It's hard to say what my most daring piece would be. Writing and art are the places where I feel I can be the most candid. in that regard, I rarely shy away from being open. To me that's point, to see what it is I most need to, what I can say in no other way.
Maybe it's for that reason that the publish button doesn't often trouble me. It's a necessary part of my creative process. It's teh way i clear my desk and my head so i can move on to teh next thing.
Writing, itself, can be very annoying to me, lol. It's excruciating and difficult, is never effortless. never comes easy. It's always a matter of digging and pulling and exhaustion and agony. I'll put it off for as long as possible, until it becomes absolutely necessary.
I'm grateful for this comment from you Duane. You bring the reality of writing. No matter how hard and agonising, what is the one thing that makes you come back to it? I think writing can be time consuming. Even a short email, a post, a newsletter it all takes time. Thank you for being here and sharing your experience.
"what is the one thing that makes you come back to it?' - That really is the mystery of it all isn't it. I ask myself that constatly. Why return to the frustration? Why commit to the suffering? Why go through it again and again and again? I don't know exactly, except that there are words that call out, that refuse to be silent, that will not be still, that will not let me leave.
Exactly. Because I'm collage artist as well, it can be tempting to abandon the project of writing. I find my creative voice so much more naturally in art. There is an ease of expression that I don't find with language and words. And yet, the words still come no matter how i might like to hold them at bay.
Hahahahahahaha! Even in your art, when you do collages and the index cards, you use words. Maybe words you found, but still you choose to include them right? Or am I wrong here. The other thing is that as a writer you are more direct with words, but as an artist, you have a way to get away from the words. At least the audience has more of an opportunity to interpret. The point is, your writing, is lovely, it really points out philosophical elements and thoughts that any creative person or not encounters. And guess what...? No matter how stressed out you may be writing, it gives solace and relief to read that others feel the same or go through the same.
Haha! It's definitely a love/hate relationship with words. I love great writing. I love reading. I love typography. And yet, it can be such a struggle. But the wrestling is always worth it. In fact, the cut-out poems and the found type poems i do is a kind of work around to the frustrations of writing, I look teh collage materials I'm always surrounded by and I find the words I need. i can collect and gather the scaps of language that say exactly what I trying to say. Or, in some cases, the things that I didn't even know I needed to say.
That is a fascinating take on the writing process. It is hard some days, but it's that compulsion to write that drives us forward. That need to find catharsis and resolution on the page. It really is a form of therapy, in many ways... 😎
Absolutely! I always feel relieved having written, perhaps even absolved. Like tsomething has been exorcised or excised. It's just the process of getting there.
So this week, I've been exploring Song Title Fiction a little more, and put up a brand new story that wasn't part of the May Challenge. This one features the songs of Green Day, and has a green message. It's a really fun format to write for and I think it adds a little something extra to the stories to have the Song Titles in there for people to spot, so I'm definitely planning to expand my collection of these on here in the future.
Another thing I've been noticing this week, is related to the View Counter. Did you know if you click on the Total Views box in the Dashboard, it takes you to a place where you can see where all those views have been coming from?
We were talking about SEO a few weeks ago, and it turns out I have been getting some views from search engines. Google, Bing and Yahoo. But I've no idea how. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell you what search terms were the ones that did it, so there doesn't seem to be any way to capitalise on it or make sure it happens again.
I've also been getting some traffic from TikTok. Which is astonishing, because I'm not even on TikTok. Haha. But again, it doesn't seem to tell you exactly what's causing that to occur, which is a shame.
But yes, I definitely recommend going in there, because you'll probably be amazed by where readers are coming from!
I’ve seen that this doesn’t show you where they go on your posts, just that they’ve come from tiktok, yahoo, google, bing, etc. Funnily enough I have people who’ve come from tiktok too. It’s not called world wide web for nothing I guess.
