The Juggling Writer turned 14 today. I was a few months from being laid off the week before Christmas when I started, and and so many changes followed. Sometimes I feel bad for not writing as much, here, because it was always a steady thing, even during unsteady times.
Other Things
Part of the reason I don’t write here as much as I once did is I now tend to update Patreon before this blog — and that satisfies that writing urge. But it’s also more than that…I think a lot has changed since submitting my last novel during COVID, not having an offer, and feeling a bit unsure of what to do with that story, especially when I have Not About Lumberjacks.
Not About Lumberjacks satisfies me in the same way this blog once satisfied me. There’s always something to do, whether writing, designing, or planning. Not About Lumberjacks has the edge because it’s fiction — not a blog largely about writing fiction.
I still love The Juggling Writer — and I don’t see just stopping…but there’s only so much time when working a full time job, having a life, and doing other things. That’s always been a message, here: you don’t have to do everything!
What To Say?
It’s not that I’m at a loss for words about what to keep saying, here, but I sometimes feel like what I write is stuff already read. That’s the nature of blogs, of course, but…I’d rather say nothing at all than writing something for the sake of an update.
Because I’m not even sure if I want to keep submitting fiction anymore, I’m not sure what more I can say here. Not About Lumberjacks is a bigger part of my writing life, and it’s satisfying enough that I’m not as driven to submit and succeed [traditionally] as I once was.
That’s not the makings of a very interesting blog.
But Still…
This will be the 4th entry of 2023…and the 692nd published entry overall.
I have no idea how many words I’ve written, here, but it has to be rather beefy. There will still be writing retreat updates (in fact, the next one is at the end of this month), sharing any news that pops up, and maybe more about AI/Large Language Models as things keep changing.
So, this blog isn’t going away. (It’s entirely possible a flood of interesting thoughts hits in the next year and I’m back to regular posts.)
Thanks!
I know there are a handful of people who were here from the start, and others who found it along the way. Friendships happened because of this site, and for me…that’s the best thing about it.
So here’s to another year of The Juggling Writer…I hope the rest of 2023 is snazzy for us all…
“Friendships happened because of this site, and for me…that’s the best thing about it.”
Absolutely!
I’ve also been blogging less this year, but that’s part of a long, gradual trend for me. When you and I first met through our blogs, I posted far more frequently about my writing life and craft in general. I’ve always posted about what I was reading as well, but these days the reading posts dominate because they’re easier. I often struggle with the occasional writing updates because it’s hard to find new ways to say “Yep, still writing.” And as you say, it seems better to spend the time actually writing fiction than writing about writing fiction.
Write on, friend!
. . . but who’s counting, friend?
It’s interesting to see how methods of communication and sharing ideas shift. I do think about this blog, but with Patreon and other things (and just getting stories out), there’s only so much time. So, I’m fine not updating as much, but it’s here for when the urge arises.
I suspect some of it is just a general change in how I view writing. I used to have the hope of publication. When I was younger, I hoped it would be a thing that paid the bills. Later, maybe supplemental income. And now…I think about publication occasionally, but it’s a thing I can do on my own.
The past few years have been a slow shift in how I view writing beyond a thing with the goal of publication attached to it. And now that my mind’s gone through that, interest in this blog has returned a little bit.
Yeah…when you’re working on novels, updates really are, “Hey, still writing…” They aren’t the most exciting thing.
And I see some writers sharing bits of works in progress, photos of their setup or when they are out researching, and it all seems so exhausting. (Kind of like how every writing retreat, I think about making a really good video, but the effort of making one would negate the purpose of the retreat.)
Obviously, I always read your blog entries when they pop up in my blog reader, but I get it: there’s only so many ways to talk about the same old thoughts or to let people know you’re still writing…