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The 2012 Creme de la Creme List is Now Open for Submissions

It is the seventh anniversary of the little Creme de la Creme. 277 bloggers participated last year. If this is your first time hearing about the project, this post should tell you everything you need to know. If you’ve participated in years past, you know how much fun the list is when its revealed on January 1st. So, I hereby declare the 2012 Creme de la Creme list open.

I know this is loooooong, but please read this whole post before submitting your entry. Every year, the rules change slightly in order to streamline the process.

If you didn’t read or participate in this list in 2006 or in 2007 or in 2008 or in 2009 or in 2010 or in 2011, the impulse behind this list are the ubiquitous award ceremonies that crawl out of their hiding spaces usually around December or January. Awards are nice — it’s good to honour someone and mark big accomplishments. But we all have a best post tucked into our archives. We all have words that have moved another person or ideas that have kicked off a series of musings. Bloggers are writers, and all of us deserve to be celebrated.

And we’re doing just that.

This is the way it works. If you want to participate, read through your archives from 2012 and choose a favourite post. You can leave all sorts of comments below telling me how fantastic I am, but fill out the form to send in your submission (do not leave it in the comments section–the point of this list is also the surprise of seeing the choices revealed on a single day). If you post your link below, I will delete it. Again, feel free to leave love comments below — in fact, please do leave love comments below — but not your submission for the list. Let’s keep it a surprise until the list is ready to go up.

You can only choose one entry. You cannot be modest. Everyone has a best post. There is no such thing as a boring blog. Even if you don’t think you have any readers because you’ve never received a comment, you have a best post. The one that you felt really good about when you hit publish. The one that would be the post you’d put forward if an editor called you tomorrow and said, “I have this great writing job for you that will pay a million dollars an hour. You just need to submit one blog entry to get this job so we can check your writing style.”

Even if you just found my blog because you read about the Creme de la Creme on another person’s blog, you are not only welcome to submit; you are encouraged. It is the best posts of 2012 for the ALI community and that community includes anyone who writes about infertility, adoption, pregnancy loss, stillbirth, neonatal death, assisted reproduction, pregnancy after infertility or loss, and every related topic — from living child-free after infertility to parenting after infertility. Everyone on the blogroll (or could be on the blogroll) is welcome to participate. Really, you don’t need to be a regular reader of my blog to join in. It’s open to everyone in the ALI blogosphere. I can’t say this in more ways than that. Which means you don’t need to write me a note asking if it’s okay to participate. The answer is yes. Okay?

Actually, it’s not only “yes;” it’s “please do.”

The list will be posted January 1st, and I promise that you will use up a good portion of the beginning of the year reading through the most stunning posts you’ve ever seen. We had 277 posts last year, and I’d really like to top that this year. My goal is all 3000 blogs currently on the blogroll, but barring that, let’s aim for over 300. Which means that not only do you have to participate if you’re reading this, but you need to spread the word and get other bloggers to participate (more on that below). Link to this post, send out a note to other bloggers you like, and suggest favourite posts to bloggers from this past year.

Um… other FAQ-like things:

How many posts can I submit?

You can only submit one. Please don’t submit two and ask me to choose. Submit one.

How will I know that you received my entry?

When you hit submit on the form, you should get a screen telling you that I have my entry. If you don’t see that screen, I don’t have your entry.

I sent in a post last week but I just wrote one that I love more! Can I switch my submission?

The short answer is no. The reason is that I write up the blurbs that appear next to each entry. This takes a lot of time. When you change your post, I have to write another blurb. Therefore, think carefully. But get your post in early so it’s high up on the list. But take your time picking it so you’re positive it’s the one you want on the list. But don’t give this too much thought…

If you just submitted it an hour earlier and realized you sent the wrong link, email me quickly so I can change it. Once I write the blurb, it’s set. I mean, you can pull your blog from the list, but you can’t submit a different link.

How do I know which one is my best?

Think of this list in sort of the same vein as those “Best American Short Story”-type collections except that it’s blog entries and everyone in the blogosphere should be represented with a link. The idea of the creme de la creme is not to put out there “the best” by someone else’s definition of “best.” It’s to put out the entry that means the most to you. Everyone has a best entry from 2012. It’s the one you would cry about if it was ever eaten by your computer. Even if it’s only meaningful to you.

I’m having a lot of trouble choosing my best one.