It's very interesting. Substack say we should be using those stats to help direct our marketing efforts to the right places. I guess Tiktok is the one! Haha... 😎
I'm not sure. I think it just says the number that visited. It would be great to know which Posts are getting the search hits. At a guess, I'd say it must be 'The Horse', in my case, because people are looking for horses and tips all the time with the different races going on. But it could be anything really... 😎
Horses have been very regular at frequenting the news after that inexplicable incident when no one knows what the horse did… I hope Princess Anne is recovering well.
That's very likely. If people are seraching for certain words, and you happen to have them in the Title, it's definitely possible to get lucky and get a few clicks... 😎
It seems to be happening for all of us. I guess it could be some sort of automated thing where TikTok itself is scanning the pages, but who knows? If there is genuine traffic coming over, it does make me think I probably should be on there! Haha... 😎
It sounds like it might be time to start a song title poetry podcast. I would be game. I'm sure Pilgrim would join as a guest - being the inventor and all.
I definitely want to do more with the format. A podcast could be a great idea, to help it reach more people, as Audio is becoming very popular on here. We'd just need to figure out the best way to present it in an engaging way... 😎
It could work nicely. I haven't experimented with the Audio yet, but lots of people are reading out their Posts now, and doing other bits and pieces. I'm still hoping to do some music! Haha... 😎
Haha! Well, funnily enough, I've been experimenting with that, too. I've been figuring out the best way to record things and present them on here. I'm hoping to start posting soon... 😎
I’m in the last third of book edits which is going to take the longest because I had to kill a lot of darlings and so new stuff needs to go in and I’ve given myself a bit of a deadline to get it done which is counter intuitive to why I’m writing on Substack (it’s supposed to be fun). I’m actually sort of tracking how long it takes…
I have a question and then to the three questions posed for today. Question: My stack is a newsletter written by someone who finds a diary in the attic. Lately though I’ve been wanting to write some behind the scenes stuff like why the heroine’s father is or isn’t like Mr. Bennet and I recently dropped a travelogue at the end of an episode (as I went to where the book is set) but had to voice over it fictionally. Next week I’m releasing the non-fictional version over on YouTube as a potential hook… is it time to start a new section? Or should I write those articles in my slightly fictional persona? Chat is where I pull back the curtain. The section is most likely to be active when the serial is on break, but you know, never say never.
Ok 1) most daring post? The one where I said prologues are a waste of time. (I’ll reply with a link)
2) pressing the continue button …. Well, I schedule them so when I panic about a typo, nobody’s actually seen it yet
3) I can’t wait to see what everyone else comes up with but hmmm … Fact 1: I will talk your ear off about the latest plot development and be a little disappointed you don’t understand it because you haven’t been reading it (‘cause it’s not published yet). Fact 2: “lean forward” — omg, can’t the characters do something else (you can tell I’m in editing mode. Fact 3: I ummm ahhh and soooo too much in interviews (one got published on Substack this week)! Ok that’s two links I owe you
My own experience with section,s and by that I assume you mean here on substack, is that they don’t get seen. If you have a clear division of them and cross post on your newsletter it may work but if you don’t will your audience find it as easily and notice it?My experience is that the sections don’t get as much traction. Unless you email the said post to your readers.
Oh it'd be emailed. I have small cadre in Chat who see my "behind the scenes" stuff. But it actually might be more fun to write it from a fictional point of view... maybe.
Leanne, prologues... introductions.... don't get me started. I am looking at a long introduction I have and it's pages long and I wonder what am I trying to say? I know now that it's in need to be shortened to maybe a couple of pages as it's currently on for tens and tens of pages. Love reading your answers Leanne!
That's an interesting one. I think if the behind the scenes material is from a different perspective, and is not written by the same character, or it's not part of the story as such, then it should probably be separate. A new section would be fine. That would make it easy for readers to follow the main story in one section, and everything else in another. So things don't get confused. Or I guess they could all stay together in the same section, as long as it's always kept clear which Posts are part of the main story, so it can be easily followed. Good luck with it... 😎
Hmmm, to answer the question, I'd say just keep writing rather than a new section. Save the side bar for a new direction. Then refer back to the original.
