The Writer's Perspective by Maria Schneider

Hi Writers,
I wanted to let you all know that I'm leaving my position as editor of Writer's Digest effective October 10. I'll be checking in and trying to chat more before I leave.

The reason I'm leaving is that they've appointed a new editorial director (Jane Friedman, editorial director of Writer's Digest Books) and we have very different visions for the direction of the magazine, so it seemed like a good time for me to check out.

I don't have a plan B yet, but I'll be sure to let you all know if I do figure it out.

Hey, if nothing else there's always writing, right? ;)

I've always said, I was a writer when I took this gig and I'll be a writer when I leave. It's turned out to be more than just a decent gig, though, it's been an amazing ride. Thanks to all of you for sharing the ride with me.

Keep Writing,
Maria

publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news

9/26/2008 9:06:19 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [34]

9/26/2008 10:27:31 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that you're leaving. I will miss your posts and editorial/writing adventures. I'm sure the next part of your journey will be even more adventurous as this one.

You'll be missed.

Clesha |cst810AT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/26/2008 11:08:33 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria, I will miss your voice here! It's been a pleasure to get to know you through the blogging world. Best of luck and God's blessings on your future endeavors!

Cheryl Barker |ckbarkerAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/26/2008 11:20:10 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

I said it on the forum and I'll say it here, I wish that you were staying. You've done a great job. We will miss your sharing of information, your wit, and your cupcake bribes.

Sincerely,

Kirby

Kirby

9/26/2008 12:08:33 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Wow! I just found you and now I'm losing you. I'm so sorry to hear you're leaving. Great good luck with your writing.

It will be fun to hear what door opens for you once this door closes.....

Martha Alderson |marthaAT NOSPAMblockbusterplots dot com

9/26/2008 5:51:01 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Your talent and voice will be missed but...
Hopefully you will not totally leave us. You can make up some wild wooly user id and join at the funny farm forum.

Paige |PaigevonliberAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/26/2008 6:22:36 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

I know I am utterly upset to not have these fantastic blogs anymore! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH ANYWAYS!!!

<33 Your daughter!

Olivia Schneider

9/26/2008 6:59:53 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Nooooooooo! Say it isn't so!

You and your lovely blog will be sadly missed by all.

Good luck in your future endeavors. Yes, you'll always be a Writer!

Georganna @ A Writer's Edge

Georganna Hancock |Writers dot EdgeAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/26/2008 7:56:48 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

As long as you have a daughter who says things like that, life can only get better. This is simply a door closing so you will feel free to make that jump you already knew you needed to make.

Lisa Abeyta |dietdiariesAT NOSPAMmsn dot com

9/26/2008 11:35:07 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria, I'll miss you -- on this blog and in the magazine. I hope to read your writing in other places soon.

Sherrie Lorance |sherrieloranceAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

9/27/2008 5:48:24 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

You will be missed, Maria. I have always found your posts to be fun and informative and I really enjoyed reading them. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. And please let your loyal readers know how they can keep up with you. I know I'm interested in knowing.

Margay |Margay1122AT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/27/2008 1:34:35 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria, am I shocked that you are leaving! I love your posts, your style of writing, your advice to us new writers and we're gonna miss you! Yes, as the saying goes, one door closes, another better one opens. Keep the faith, Maria! We're all behind you!
Good luck and God bless you always.

soly paraiso |solyprsAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

9/27/2008 4:51:53 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria, I'm sure this is a sad time for you, but try to keep this in mind:

I don't know if you're a Yankees fan, but if you can, think of Joe Torre. He was basically pushed out the door because the organization wanted a new direction. Well, Joe took it in stride and his Dodgers are now in first place in their division! Things may end up being even better for you!
Good luck with whatever turn you take next. You'll be missed.
:Donna

:Donna |simmerartistAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

9/27/2008 11:32:38 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

well i really dont know anything about you but im still sorry your leaveing writers digest. im glad to see, at least it would seem, youve dont it with such good feelings and understanding. very mature. i respect you for that. wish i could have known some more about you, though i am at a disadvatage since i only joined this forum recently, but still you seem like a very interesting writer.

all the best and may God bless you

Stephen Jackson |sajack88AT NOSPAMaol dot com

9/28/2008 11:41:38 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Ditto on what the others said about missing you! You may have already thought about this, but you could start your own blog on Blogger or WordPress. I know other bloggers who've moved in Cyberspace, and their fans follow them to their new addy!

Deborah |deborahwritesAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/28/2008 3:15:05 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

I agree with Deborah and the others... we'll miss you! And, you could start your own blog elsewhere. I'd definitely follow you there!

Change is not always something we want but it has the possibility to lead us somewhere better than where we've been! :-)

*smiles and hugs*
Michele

Michele |michele dot tuneAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/29/2008 10:11:21 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

So sorry to hear you're leaving, Marie. Thank you for making this blog so interesting, informative and entertaining. You'll be missed. Good luck with wherever you find yourself in the future.

Samantha Clark |samAT NOSPAMsirnewtonbooks dot com

9/29/2008 1:43:45 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria, I hope you'll stop by my blog and let me know where you land and where you next blog will be. I'd love to stay in touch.

