Thanks! While the pace of daily blogging was ultimately too much for me (I tried for one full year) I believe everyone should try it for a few weeks. Making a commitment to say something about the world every!single!day! helped me realize I had been glossing over so much around us. It took the blinders off.
I used to do a blogging challenge in April called the A to Z Challenge were you blogged every day. It was fun, but ultimately, I didn't have the energy to keep doing it.
Yeah, daily blogging is a lot! And I realized the at trying to say something every day was not leaving me time to refill the cup., so I’m more of a ebb and flow guy now...which is usually fine except for those occasions where the YouTube algorithm vortex makes a night disappear for nothing.
Yes to front-yard kiddie pool! That's a lot of posts, a lot of practice, a lot of opportunities for self-discovery and development. A shining example of an atomic habit a la James Clear. Happy to be one of your subscribers.
Thanks! Yes, just a little at a time. I tried daily blogging between 2018-2019 but it was too much of a grind, but a little at a time (even if not daily) kept me in game so I’d be there for lightening bolt moments (such as reading Verlyn Klinkenborg’s Several Short Sentences Avout Writing)....or finding Substack!
Justus, you summed it up great at the end. It's nice to have a home on the Internet. It's also nice to recognize that while my readers don't need my input, I do. It keeps me alive and kicking to post a story or poem two-three times a week. While I try to ignore the numbers, I yearn for the comments, the conversation between us all. The "likes" don't feed me as much as the responses in words, phrases, and whole sentence. YUM!
I realized just yesterday that when we read others' comments on social media, we have a glimpse of their souls. Rarely do we know what they look or sound like, but take away the physical aspects of a person, you only have their words and therefore their innermost being.
Love this story and well worth a huge celebration. Maybe your wife will read a piece. Mrs Feasts proofs mine so she says she doesn’t have to read them as well!
Agree on the usefulness of blogging. I’m writing one a week and it’s giving me a framework of researching and writing which I hope is going to support my studies!
That’s awesome! When I was in college and grad school, I was in such a rush I don’t think I had the wherewithal to write separately outside of my studies, however it would have been good to pause on a regular basis to think “what am I doing?!”.... in a less toxic fashion than the regular cigarette break.
I’m recently retired so I have the luxury of time! I’m already feeling the benefits of regular writing as articulation comes a lot more easily. Well done, keep going!
Good for you! And thanks for sharing. This is a commitment to your passion, and the creative practice, 100+ subscribers is a big deal, congrats 🥳 🎉🎉🎉
I love this part: The world might not need your input, but you need your input. Writing publicly forces us to look carefully and to process the richness that surrounds us....
Thanks! I feel that blogging sits in a good space for contemplation. It’s informal so I don’t freeze up and do nothing, but it’s public so I can’t be as loose as a journal, just enough rigor to force us to think sharply about what we publish.
8 months later, and I just hit 200! Just posting newsletters whenever the whim hit, and sharing cool finds here on Notes.
Substack is the network where “if you build it they will come”.
With my own website, I’ve done the “crying in the wilderness thing”—it’s cool…but gets lonely. But there’s no fucking way I’m gonna contort myself to some techbro’s fickle algorithm.
Substack continues to be the perfect balance of centralized and decentralized. This place rewards effort. My periods of fastest growth was when I posted on a regular basis, but my slow growth in 2024 (posting about once a month) is proof that staying in the game just works. If you put in the time, you will see results.
Of course I can’t guarantee financial or viral success, but I will absolutely vouch if you do the work, Substack will help you create your community. It might take time, it will take effort, but there are people who need what you are sharing. Give them a chance to be blessed by your offerings, be real, and you will find that killer cohort who will cheer you on when things get tough.
First off, congrats!
Second, I love this line: The world might not need your input, but you need your input.
It's 100% the truth.
Thanks! While the pace of daily blogging was ultimately too much for me (I tried for one full year) I believe everyone should try it for a few weeks. Making a commitment to say something about the world every!single!day! helped me realize I had been glossing over so much around us. It took the blinders off.
I used to do a blogging challenge in April called the A to Z Challenge were you blogged every day. It was fun, but ultimately, I didn't have the energy to keep doing it.
Yeah, daily blogging is a lot! And I realized the at trying to say something every day was not leaving me time to refill the cup., so I’m more of a ebb and flow guy now...which is usually fine except for those occasions where the YouTube algorithm vortex makes a night disappear for nothing.