As far as prologues go, yes and no. I'm currently writing a young readers fiction novella where my prologue is a poem. It introduces characters and possible adventures to entire the reader. Short and sweet. If the prologue is more than a page or two, then it's more like the first chapter.
I think it is a great option to be able to express yourself or write content that others might want to read. Some weeks the articles will bring praise while other weeks, you may get unsubscribes. Its all part of the process and once you learn that you cannot please everyone, you will be fine.
3. Facts about me as a writer? Oh boy.
- I do not have as much time as I would like to write. I try to squeeze it in as much as possible.
- I do not have as much time to comment on others' work. I try to scan them on a daily basis and if there is a comment I would like to add, I tend to save it for later when I have more time to respond.
- I have many different styles of writing and it changes on the tone of the articles I am writing or point I want to get across. Some have said some articles sound like AI because they are too generic. Sorry, but not everything needs to be written in extreme detail when an overview will suffice. (AI is great for outline ideas, by the way)
So that's it, my long-winded contribution this week.
Loved reading this and your contributions as always. I think I have read a couple of the daring articles you mention but not all. So you’ve given me something to do now, thank you! I was surprised at how different experiences everyone has on this and how we all interpret daring in various ways. Daring is not necessary about writing on a theme or story no one expects or sharing alternative point of view but so much more. Each writer has their own aspect on this and your response also verifies this.
That one about 'how old is too old' sounds fascinating, and is going to become a major issue with so many implications to consider as people start living longer and longer. They say 125 years old is going to be fairly common eventually, and perhaps even 150! Some have even theorised 300 might be possible! 😎
Haha! Well that does seem like the only way they're going to be able to do it. Just keep replacing everything. People are going to end up like the bionic man/woman... 😎
But yes, every bike ride he does from home involves analyzing his stats. How many kilometers, average speed, elevation, perceived improvement from last time.
At one point in a previous city, he rode with a group of guys. Some of them were actually training for Ironman competitions. Talk about the testosterone then! It was always a race. They even participated in the Whiteface Uphill bike race which IS a training ride for the Tour.
I just let him do what he needs to do.
Summer its biking, winter its skiing.
Whatever turns his crank.
Gives me lots of time to myself (which I love) and I take solo vacations for my sanity. 😃
It’s approaching 1 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio. I’ve begun to nibble on some lunch at the office. My wife made a large batch of a family recipe of macaroni salad that I could eat every day of the week if given the chance.
I hope you’re all doing well! It’s been another crazy week but I want to be more consistent on Substack so I’ve made time.
My most daring post isn’t very daring. It’s probably my post from this morning. I admitted that I was tired and not looking forward to writing as much as usual.
Hitting that continue button is less scary than turning an article into an editor. I do my best, realizing that my writing is far from perfect.
Annoying facts about my writing… This is interesting. I guess I probably try too many different things. I write poetry, books, sports articles, magazine articles, and short stories. I’m sure my readers have a long list of these annoyances.
Wow! Thank you for this and enjoy lunch. I need to get dinner going. Knowing what to make is 50% of the job! I think the publish button gets less and less scary the more we write. I never thought it would be the case. You think it is annoying that you work in different genres?
Yes, in my newsletter. I am now trying to defend an answer that was a stretch to begin with. Some readers might prefer that I concentrate on and improve at one genre. Others may like the variety.
I try not to be annoying in my writing. However, we all know that familiarity is the birthplace of annoyance. The closer you are to someone, the more annoyed you will be with their idiosyncrasies. Authors, writers, and poets must be the same, right?
Familiarity can bring annoyance out but so can change. So why fix if it aint broken or keep changing. I think there are two sets of readers when it comes to that. But as a creative person, would you want to write in the same style again and again?