Why don’t you give a few choices to a friend and get their opinion? Don’t get hung up on the word “best.” It’s more about presenting a small taste of your blog. A lot of people read the list each January and it’s a chance for them to get to know your blog in one post. The goal, of course, is not only to honour every blog, but to also introduce everyone. Think of it like a cocktail party. You certainly think about what you wear, but everything doesn’t hinge on this one outfit.

I want to submit a post about my dog/favourite recipe/vacation in Hawaii. So … er … it’s not about adoption/infertility/loss. Can I? Or I want to submit a post but it has pictures of my baby in it. Do you think this is okay for an IF list?

Well, this list is sort of a pu-pu platter of the ALI community. Therefore, if your post is about your ski trip last winter, it doesn’t really show any emotion, thought, or event flitting through the community. Still, people have submitted off-topic posts in the past. If you have any part of the post that if ALI-related, all the better though.

The second question is a sensitivity one. Personally, I think that babies are part of the community and territory. The reality is that we’re all working towards parenthood or were once working towards parenthood. And children are included in that. I try to always mention in my blurb if it’s about a baby or if there are photos so people are given a heads up before they click over. So, yes, send posts that have photos in it and I will make sure that people know the gist of the post before they click over if they’re in a sensitive space.

I’m a man. Can I participate?

Are you part of the ALI community? Then didn’t you read above? EVERYONE is invited to participate. Male, female, young, old, married, single, gay, straight, everyone everyone everyone.

I’m a minnow. Can I participate?

Er … a minnow with a blog? An infertile minnow with a blog? I guess … I mean … I did say everyone … (but how do you blog underwater?)

I just started my blog in October. Can I participate?

As long as you’ve had one post in 2012, you can participate. Even if you didn’t start your blog until October 2012. Just choose your best from the last two months.

My blog is password protected. Can I participate?

If your blog is password protected and you want to participate, choose your blog entry and create a free blog at Blogger or WordPress and post that single entry. Then send me the link so I can place it on the list. I can’t link to password protected blogs.

When is the deadline for getting in my submission (and this has changed since last year so pay attention)?

To ensure that you’re on the list, please fill out the form by December 15th. No entries will be accepted after 11 pm EST on December 15th.

In the past, the list didn’t close until January, but this year, the list will not be updated after it goes up on January 1st.  December 15th is the only deadline, and it is a hard deadline.  Meaning, no one will be added who hears about this project after December 15th.

Which is why I am asking you, begging you, pleading with you, to spread word now.  Tweet it, Facebook it, Pinterest it, blog about it, email about it, talk about it with that random stranger in the fertility clinic waiting room.  Spread word now because people will not be able to add themselves after December 15th.

Can you post another link to the form right now because I’ve decided to submit.

Sure, here’s another link to the form. Just fill it out and hit send and it will go into the Creme de la Creme spreadsheet.

If you don’t want to participate, do nothing. With the Creme de la Creme List, I never add a blog or highlight a post unless the author has sent it to me. Therefore, no hurt feelings. If your post isn’t on the list, it’s because you haven’t sent one. If you see someone missing from the list after it is posted, go bug them and tell them to submit a post. But don’t send me a note asking me to add them without their permission. I really would like this post to be what the author believes is their best post, but if you are feeling shy and can’t choose, enlist a friend to help you narrow it down and choose your best work.

Lastly, there is another section of the list that needs your help: blogs that closed in 2012. These are blogs that closed entirely — the person stopped blogging and said specifically that they were not going to post any longer — not blogs that went password protected or the person moved their blog to a new space. If you read a blog that closed during 2012, please send me the title of the blog. It doesn’t matter if it was read by one person or read by 5000 people, all blogs should be honoured and recognized. And all blogs stand on the same plateau here.

Spread the word with the following button on a post or your sidebar to encourage others to send a link:

The code for adding the link to your blog can be found here. You can also use the social media buttons at the bottom of the post.

Everyone has a best post. It is your personal best. It is not best by any other standard. Stop comparing yourself. Stop feeling shy. Stop thinking it’s immodest to toot your own horn when I’ve told you to toot your own horn. Start reading through your archives. Reflect on the year. And then send me a link for the list.

Wheeeew. Sorry about that last part. But everyone in the blogosphere should be represented and honoured.

19 comments

1 Lori Lavender Luz { 10.15.12 at 9:47 am }

So excited to see this list!

2 Sarah { 10.15.12 at 9:58 am }

My favorite blog list of the year! Thanks for putting it all together!