Good luck. I think it was a wise decision to leave on good terms. I had the unfortunate situation of not agreeing with direction and finding myself on the outside looking in. Not that Jane would do that, but it's never a good situation for anyone when the separate visions don't match. Respecting another's opinion and vision can be in the form of stepping aside.

Lori Widmer |lwbeanAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/29/2008 11:21:20 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

I'm gonna miss all the great work you do and seeing your picture and inspiring writing at the front of the mag. :(

Hoping all turns out well for you;

I have to go dab my tears now...

Scott B. |kebraceAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/30/2008 12:21:42 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria, I am sad to hear you are leaving, but I wish you the best of luck in everything you do, especially if it has anything to do with writing. You've been a great blessing to the magazine over the years and I know the future holds only great things for you.

David N. Alderman |dnaAT NOSPAMexpiredreality dot com

9/30/2008 11:54:58 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria, this is a blog I am going to miss - for the information, for the wit, for the writing.

As you say, there's always the writing. Enjoy yours, as others her clearly do.

- KjM

Kevin J Mackey |kevinAT NOSPAMmackey dot name

9/30/2008 2:32:00 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria,

The work you've done on Writer's Digest and your informative blog will be a loss to all of us. I will especially miss you in the forum. It won't be the same without your humor and wit.
Best to you always!

Dorraine "Drain"

Dorraine Darden |ddauthorAT NOSPAMaol dot com

9/30/2008 2:46:23 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Noooooo!!!!!

Maria, we love you!!!

Chuck |literaryagentAT NOSPAMfwpubs dot com

9/30/2008 3:01:46 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Thanks for all your work on WD, I really enjoy the magazine and am sad to see you go. Best wishes. Keep us posted on your pursuits.

Jenny R |jennifer dot roughAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

9/30/2008 3:47:49 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Oh, Maria - we will really miss you. You've been terrific and so supportive of your readers and authors. Thanks especially for your fab blog roll, and the honor of being included.

You'll have a wonderful life but be sure you keep writing.

Helen Gallagher |helenAT NOSPAMreleaseyourwriting dot com

9/30/2008 6:00:12 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria, you shepherded two of my pieces into WD, and both experiences were easy, clear and happy ones, due to your responsiveness and professionalism. But I equally admired your warmth, which came through in all our dealings.

Thank you for all that, and though I don't need to wish you luck (your talent will find a winning spot for you as quickly as you need it to), I'll leave it at Godspeed.

Tom Bentley |bentguy1AT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

9/30/2008 8:41:25 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

It's so sad that you're leaving. I'll miss your editorials on the magazine! I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

Thanks,
Adrienne

Adrienne Dinen |adriennedinenAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

10/1/2008 7:23:53 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

All the best for the future, Maria. When I receive my WD magazine all the way down here in Southern Africa, I love to see your pretty face right at the beginning. Your comments were always so wise and had perspective as well. Thanks for all you did on Writers Digest. I will sure miss you and wish you many happy writing hours. God bless you. Jo Hedges

Jo Hedges |hedgesAT NOSPAMtelkomsa dot net

10/1/2008 8:30:53 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria,

I am so sorry to see you go. I am close friends with Alegra and after her trip to NYC, she turned me on to reading your blog here. I have loved reading, even as I lurk, and I am sad to see you go and wish you the very best of luck in your future journey.

You are, in my opinion, an integral part of the WD family and they will surely feel your absence.

As a favorite author of mine once said, "You must stay drunk on writing, so reality can not destroy you".

So here's to your future intoxication of the verbal kind.

xoxox,
K

K M |electricmermaidAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

10/2/2008 10:16:28 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

I am in mourning!
I have sent an email although I am sure you are barely keeping your head up above the wave of words flooding your inbox, but please know I am thinking of you and would love to hear from you if you get the chance.
sending you all kinds of good juju-
Alegra

Eros-Alegra |eros dot alegraAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

10/6/2008 10:52:27 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

I was just developing a habit of checking in here ... quitting/getting fired is rather normal in this business. On to your next adventure.

I hope the new chief doesn't make WD a quarterly.

Take care, Maria, I'll be looking for your by-lines.

Anthony |abiebookAT NOSPAMaol dot com

10/7/2008 3:06:15 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

My first day looking at these blogs, and I find out Kevin AND Maria are going?! I hope it was not something I said ...

I am very curious to know what the new direction will be.

Good luck, Maria!

linda

10/8/2008 2:24:01 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

yes, keep writing! It is your gift and passion! Let me know if you start up a new blog. I would love to keep reading.

Lisa Natoli |lisa_natoliAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

10/11/2008 3:01:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Dear Maria,

Surprised to see you are needing to make a change. I love the Mag and you are a huge reason for that - An expert with your talent a great personality is like a gem out there for the bidding! Your talent is noticed and loved by thousands - Your own Mag perhaps? We are with you - so keep us informed as always :)
Cherio!
Great Adventures to you!
Love
P.S. Your boots would be difficult for anyone to step into :)
Tina K

Tina K. |tinakinneAT NOSPAMca dot rr dot com

10/14/2008 10:32:09 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Maria,
I echo what everyone else has said. I have really enjoyed reading your words in the mag and your blog here. You will be sorry missed. Congratulations on a fine run. I will look for your new blog. No matter what else you do, follow your dreams, and keep writing.

Elaine Luddy Klonicki |elaineAT NOSPAMklonicki dot com

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