My writing tends to vary as well. I write poetry. Flash nonfiction. Essays. Bits of memoir. Some things that could be seen aphoristically, but I'm dogmatic in my scheduling consistency. Always the same two days of the week at the same time. Without fail. I feel like that gives me some freedom and consistency in the work that I share.
And this is a way that is demonstrated to be the best way to build your audience and community, by consistently having 1 or 2 or however many days when you post. Are you seeing that consistency in publishing on set days helping your readers too Duane?
I've tried Restacking at a different time today. It might help. We'll see! Haha.
Anyway, the most daring piece I've written on here... I think quite a few of them were a 'risk' and a departure from what I usually do, or certainly what I did before I came here. But I do love to experiment. I've done Sci-Fi on here for the first time, and I've also been dabbling in poetry. I wasn't sure how either of those would turn out, but did them anyway, and had a lot of fun.
Pressing Continue is exciting, I think... Because you never know what's going to happen. Some people press it , and they know they're going to get hundreds of Likes and Comments instantly, but for me, it's still a lovely surprise when things manage to take off a little.
Annoying Facts... I guess it's annoying for some that I keep changing the genre and styles so much, but that is all part of my experimenting! Haha. Most people do seem open to trying something new, though, and I like to give them lots of variety... 😎
It's hard to say what my most daring piece would be. Writing and art are the places where I feel I can be the most candid. in that regard, I rarely shy away from being open. To me that's point, to see what it is I most need to, what I can say in no other way.
Maybe it's for that reason that the publish button doesn't often trouble me. It's a necessary part of my creative process. It's teh way i clear my desk and my head so i can move on to teh next thing.
Writing, itself, can be very annoying to me, lol. It's excruciating and difficult, is never effortless. never comes easy. It's always a matter of digging and pulling and exhaustion and agony. I'll put it off for as long as possible, until it becomes absolutely necessary.
I'm grateful for this comment from you Duane. You bring the reality of writing. No matter how hard and agonising, what is the one thing that makes you come back to it? I think writing can be time consuming. Even a short email, a post, a newsletter it all takes time. Thank you for being here and sharing your experience.
"what is the one thing that makes you come back to it?' - That really is the mystery of it all isn't it. I ask myself that constatly. Why return to the frustration? Why commit to the suffering? Why go through it again and again and again? I don't know exactly, except that there are words that call out, that refuse to be silent, that will not be still, that will not let me leave.
As I was reading this response I am thinking: The expression… no matter if it is art or words, the need to express a story of some sort, a message.
"need" is precisely it. A deep existential need that can't be avoided.
We're getting philosophical today with you here! Hahahahaha Great stuff! Thanks for being here today I know you're busy so it's a treat!
My pleasure! I've been meaning to pop in, I'm glad I was able to.
Beautifully said, Duane. You come back because you are a writer, and writers write.
Exactly. Because I'm collage artist as well, it can be tempting to abandon the project of writing. I find my creative voice so much more naturally in art. There is an ease of expression that I don't find with language and words. And yet, the words still come no matter how i might like to hold them at bay.
Hahahahahahaha! Even in your art, when you do collages and the index cards, you use words. Maybe words you found, but still you choose to include them right? Or am I wrong here. The other thing is that as a writer you are more direct with words, but as an artist, you have a way to get away from the words. At least the audience has more of an opportunity to interpret. The point is, your writing, is lovely, it really points out philosophical elements and thoughts that any creative person or not encounters. And guess what...? No matter how stressed out you may be writing, it gives solace and relief to read that others feel the same or go through the same.
Haha! It's definitely a love/hate relationship with words. I love great writing. I love reading. I love typography. And yet, it can be such a struggle. But the wrestling is always worth it. In fact, the cut-out poems and the found type poems i do is a kind of work around to the frustrations of writing, I look teh collage materials I'm always surrounded by and I find the words I need. i can collect and gather the scaps of language that say exactly what I trying to say. Or, in some cases, the things that I didn't even know I needed to say.