Yes to front-yard kiddie pool! That's a lot of posts, a lot of practice, a lot of opportunities for self-discovery and development. A shining example of an atomic habit a la James Clear. Happy to be one of your subscribers.
Thanks! Yes, just a little at a time. I tried daily blogging between 2018-2019 but it was too much of a grind, but a little at a time (even if not daily) kept me in game so I’d be there for lightening bolt moments (such as reading Verlyn Klinkenborg’s Several Short Sentences Avout Writing)....or finding Substack!
Congratulations Justus! I remember we both arrived on Notes about the same time! 😎
Thanks! I think we both part of the Post to Notes migration...what a year in Social Media!
Yes, we were! So glad to have landed here in this wonderful community!
Congratulations! Growing authenticity!
Thanks! The cost of faking is too dang high!
Congratulations on your milestone! Keep on going!
Thanks! I’ll keep plugging along!
Congratulations, Justin, on achieving this significant milestone! I'm one of the 100! Keep up the great work! 🥳🎉 🎈 🎊 💖✨
Thanks! Happy your along for the ride!
Justus, you summed it up great at the end. It's nice to have a home on the Internet. It's also nice to recognize that while my readers don't need my input, I do. It keeps me alive and kicking to post a story or poem two-three times a week. While I try to ignore the numbers, I yearn for the comments, the conversation between us all. The "likes" don't feed me as much as the responses in words, phrases, and whole sentence. YUM!
Very much so! The conversation is a joy! Thanks!
(Weird what just happened)
I realized just yesterday that when we read others' comments on social media, we have a glimpse of their souls. Rarely do we know what they look or sound like, but take away the physical aspects of a person, you only have their words and therefore their innermost being.
Love this story and well worth a huge celebration. Maybe your wife will read a piece. Mrs Feasts proofs mine so she says she doesn’t have to read them as well!
hehehe at some point maybe! =)
I'll let you know if JoJo reads any of mine!!
Agree on the usefulness of blogging. I’m writing one a week and it’s giving me a framework of researching and writing which I hope is going to support my studies!
That’s awesome! When I was in college and grad school, I was in such a rush I don’t think I had the wherewithal to write separately outside of my studies, however it would have been good to pause on a regular basis to think “what am I doing?!”.... in a less toxic fashion than the regular cigarette break.
I’m recently retired so I have the luxury of time! I’m already feeling the benefits of regular writing as articulation comes a lot more easily. Well done, keep going!
Thanks! My daily blogging experiment of 2019 didnt garner any readers at the time, but it sure made me a better writer of emails at the office!
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Congrats!
Whoohooo!!! =)
Congratulations -- and yes for keeping things in perspective. I love the kiddie pool closing line.
Thanks! I had fun writing that paragraph!
Good for you! And thanks for sharing. This is a commitment to your passion, and the creative practice, 100+ subscribers is a big deal, congrats 🥳 🎉🎉🎉
I love this part: The world might not need your input, but you need your input. Writing publicly forces us to look carefully and to process the richness that surrounds us....
Thanks! I feel that blogging sits in a good space for contemplation. It’s informal so I don’t freeze up and do nothing, but it’s public so I can’t be as loose as a journal, just enough rigor to force us to think sharply about what we publish.
8 months later, and I just hit 200! Just posting newsletters whenever the whim hit, and sharing cool finds here on Notes.
Substack is the network where “if you build it they will come”.
With my own website, I’ve done the “crying in the wilderness thing”—it’s cool…but gets lonely. But there’s no fucking way I’m gonna contort myself to some techbro’s fickle algorithm.
Substack continues to be the perfect balance of centralized and decentralized. This place rewards effort. My periods of fastest growth was when I posted on a regular basis, but my slow growth in 2024 (posting about once a month) is proof that staying in the game just works. If you put in the time, you will see results.
Of course I can’t guarantee financial or viral success, but I will absolutely vouch if you do the work, Substack will help you create your community. It might take time, it will take effort, but there are people who need what you are sharing. Give them a chance to be blessed by your offerings, be real, and you will find that killer cohort who will cheer you on when things get tough.
You are an embodiment of resilience, determination, perseverance, patience and persistent. Keep going 💪
Thanks man! Cheers!