Okay, that’s not true at all.
But some things have changed since E.C.’s fearless leader, Rolando Teco, invited me to contribute to the blog five years ago. Though I still don’t consider myself a movie critic, writing about film for E.C. honed my writing-about-film chops. Soon I landed on press lists and film distributors were sending me screeners and publishers were sending me their film-related books. I started having deadlines. It’s work, sure, but the kind of good, stimulating work I enjoy.
Eventually I took the leap and sent a book review to other outlets, including Filmmaker Magazine. They ran it. I’ve since developed a relationship with them and contribute frequently to their website.
It’s nice that E.C. led to my work reaching a wider audience, but the most important way E.C. has changed my life is the people it has introduced me to. There is a phrase in the blog's first post, which is its manifesto, really: “an online community of artists.” And that’s what it has become. I’ve participated in the BrevityFest NYC where I met several contributors. Yvonne Delet invited me to be a guest on her podcast, The Unknown Zone. I’ve had meals with Robert David Sullivan and Andrew Altenburg. John Yearley and I exchange many emails and keep threatening to get together for drinks.
I like to think the community includes all the
contributors, not just those I’ve met in person or correspond with, and also those
folks who take the time to leave a comment, and those folks who take the time
to read the blog. I am delighted and proud to be a part of such a smart,
creative, fun community.
So members of the Extra Criticum community, how has the blog changed your life?