I understand. There is no stopping the words.
There definitely isn't!
That is a fascinating take on the writing process. It is hard some days, but it's that compulsion to write that drives us forward. That need to find catharsis and resolution on the page. It really is a form of therapy, in many ways... 😎
It is, even if you don't get all the answers, you have written and that is filling you with a sense of order.
Absolutely! I always feel relieved having written, perhaps even absolved. Like tsomething has been exorcised or excised. It's just the process of getting there.
Totally!
Hi everyone!
So this week, I've been exploring Song Title Fiction a little more, and put up a brand new story that wasn't part of the May Challenge. This one features the songs of Green Day, and has a green message. It's a really fun format to write for and I think it adds a little something extra to the stories to have the Song Titles in there for people to spot, so I'm definitely planning to expand my collection of these on here in the future.
You can find it here, if you missed it: https://chrisjfranklin.substack.com/p/run-the-titles-volume-two
Another thing I've been noticing this week, is related to the View Counter. Did you know if you click on the Total Views box in the Dashboard, it takes you to a place where you can see where all those views have been coming from?
We were talking about SEO a few weeks ago, and it turns out I have been getting some views from search engines. Google, Bing and Yahoo. But I've no idea how. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell you what search terms were the ones that did it, so there doesn't seem to be any way to capitalise on it or make sure it happens again.
I've also been getting some traffic from TikTok. Which is astonishing, because I'm not even on TikTok. Haha. But again, it doesn't seem to tell you exactly what's causing that to occur, which is a shame.
But yes, I definitely recommend going in there, because you'll probably be amazed by where readers are coming from!
What have you all been up to? 😎
I’ve seen that this doesn’t show you where they go on your posts, just that they’ve come from tiktok, yahoo, google, bing, etc. Funnily enough I have people who’ve come from tiktok too. It’s not called world wide web for nothing I guess.
It's very interesting. Substack say we should be using those stats to help direct our marketing efforts to the right places. I guess Tiktok is the one! Haha... 😎
Amazing stuff! If you look where traffic comes from, let's say yahoo, or google, does it not show what post they went to see?
I'm not sure. I think it just says the number that visited. It would be great to know which Posts are getting the search hits. At a guess, I'd say it must be 'The Horse', in my case, because people are looking for horses and tips all the time with the different races going on. But it could be anything really... 😎
Horses have been very regular at frequenting the news after that inexplicable incident when no one knows what the horse did… I hope Princess Anne is recovering well.
That's very likely. If people are seraching for certain words, and you happen to have them in the Title, it's definitely possible to get lucky and get a few clicks... 😎
Same. I’m getting traffic from TikTok and I’m not over there either.
How strange! I wonder if it’s bots or actual people.
I think you're right. It must be TikTok doing it themselves... 😎
It seems to be happening for all of us. I guess it could be some sort of automated thing where TikTok itself is scanning the pages, but who knows? If there is genuine traffic coming over, it does make me think I probably should be on there! Haha... 😎
I'm barely on Instagram. I don't have the bandwidth and as they're already showing up on their own...
That's a very good point. It's probably best not to tinker with it. Because if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it, as they say! Haha... 😎
Hey Chris!
It sounds like it might be time to start a song title poetry podcast. I would be game. I'm sure Pilgrim would join as a guest - being the inventor and all.
Love this idea!
Hi Rod!
I definitely want to do more with the format. A podcast could be a great idea, to help it reach more people, as Audio is becoming very popular on here. We'd just need to figure out the best way to present it in an engaging way... 😎
Exactly!
It could work nicely. I haven't experimented with the Audio yet, but lots of people are reading out their Posts now, and doing other bits and pieces. I'm still hoping to do some music! Haha... 😎
Yes, when’s that happening! You’ve been talking about it for a while. Holding you to your word!
