Monday October 23rd, 2017

The exercise:

Write about something that is: long overdue.

Yeah, here comes that other bit of news that I've been trying to get to for a very long time.

Mine:

I'm sure that it has not gone unnoticed that I've been having difficulty in recent months (I think I'm being generous... it's probably more like years) with keeping on top of things with this blog - both in posting on time and the miserably large backlog of comments that saw no replies for so much of the time.

Thankfully I've been better about the comments recently.

Posting on time has been hit and miss. For example, I was going to post this last night. Sleep won again, so it's going up tonight instead, while I figure out what yesterday's prompt shall be.

Before I go any further, I should probably point out that this is not the end of Daily Writing Practice. It is, however, the end of this blog as it has existed for the last... nine years? Really, nine? Jeez.

Anyway. Since the beginning the format has been share the prompt, blab about whatever is on my mind for a bit, and then share my take on the prompt. Then, in theory, after I've posted I reply to the comments on the previous day's prompt. In theory.

With the arrival of first Max and then Miles into my life, this has become problematic on a couple fronts. The biggest is clearly that I have less free time to write. Most days, the only time I have to sit down and focus on writing is after the boys are asleep and, usually, after Kat is asleep as well. By this point in the day I am tired. Very tired. Staying awake long enough to figure out a prompt, write about my (*zzzz*) day, write my take on (*zzzzzz*) the prompt, and then reply to comments (forget it, I'm going to bed, I'll get to them next time) is a challenge I have not been able to meet on far more nights than I care to admit.

So. What does this mean? It means I need to do things differently. It means I need to shift what little time I have to write away from this (essentially unpaid) blog and toward writing projects that will hopefully become sources of income.

This, then, is the plan going forward. Each night I shall post the writing prompt. Then I will reply to the previous day's comments. Then I will get to work on my projects, even if only for a few minutes before it is time to sleep. If I'm feeling inspired, I will also post my take on the prompt in the comments.

There are, of course, exceptions. I will always post on the yearlong prompts. I will still do continuation and weeklong prompts on occasion and I will write on those as well. Characters and tales that I've used and returned to regularly (or not) will still make appearances - so no need to say farewell to Henri or Bobby, or The Gang or The Wastelands.

I'll be switching to the new format as of tomorrow's prompt. And because it will still be Two Haiku Tuesday I imagine my take will be making an appearance in the comments. Also: because change is hard and I know I'm going to have trouble letting go. 

I'll also be mucking about with the blog's appearance, as it seems as good a time as any to change the layout. So if you're here on Tuesday and things look a little weird... I'm probably in the process of changing things up.

It is my hope that this change will allow me to be more attentive to your comments and to provide better, more thoughtful feedback (I will admit that when I'm slogging through the backlog my replies are often more brief than I'd like) on your writing. I cherish your contributions to my prompts and always will. It is an honor every single time that you choose to share your writing with me and those that read this blog.

It is also my hope that this will lead to me finally publishing my work. I've got a couple things on the go right now and I will be sure to provide updates as they become... um, worthy of being updated. Updateable? I think I might be going for newsworthy here...

All right, I'm getting tired. Thanks for sticking with this to the end. It got a little long. And thank you for sticking with Daily Writing Practice, and I hope that you continue to do so in its new form.

It means a lot.