What is a REALBIE? In Shelly-language, a Realbie is a blogger who is passionate about what they write. They’re unique in their approach to teach us all to be better writers. E.J. Wesley and Roland Yeomans come to mind. Their passion shines through when they give us tidbits of writing knowledge while they give you little pieces of their lives.
A REALBIE is someone who lets you know they’re a person like you and me. They have families, jobs, chores, and problems. They are the ones who open their doors to their homes in a writerly sort of way. They write about their families and dogs and cats and what they even eat for dinner. They make you feel invited. Lorelei Bell, Ella, Brent Wescott, Eve, Marta Szemik, M.J. Fifield, Teresa Powell Coltrin, Klahanie, Susan Gourley/Kelley, Sherri Lackey, Evie, Siv Ottem, and Tonja. The blogsosphere is full of peeps like these.
A REALBIE is someone who shows support by promoting, reading, and reviewing other author’s published works, Norma Bieshir and William Kendall. This past Saturday, one of our fellow bloggers showed up at my very first book signing and bought a book, Isis Rushdan. I was totally blown away by her act of utter kindness. Five days later, it still brings tears to my eyes.
I know I missed naming all the REALBIES. I follow close to two hundred blogs. Crazy right? Sadly, I don’t get to all of them in one week. Some times not even in a month. There is only one Santa Claus of the blogosphere. And that is Alex J. Cavanaugh. He’s a REALBIE that is everywhere, too. The man must have the widest shoulders ever.
Keep your chins up every one. We’re here for each other.
Hugs and chocolate everybody,
Shelly
PS My lovely flexible schedule dictated that I work a 9 to 5shift today. So I’ll be back this evening and tomorrow to read fellow bloggers’ posts.
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PSS Also another reminder:
SAVE THE DATE: February 19, 20, and 21st. I’ll be having a Spread the News and Cheer on the Run Away Bride Giveaway. I’ll be drawing 2 winners for a 15 dollar Amazon card and 2 winners for autographed copies of Secondhand Shoes.
And everyone gets a FREE ebook on those three days, too.
Thanks Shelly, I think of you as a REALBIE too :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Siv.
DeleteSounds like a nice group.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely...
DeleteGosh lots of people to visit - thanks for the links Shelley!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteLove that word, Realbie! So appropriate! Hugs and chocolate to you, Shelly. :)
ReplyDeleteMore chocolate hugs back to you.
DeleteIt's so cool that she went to your signing. If I lived close by, I'd go to everyone's! It certainly has been nice to have a group of friends online since writing can be a very isolating job.
ReplyDeleteIt still blows me away.
DeleteThere are certainly a lot of Realbies in our blogging world. Congrats on your new release. It's so cool that one of the Realbies showed up for your signing!
ReplyDeleteThank you. And we have a great community here in the blogosphere.
Deleteawww. I love that term, Realbies. Love this post, Shelly. Gave me warm and fuzzy feelings all over--i do love our writing community.
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
I think so....
DeleteShelly, to me, you are the REALBIE who has encouraged me on this writerly journey... thanks for being you!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Thank you, Michelle.
DeleteThank you very much, Shelly!
ReplyDeleteTwo hundred blogs???
I have a hard time saying no to a good blog, you know. I just don't getto everyone every week. Except for a few close friends.
DeleteThat made me laugh!!
ReplyDeleteI know many of the bloggers you named and they are all excellent examples. There are so many people in this community that inspire and motivate.
Yes. They are. And I love to make peeps laugh.
DeleteThere are so many brilliant blogs on writing, it is hard to keep up with them all, but so rewarding when I do get around to visiting them. I feel like the years I've been blogging, I've been very honoured to see writers develop and grow in their journey to authorship. I've also been lucky enough to meet a couple of my fellow bloggers at workshops and seminars. You're definitely a realbie Shelly, you're so supportive and generous with writers and bloggers.
ReplyDelete....realbies, that's a keeper ;)
ReplyDeleteEl
Realbies, I like them! And of course our ninja master had to be one =)
ReplyDeleteThey are all great.
DeleteNice, realbies! I like that term. The real deal, the folks who are in it because they actually want to talk to others, not just at them.
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse
Thank you.
DeleteI can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am to be included in your 'reliable' list Shelly. I blog the only way I know how, and I love your approach for the very same reason. You're not necessarily trying to fit into a 'thing'--what I like to call blogging from the hip. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of the bloggers you included here do the very same thing. We should probably label it as something fancy, like 'authenticity', but I'll just call it being awesome. :-D
Smiles to you, E.J.
DeleteI love the term "Realbie!" Am working to let more of the me that doesn't center on writing out to play in my blog. It is the blogs where the writer shares bits and pieces of their lives in addition to what they think about writing or movies or books or cooking (or whatever their passion may be) that keep me returning most frequently, for sure : ).
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. Writers are ordinary peeps with stories to write.
DeleteThat's fantastic! Congrats on your signing and isn't it great to meet fellow bloggers? We really are here for each other and understand the insecurities like no one else can. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm always hoping to run into you sometime. I think of you when ever I go to the Tampa Airport.
DeleteRealbie is an awesome way of looking at it! There are amazing bloggers in the community; you're one of them, of course. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Golden.
DeleteYou're right, there are few REALBIES in the world and you have to appreciate them. :-)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely.
DeleteThanks for the mention and you are very special indeed.
ReplyDelete