Hi Writers,

As this is my first ever blog posting, it seemed appropriate to set it off in the right spirit with a christening of sorts, so here goes:

This fortune cookie wisdom has been taped to my computer monitor for the past four years I’ve been an editor here at Writer’s Digest. It was left behind by the editor before me, and it helps motivate me when I’m getting ready to write.

It’s rather ironic that I’m just now entering blogdom, since I wrote an article on blogging when it was the hot new thing, way back in the dark ages of 2001 The Art of the Blog. It was difficult to even find bloggers to interview back then, let alone someone who could speak quotably on the subject.
 
So here I am, editrix of Writer’s Digest, blogging for the first time. You’d think I’d have my hands full trying to keep Brian Klems, Kevin Alexander and all of the WD forumites (who call me “the pit boss”) in line.

But the thing is, I’m a lifelong obsessive-compulsive reader, and I like to share what I read. In fact, on a neurotic note, I think I may have hyperlexia: “A condition in which the main characteristics are an above average ability to read accompanied with a below average ability to understand spoken language. The symptoms are closely related to those of autism.”

And possibly even hypergraphia: “An overwhelming urge to write. It is not itself a disorder, but can be associated with temporal lobe changes in epilepsy and mania.”

(Thank God for the Internet, how else would we research our obscure psychological disorders?)  

Anyway, disorder or not, I do a ridiculous amount of reading. Lucky for me, I finally landed a job where they pay me to read. But it occurred to me that you writers may not have fallen into a gig where someone pays you to do what you’d probably do for free (shhh… don’t tell my bosses).

So here’s the deal, let me do the scanning for you. I’m going to keep an eye on the publishing industry and other writerly news and report back to you by providing links you might be interested in, along with commentary. Agree or disagree, I’d love to hear from you either way. The WD forumites will tell you that I enjoy verbal sparring as long everyone’s having a good time--so let’s mix it up.

And to kick things off, I’m asking anyone dropping in to help christen my blog properly by posting the quotes you have taped to your writing desk or computer. Until next time...

Keep Writing,
-Maria