3 serenity { 10.15.12 at 10:07 am }

Yay! Can’t wait to read them.

xoxo

4 JustHeather { 10.15.12 at 10:23 am }

Woohoo! It’s open! I’ve been refreshing all afternoon. *big grin*
I actually had time to look through my posts today and I FOUND ONE! And it’s submitted! I so can’t wait to see the list this year.

Thank you for all the hard work you’ll be doing Mel.

5 loribeth { 10.15.12 at 12:34 pm }

I have to admit, I have never managed to make it through the entire list… but I so look forward to diving into some great reading every New Year’s Day. Thank you for doing this (again!), Mel! : )

6 KeAnne { 10.15.12 at 12:36 pm }

Done! Can’t wait to read them all!

7 Keiko { 10.15.12 at 12:57 pm }

I am loving both the color and font of this year’s badge. Hotness. What font is that? Modern No. 20?

8 Tiara { 10.15.12 at 2:11 pm }

In all my excitment this morning of getting my post submitted & adding your badge to my blog I forgot to leave a comment on how fantastic you are…because you are fantastic, you know!! Thank you for doing this!

9 Aly @ Breathe Gently { 10.15.12 at 8:23 pm }

Thank you for organising! I read along the last few years but it’s great to be able to participate this year. Anxiously awaiting January. You have a big job ahead of you – kudos to you!

10 a { 10.15.12 at 10:26 pm }

So, how do I get a post on this list? Hahahahahahaha….

😉

11 Mina { 10.16.12 at 2:56 am }

Can hardly wait! I don’t really like January, it’s long and cold and grey and it can never live up to the greatness of December. But Ceme de la Creme list sweetens it a bit.
I had to really think about the post I finally ended up submitting. It won’t make me popular with the ones who are still in their quest to baby. But I think it defines my year. Since it is not a popularity contest and it is meant to be a post I wrote and I wrote about myself, I clicked on submit after all.

Thank you for doing this, Mel. Thank you.

12 St. E { 10.17.12 at 12:25 am }

I being the shrewd out-of-time-for-everything-lately, decided to submit my post first and then come back to say ‘thank you’.

Thank you, Mel. It feels amazing to be able to do this, to be a part of the seventh year of CDLC, and the only reason that is happening is because you take the pains to do it so scrupulously, every year.

Happy CDLC!

13 FOxy { 10.19.12 at 12:47 am }

Just wanted to say that if I had a Binder full of women, you’d totally be in it Mel. YOU ARE AMAZING. Thank you for doing this year after year. it is a very special things that you offer us all 🙂 We love you.

14 Amy { 10.19.12 at 10:57 am }

ARGH. I had to move my blog from Blogger to WordPress, right after I submitted my post. Should I fill out the form again, or just email you the new permalink? So sorry to be a pain – if need be I could re-activate that one link on Blogger… Need to send you the info for updating my blogroll spot anyhow.

15 A Passage To Baby { 11.03.12 at 3:34 pm }

Where is the list again? I can’t seem to find it. (Not to submit, but to see what’s been submitted.)

16 Jen { 11.05.12 at 5:33 am }

Wow – it’s a mega list you are building here. Well done, and thank you for doing it. It is needed!

17 Pepibebe { 11.05.12 at 2:39 pm }

Ohh I just read about this on someone else’s blog so came to check it out. Exciting! I thought it would be for the very established bloggers, but I see that true to the egalitarian nature of your blog – it’s for me too! You even answered my question of ‘what if I’ve only been writing for a short time?’ Now my dilemma is whether to submit one I’ve already written and am happy with, with the bonus of being near the top of this coveted list, or waiting a month and seeing if I come up with something super dooper amazing…decisions, decisions!
Thank you in advance for all of the hard work you will do for this. It will be immense and you can certainly add me to the list of people who will be totally looking forward to the list – which will arrive in our summer. So you can picture me in a hammock chair with a cool drink and my iPhone in hand reading lots of glorious new blogs 🙂

18 yo-yo-mama { 12.08.12 at 4:37 pm }

Thanks for welcoming newbies…can’t wait to see the list!

19 Turia { 12.15.12 at 8:06 pm }

I have been sitting on this and sitting on this for ages, but I finally put my entry in. It is really all about parenting so I wasn’t sure if it would belong, but it truly is the post that has resonated with me the most this year.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the list in January.

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