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.
5 comments:
Well, I prefer the new thing being you starting that hedgehog farm, so you're going to have rewrite this post completely. Get on with it.
...ok, so I don't think this is completely unexpected (though I happily admit I'd forgotten that you'd mentioned changes comes back in March of this year. But then I think the comment backlog happened shortly after that, so it's all kind of explained by you being busy), and I think what you're saying makes a lot of sense. After all, I'm not sure you need to be spending creative energies on prompts if you've got other writing going on that also needs attention. And I would like to see you get published, so there's that too :)
I'm in favour of all this, as I'm sure you expected, and I'll continue to try and post here as well (you're not the only one who sometimes runs out of time and gets backed up on posting, after all!). I figure it'll work out, and if there's problems we'll find ways round them :)
Long Overdue
The bar was too crowded so Tony looked around for a table. Spotting one he hurried over, his glass of craft beer sloshing alarmingly, and arrived just as another guy did. They looked at each other, and then around at the bar.
"Share?" said the other guy.
"Sure," said Tony. They sat down opposite each other. "I'm Tony." He offered a handshake which the other guy took: his hand was warm and firm and he didn't try and crush all the bones in Tony's.
"I'm Andrew," said the other guy. "It's busy in here, it's only Tuesday! I thought I could have a quiet drink and then meet my wife."
"There's a show on," said Tony. "I think the Spice Girls are doing a one-off."
Andrew frowned. "Didn't they all get fat?"
"It's burlesque."
They shared laughter for a moment, and when it died they drank to avoid awkwardness.
"I'm an accountant," said Tony.
"I'm a doctor," said Andrew, and looked pained as Tony's face lit up.
"Can I ask your advice?" said Tony. He didn't wait for a reply. "Only this girl I'm meeting, she's a bit overdue. Like, two years overdue."
"You've been waiting for her for two years?" said Andrew. "I'm the wrong kind of doctor for you then, I specialise in pregnancy and childbirth."
"No, you're exactly right," said Tony, leaning over the table. Andrew stared at him, his glass slipping from his fingers.
"She's been pregnant longer than an elephant?!"
Greg - hah. That is all. Hah :P
Thank you for your thoughts and point of view, always appreciated. I'm not completely happy with the new look quite yet, but hopefully satisfaction is within reach. Just have to work a few bugs and kinks out.
I quite enjoyed this meeting of Andrew and Tony. I feel like they could have many good conversations. Though I think this matter of the two year pregnancy... well, I suppose it would be nearly three years if she's two years overdue... should be at the top of the priority list!
I'm glad the daily writing prompt isn't going away, and of course you have to work on your own projects. I really want to see you finish the novel that you posted during NaNo a few years ago -- I really liked it and think it could be published.
I'm hardly in a position to complain about kids taking more of your time -- that's what happens with kids, and I'm the one who disappeared for the entire summer (my son was off school and he talks a blue streak you wouldn't believe and I can't write when he's around).
I liked reading daily snippets about your life (er, not that I've been good about keeping up with anything since I started my new job... 10 months ago!). Hope that you can send out weekly updates or something? A friend of mine who moved South sends out a group email every Sunday and that's been really nice as a way to keep up with her life.
My long overdue: I'm getting organised to catch up on my travel diaries, using NaNoWriMo as a motivator to write on my website again. :-P
Morganna - thanks very much, I appreciate hearing that from you :)
And yes, I can relate to the blue streak talking youngin's and the complete inability to write around them...
Nicky - I think I won't be able to resist the temptation to use the comments as a stand in for what I used to do on the posts. I imagine at least once or twice a week something will pop up there, and hopefully the lower frequency will make for higher rates of interesting things being shared.
And good for you for making use of NaNo in that way! I'll be ignoring it again this year, unless I figure out a way to use it on one of my writing projects.
Which, I suppose, is not entirely out of the question...
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