Haha! Well, funnily enough, I've been experimenting with that, too. I've been figuring out the best way to record things and present them on here. I'm hoping to start posting soon... 😎
Yes! Podcasts can be a lot of work and a lot of fun. It's all about presentation.
The presentation would be the key thing, for sure. That is what is going to draw people in and keep them coming back... 😎
Setting the bar high!
Well as someone once said: "Always shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." Haha! 😎
I’m in the last third of book edits which is going to take the longest because I had to kill a lot of darlings and so new stuff needs to go in and I’ve given myself a bit of a deadline to get it done which is counter intuitive to why I’m writing on Substack (it’s supposed to be fun). I’m actually sort of tracking how long it takes…
I have a question and then to the three questions posed for today. Question: My stack is a newsletter written by someone who finds a diary in the attic. Lately though I’ve been wanting to write some behind the scenes stuff like why the heroine’s father is or isn’t like Mr. Bennet and I recently dropped a travelogue at the end of an episode (as I went to where the book is set) but had to voice over it fictionally. Next week I’m releasing the non-fictional version over on YouTube as a potential hook… is it time to start a new section? Or should I write those articles in my slightly fictional persona? Chat is where I pull back the curtain. The section is most likely to be active when the serial is on break, but you know, never say never.
Ok 1) most daring post? The one where I said prologues are a waste of time. (I’ll reply with a link)
2) pressing the continue button …. Well, I schedule them so when I panic about a typo, nobody’s actually seen it yet
3) I can’t wait to see what everyone else comes up with but hmmm … Fact 1: I will talk your ear off about the latest plot development and be a little disappointed you don’t understand it because you haven’t been reading it (‘cause it’s not published yet). Fact 2: “lean forward” — omg, can’t the characters do something else (you can tell I’m in editing mode. Fact 3: I ummm ahhh and soooo too much in interviews (one got published on Substack this week)! Ok that’s two links I owe you
My own experience with section,s and by that I assume you mean here on substack, is that they don’t get seen. If you have a clear division of them and cross post on your newsletter it may work but if you don’t will your audience find it as easily and notice it?My experience is that the sections don’t get as much traction. Unless you email the said post to your readers.
Oh it'd be emailed. I have small cadre in Chat who see my "behind the scenes" stuff. But it actually might be more fun to write it from a fictional point of view... maybe.
Leanne, prologues... introductions.... don't get me started. I am looking at a long introduction I have and it's pages long and I wonder what am I trying to say? I know now that it's in need to be shortened to maybe a couple of pages as it's currently on for tens and tens of pages. Love reading your answers Leanne!
That's an interesting one. I think if the behind the scenes material is from a different perspective, and is not written by the same character, or it's not part of the story as such, then it should probably be separate. A new section would be fine. That would make it easy for readers to follow the main story in one section, and everything else in another. So things don't get confused. Or I guess they could all stay together in the same section, as long as it's always kept clear which Posts are part of the main story, so it can be easily followed. Good luck with it... 😎
Heh. Thanks!
Hmmm, to answer the question, I'd say just keep writing rather than a new section. Save the side bar for a new direction. Then refer back to the original.
As far as prologues go, yes and no. I'm currently writing a young readers fiction novella where my prologue is a poem. It introduces characters and possible adventures to entire the reader. Short and sweet. If the prologue is more than a page or two, then it's more like the first chapter.
Why you shouldn’t write a prologue for your fantasy novel https://open.substack.com/pub/projectstarfish/p/why-you-shouldnt-write-a-prologue?r=1mk6at&utm_medium=ios
Interview: https://open.substack.com/pub/plottedout/p/romance-burn-out-and-dragons?r=1mk6at&utm_medium=ios
Hello everyone,
Nice to see the uptick in engagement this week.
1. My most daring post...Hmmm. There have actually been a few.
One would be the one regarding "Navigating the Delicate Balance: When Elderly Parents Want to Move" https://sunhatsandchardonnay.substack.com/p/moving-elderly-parents
This one has some negative connotations towards my sisters-in-law but it shows that vulnerability within families.
