Top Blog Posts of 2012 (I Love Countdowns)

You guys know by now that I'm a geek and that I love geeky things like statistics and countdowns.  When I was young, I would spend every New Year's Eve listening to the Top 100 songs for the year.  Although I don't do that so much these days, I do still love lists and rankings and the like.

So I thought it was only fitting that I provide a few lists pertaining to my blog for the year.  I chose to list the Top 10 blog posts by page views and by comment count, and also include a Top 10 of my favorite (self-written) posts and why they were my favorites.

Now, without the excessive rambling that I'm so prone to do, here's my recap of 2012's popular blog posts.

My Top 10 Posts By Page Views:

1. August is Awesome Because of Angela Ackerman
2. The Authors of Spells: Ten Tales of Magic 
3. Catherine E. McLean: The 9 Kinds of Writers 
4. Nine Ways to Shorten a Long Story by Rayne Hall 
5. August is Awesome Because of Peggy Eddleman 
6. August is Awesome Because of David Powers King 
7. A Bit of Beach Fun (And Zombie Turtles) 
8. The Stages of a Geek's Manuscript 
9. August is Awesome Because of Angela Cothran 
10. Mark Steve Reviews Julius Caesar by Shakespeare 

My Top 10 Posts By Comment Count: (including my replies)

1. AlexFest
2. August is Awesome Because of Alex Cavanaugh
3. (Tie) - August is Awesome Because of Peggy Eddleman
4. (Tie) - Preserving My Dignity (Baby Face Bloghop)
5. August is Awesome Because of Angela Cothran
6. 28 Is a Tough Number
7. August is Awesome Because of Sara Bowers
8. August is Awesome Because of David Powers King
9. How a Review Inspired a Sequel by Cherie Reich
10. (Tie) Spectacular September
11. (Tie) Page Views Mean (Almost) Nothing

My Favorite 10 (Self-Written) Posts:

1. 08/02 - August is Awesome Because of My Wife Myra (Because it's about Myra)
2. 09/17 - A Bit of Beach Fun (And Zombie Turtles) (Because it was fun!)
3. 04/03 - My Muse Tried to Kill Me Today (Because it is so true)
4. 09/07 - My Life as an Adverb (Because Schoolhouse Rock Rocks)
5. 03/02 - Is It the Soap? (Because it was my first post linked by inkPageant)
6. 04/15 - And the Birdie Says (About my introduction to Twitter)
7. 07/03 - Too Woo and Shoo (Because of the excellent debate and feedback)
8. 03/25 - Personal Muse Hotline (My first attempt at writing anything humorous)
9. 03/23 - You Can Run (My first Meme tag)
10. 09/03 - Muse For Hire (Because it's about my muse) 

What about you guys? Which of your posts are your favorites? Do you have a list of favorite sites or posts on other sites? Favorite communities?  Links are welcome. (I'll be sure to check the SPAM folder and release any Blogger catches by mistake.)

2012 In My Rear View Mirror

Ending a year on a positive note is, in my opinion, at least as important as starting a year on a positive note.

I took a little time recently to look in my rear view mirror and examine the positive things that have happened this year.  I decided to list many of those accomplishments that apply in some form to blogging or writing.

Having begun diligently working on my first book a little over a year ago and started blogging back in February, I've:

• Published over 200 posts
• Finished drafting--and revising--The Bonding, my first book in the Strands of Pattern series
• Welcomed more than 30 writers, bloggers and authors as guests on my blog
• Received more compliments, congratulations and well-wishes than I can count
• Watched my confidence as a writer (and even blogger) grow beyond my expectations
• Joined over four hundred blogs and frequent a hundred more
• Created a Facebook page, Google+ and Goodreads accounts, and started Tweeting
• Found some top-of-the-line critique partners
• Had dozens of my posts linked from inkPageant and other places 
• Attended my first writer's workshop (Thank you, Uncle Orson Scott Card!)
• Had a short story published
• Critiqued or reviewed a half-dozen full length novels in addition to scores of chapters and short stories
• Met a slew of awesome people and embarked upon some treasured friendships.

As such, I am forced to conclude that 2012 has been a most excellent year.  And I wanted you to know that if you're reading this post then chances are good that you helped make it so.

And to you I say, thanks!

May we endeavor to accomplish great things in 2013 and find the courage and determination to succeed.