It’s been a good year, ending with a great month and an even greater week.
As you may be aware by now, this site was selected to be among the Top 10 Writing blogs, as judged by readers and four of the top writing bloggers in the business. In fact it was awarded the #1 spot on that list.
Huge thank yous to everyone who has supported this site.
This has brought many new readers to Storyfix — welcome, by the way, hope you’ll stick around — some of whom may be wondering… how did this happen? What’s here that’s worth my time?
The following list should help.
If you’ve been here you’ll remember them, and I encourage you to reread them, as they tend to dwell on the soul and essence of the storytelling craft. There are plenty of solid nuts-and-bolts posts in the 2010 archives also, along with several series and some great guest blogs. And, a few jokes just to break things up.
And of course, there is 2009’s 10 Best Posts list, available HERE if you’re interested.
A final note before the 2010 list…
Writers Digest magazine (somewhere in the same building with the folks who are publishing my new book come February) is taking nominations for their annual 101 Best Writing Websites list. If you’d like to help, here’s what you do:
Send an email to writersdigest@fwmedia.com… put “Best Websites” in the Subject line… then in the body of the email state your nomination (www.storyfix.com) and the supporting rationale.
Your continued support is very much appreciated.
And now, here’s that list of 2010’s best Storyfix posts. Click on the title to go there.
10. Storytelling To the Beat of a Different Drummer
9. 13 Writing Clichés That Will Kick Your Ass
8. Breaking In, Breaking Out, And Just Plain Catching A Break
7. Storytelling In Context To…What?
6. The Most Important Questions In Storytelling And The Ensuing Two Questions That Allow You To Answer
5. The Big Daddy of Story Structure Visual Prompts
4. 8 Moments You Absolutely Need To Deliver To Your Readers, And One That You Should Hope For
3. The Most Important Thing You’ll Ever Write
2. Know What “No” Really Means
And the #1 Storyfix Post of 2010 is…
1. Give Thanks You Are A Writer
Thank you all for a rewarding and illuminating 2010. It was great sharing the writing life with you. I look forward to 2011, and I commit to making Storyfix an even richer and more empowering resource in the coming year.
15 Responses
@Larry:
Well, since you mentioned it, I would like to see more advice on scene writing/construction. I’ve seen and read a dab on the Internet, most of which is sparse.
Oh Larry, am I SO sorry. I am seriously about to jump out of my skin – a reaction to the advice on e-zine “WOW” (Women on Writing). Most especially from Wendy Keller (many bragging rights of publication). I KNEW I didn’t need to go to another place for insight, but it was one of those “by women for women” kind of places, and since I’m a woman, I thought it would be up my ally (no thriller-speak, lol). But after reading a few professional articles I got to one that said I should get myself busy writing magazine articles “to break in” (http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/articles.php)
Now I just want to pull my hair out.
Please Larry, forgive my silly foray out into left field (there), but also, please set the record straight on this seemingly contradictory advice. I mean, I’m sure it’s great to have something under your name in the author bio… but it’s just crazy to me to expect the writing brain to switch back and forth between fiction/magazine writing and non-fiction/novel writing… as IF you could find the time for both agendas while holding down a full-time job and life and all that… I’m almost 50 and I want to finish this thing, hone the skills for THIS novel- not get side-tracked into magazine article writing just to have ‘credits’ so a publisher would take me seriously.
Surely YOU didn’t do that (and make sure to take the time to send Thank-you’s to make your name recognizable as if you were friends of the magazine editors)?
Ok, maybe there’s merit to it…if one has the time and the organizational skill and the ability to turn off certain writing technique and turn on another… but do you recommend it??
Can you make practical or contextual sense of this advice?
I will go off now to take my just-deserved lumps in humility for having wandered.
@Mike — wow, thanks for this endorsement. Your kind words are a great kick off to the new year. I will try to continue to grow Storyfix in the image you describe here. I appreciate your participation, please let me know if there’s specific ground you’d like covered here. Thanks again, and happy new year to you and yours… L.
Well said, Mike! I second it!
I have read well over half of the entire contents of this site and cannot avoid the overwhelming drive to be obsequious. There is not one thing I’ve read here that wasn’t worth the time it took to read it. Every post has taught me something, unlocked a door and shone a light in a corridor damp with years of darkness. Before, there were ideas.
Now, there are stories.
And everything is given in good faith. No e-mail traps. No incomplete gestures that can only be completed with money. All good content that stands on its own without masquerading as a loss leader. The overt appeals to purchase e-books or nominate the site for recognition are honest and appropriate. For we receive far more than we pay for, well before we make that payment.
If pressed, Larry would probably tell you it’s all just marketing. But we know better. It’s all one big hug. Just for us.
Thank you, Larry! My daughter and I just finished a plot outline/series one synopsis for a TV series (target HBO) using Syd Field’s ‘Screenplay’ and your ‘Conceptualizing your Story’ worksheet. She’s been struggling with it for months. As soon as we wrote beat-incidents on index cards, and organized them following your worksheet, everything came together. It took nearly one-hundred hours (times 2) but it worked. It works!
@Monica — thanks for those very kind words and your support. I was a little disappointed last year, too, but we have a shot at it this year. But, today is the last day to vote (see above), so I hope you’ll spare a moment to write them and voice your opinion with your vote. Very much appreciated! Here’s wishing you a very happy and successful 2011, and my your writing be at the top of that list. L.
Like Krista, your blog is my main blog reading. In fact, tho many days may go by when I can’t get to read any blog, I make a point to get to storyfix. The information and wisdom found here are invaluable to any writer.
I was rather ticked last year when you didn’t make WD’s 101 best sites. I’m heartened to see that you’re finally getting the well-deserved recognition. I’m sure that you’ll be on WD’s list this year!
“” My goal is to make Storyfix the best fiction-writing site on the Internet in 2010. “” Top 10 Storyfix Posts of 2009.
Well, you certainly accomplished that! Congratulations! Your blog is one of the first e-mails I open every day. I have learned far more from it than from all the other fiction-writing classes/workshops/conferences I ever attended, combined.
Can hardly wait to see where you take this next year!
Krista
Congratulations Larry, and thank you so much for all you’ve done to help me improve my craft this past year, (that’d be A Lot)!
May 2011 be just as, if not more, successful.
Congratulations, Larry. So it seems that I am not the only one addicted to this site.
Ah, I remember them well.
I have to give you many thanks, Larry. My approach to writing has changed dramatically over the past 12 months, and it’s 100% due to what I’ve read on this site, an from your e-books.
Thanks you again. Let’s all collectively kick 2011’s ass and make the year ours.
Thanks for your great work here, I love reading you blog as a exteacher its great to read really well written post for a change. x