Writing in 2016

Recently, I have been more active on the blog. I’ve been testing the waters, writing short pieces on topics that I find interesting. I have been experimenting with timing and frequency of the posts that I write. All of this is in preparation for 2016.

I spent the last two years writing every day, getting a lot of practice writing fiction, attempting to improve my craft. After writing for 825 consecutive days, I finally decided to take a break. During the break, I thought about the kind of writing I wanted to do next. I realized, to my surprise, that the writing that I had most fun doing was the writing I did on the blog. I felt I’d neglected the blog long enough.

In 2016 I want that to change. While I don’t plan on giving up fiction-writing, my focus in 2016 will be this blog. Blogs may be going out of style, but I enjoy the writing I do for the blog more than any other writing I do. I want to write about a range of topics, not just technology, or writing, or self-tracking. I want to see if it is possible to become a better blogger, and make the writing I do here enjoyable for a wider audience.

Implementing these changes is a work-in-progress. I’ve experimented with 2 posts each day, but I think it is easier on me, and you, to start with one post a day. I schedule these posts for 9 am Eastern time. Posts that appear in this slot represent my main blog writing for the day. Occasionally, I’ll have a post later in the afternoon. These are often announcements, or last-minute items of interest. I have been trying to aim for posts of between 400-700 words, shorter than what I have written in the past. Attention spans are shorter, and I can be a little less verbose.

The rebooted Going Paperless posts will appear on Tuesdays at 9 am Eastern time. I have been considering a second post on Tuesday afternoons on some technology subject, making Tuesdays a kind “Tech Tuesday” on the blog. But the schedule is still evolving.

I realize that a lot of people come to the blog to read the Going Paperless posts, or the posts I’ve written on self-tracking, like the FitBit posts. They are not necessarily interested in the other topic I write about. That is fair, and understandable. The Going Paperless posts have their own RSS feed, and anyone can subscribe to that feed to filter out the other stuff I write here.But I hope folks will give some of the new posts a try.

I have been incredible fortunately with the blog. For the second year in a row, I have surpassed 1 million page views, and while this year’s numbers are down considerably from last year’s, I am delighted that so many people take the time to visit and comment. I have the best audience. The comment threads are always helpful (to me) and informative, and best of all, civil. I look forward to seeing that continue in 2016.