes! The Underliner!! (Except that today, it seems, blogger has taken my power away.....)

Tricia_You made my day. Thank you. And I heart your blog, too.

MG Higgins said...

Woohoo! A magical-writing-things-happening person reads my blog! I will definitely let you know when something good happens to me so you can add it to your evidence list. :)

Susan R. Mills said...

Please, please, please keep reading my blog! I am sure you are magic. I agree with Carrie, the superhero name of Underliner suits you quite well.

Hilary Wagner said...

I'm so glad you started leaving comments! I'm going to order your books now, which I'm so excited about. My 6 year old son will love them!!

xoxo -- Hilary

Corey Schwartz said...

Ah, now that you mention it, I did get my agent after you started following! Hmmm....

lisa and laura said...

OK lady, work your magic on us now! Pretty, pretty please!

We heart the Story Queen!

Kiersten White said...

Yup. Definitely magic comments.

You should probably start charging.

Renee Collins said...

Dude! This is fantastic news. I am SO happy that you're reading my blog now! :)

Joshua McCune said...

I like your logic :)

Natalie Whipple said...

Magic—fo sho! I'm so glad you started commenting and reading my blog! Keeping reading—I need a little more of your pixie dust:)

Paige Keiser said...

I'm going to be sending out a manuscript/dummy book soon so this is wonderful news indeed! Thank you for the luck your visits bestow upon me. :-D

Lol @ Kiersten. I'd say at least 125 dollars per blog.

storyqueen said...

MC-I'll do my best to keep reading! Wishing for the magic!

Lazy-Yes, the Underliner suits....but not quite as well as Extra Super Cranky Lady!!

Hilary-I hope you like them!! Thanks for buying them.

Corey-I do what I can......

L and L-as if you two really NEED any of my magic!

Kiersten-Naaaah. I should pay you guys. Keeping one such as myself amused is no easy task...(she said as she accidentally typed an extra s on as and is still giggling.)

Renee-Dude, I read it because I secretly am hoping for my own Gaiman shirt!

Bane of Anubis-Do you have a cool name or what? Now I'll have to check out your blog, too.

Paige-is it the one you put a page or too up on your blog about Antonio? I loved the pictures of that pig!

Jessie Oliveros said...

Ooh, maybe a little bit of that magic can come my way. I was like you and stalked blogs without commenting for awhile.

storyqueen said...

Jessie-it was hard for me to start posting. And I still won't do it if it feels contrived. I just realized one day that I had something that I really wanted to add in the comments, so I did. Why do you suppose it is, though, that we waited so long? And we can't be the only chickens.....?

Amber Lough said...

I feel as if I've been visited by the Fairy Bookmother. I hope your magic spread across the ether to all of us, and soon! (I sure could use some.)

(And isn't Laini's baby the most precious pixie EVER?!)

Now, when are you coming to New York, Storyqueen?

Kimberley Griffiths Little said...

Dear Storyqueen Underliner:

I don't know if you've stumbled across my blog whilst flying about the universe, but your fairy dust must have thunked me over the head at some point. In the past year I signed with Tracey Adams and she sold a three book deal for me to Scholastic! Mamma mia, I'm still pinching myself.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
:-D
:-D
:-D

(Found you via Katie/Plot This - nice to meet ya!)

P.S. Hilarious - my word verification is SLUSH. I know that word well . .

myrna said...

So I need to get my own blog and entice you to comment on it, hmm?

I read blogs for almost a year before I started commenting, and I still don't comment on very many. But that's okay because "robots love chickens!"

Laini Taylor said...

Wow, Shelley, that was all YOU? The writer's fairy godmother :-) Thank you!

storyqueen said...

Amber-If your little boy and Laini's little girl were in a cute-off, it would be hard to choose a winner.

Kimberley-maybe you should be visiting blogs giving magic instead of me....WOW!! Congratulations! awesome.

Myrna-Get a blog! It's fun! (and yes, robots do love chickens.)

Laini-yeah, it was me.....what can I say?

Sherrie Petersen said...

Keep reading mine! I'll take all the luck I can get :)

Stephanie Faris said...

You are magic. PLEASE let it rub off on me! If so, I will forever bow down to you, the Storyqueen!

Katie Anderson said...

This is quite incredible Shelley! Thank you so much for gracing us with your magic :-) I love Carrie's new name for you!

Katie

PS. What a fab list of friends you have!!!

Anne Spollen said...

Of course you are magic -- you are a writer.

A little more subtle, but after you started reading my blog, a YA story that had been difficult to start just sort of magically began to come together.

Casey Something said...

You are magic! Keep spreading your Storyqueen dust!

storyqueen said...

Sherrie-I promise I am not responsible for the whole laptop thing...except that you were able to recover your documents. So, you're welcome.

Steph-I'll do my best!

Katie-I have great blog friends because I read the best blogs. Seriously, my taste in blogs seems to be shared by agents/editors....maybe I missed my calling.

Anne-I love when this happens. I, too, have struggled with how to begin a certain manuscript (picture book) and have recently figured out the first line. I love when that happens!

Casey-I might have the magic, but you my dear, you have the down-low. Priceless.

Paige Keiser said...

Hi Shelley, yes that is the one! Thanks! It actually passed the two month test - as in, usually two months into the book mock-up I realize that my story is complete rubbish and the whole thing needs to be scrapped.

Also, re: your recent comment on my blog, I would be incredibly honored!

Clementine said...

Well I'm thrilled to death that you're commenting on my blog!!!! I love your pixie dust, Miss Shelley!

Michelle said...

Hi Shelley,

I do believe magical things happen to bloggers and I also believe that the magic of creativity between all of these wonderfully talented artists rubs of on all of us like fairy dust! Its magical!

Your blog is SO magical and inspiring! Thank you!

Michelle :)

Christy Raedeke said...

After reading this post all I can say is THANK YOU for reading my blog! Now I'm waiting for the magic to happen!
:)

Kim said...

You have such a great wit and spirit that I can't believe you are a shy person.

I vote magic. You are definitely magic! Keep spreading that Bibbity Bobbity Boo...

***^^^****^^*****^^^^****^^^***^^^***^

storyqueen said...

Amy-I have loads of pixie dust...and the regular kind, too.

Michelle-thank you so much!

Chris-You already have the magic!

Kim-no, it's bibbity-bloggity-boo!

Dawn Simon said...

You ARE a magical being--I'm convinced! Now I'll wait for the phone to ring, since my future agent is about to call... Okay, I might as well work on my writing and actually get some submissions out there, to give myself something to do in the meantime. ;)