A second one is about getting my picture taken. (I am not a fan) https://sunhatsandchardonnay.substack.com/p/how-can-photography-affect-the-way-we-feel
But it address body image issues that are so important these days.
And another one would be "Defying Age Limits: Is There a Point Where We Shouldn't Live Beyond?"
https://sunhatsandchardonnay.substack.com/p/how-old-is-too-old
where I question how old is too old.
2. How do I feel about publishing on Substack?
I think it is a great option to be able to express yourself or write content that others might want to read. Some weeks the articles will bring praise while other weeks, you may get unsubscribes. Its all part of the process and once you learn that you cannot please everyone, you will be fine.
3. Facts about me as a writer? Oh boy.
- I do not have as much time as I would like to write. I try to squeeze it in as much as possible.
- I do not have as much time to comment on others' work. I try to scan them on a daily basis and if there is a comment I would like to add, I tend to save it for later when I have more time to respond.
- I have many different styles of writing and it changes on the tone of the articles I am writing or point I want to get across. Some have said some articles sound like AI because they are too generic. Sorry, but not everything needs to be written in extreme detail when an overview will suffice. (AI is great for outline ideas, by the way)
So that's it, my long-winded contribution this week.
Loved reading this and your contributions as always. I think I have read a couple of the daring articles you mention but not all. So you’ve given me something to do now, thank you! I was surprised at how different experiences everyone has on this and how we all interpret daring in various ways. Daring is not necessary about writing on a theme or story no one expects or sharing alternative point of view but so much more. Each writer has their own aspect on this and your response also verifies this.
Absolutely, everyone has different experiences.
That one about 'how old is too old' sounds fascinating, and is going to become a major issue with so many implications to consider as people start living longer and longer. They say 125 years old is going to be fairly common eventually, and perhaps even 150! Some have even theorised 300 might be possible! 😎
Absolutely, but do we want to?
Unless we start replacing all our parts, my body won't hold out that long. 🤣
Haha! Well that does seem like the only way they're going to be able to do it. Just keep replacing everything. People are going to end up like the bionic man/woman... 😎
My husband would like that.
Then he could win the tour de France. Now he just pretends he's training for it. Lol
Pretends? It’s serious if every holiday is to France and involves bicycles! Are you at that stage?
Luckily, I won't let him bring bikes on vacation.
But yes, every bike ride he does from home involves analyzing his stats. How many kilometers, average speed, elevation, perceived improvement from last time.
At one point in a previous city, he rode with a group of guys. Some of them were actually training for Ironman competitions. Talk about the testosterone then! It was always a race. They even participated in the Whiteface Uphill bike race which IS a training ride for the Tour.
I just let him do what he needs to do.
Summer its biking, winter its skiing.
Whatever turns his crank.
Gives me lots of time to myself (which I love) and I take solo vacations for my sanity. 😃
Haha! There definitely could be some perks to it, for sure... 😎
Good afternoon, everyone!
It’s approaching 1 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio. I’ve begun to nibble on some lunch at the office. My wife made a large batch of a family recipe of macaroni salad that I could eat every day of the week if given the chance.
I hope you’re all doing well! It’s been another crazy week but I want to be more consistent on Substack so I’ve made time.
My most daring post isn’t very daring. It’s probably my post from this morning. I admitted that I was tired and not looking forward to writing as much as usual.
Hitting that continue button is less scary than turning an article into an editor. I do my best, realizing that my writing is far from perfect.
Annoying facts about my writing… This is interesting. I guess I probably try too many different things. I write poetry, books, sports articles, magazine articles, and short stories. I’m sure my readers have a long list of these annoyances.
Wow! Thank you for this and enjoy lunch. I need to get dinner going. Knowing what to make is 50% of the job! I think the publish button gets less and less scary the more we write. I never thought it would be the case. You think it is annoying that you work in different genres?
I could see a lack of consistency as annoying to some.
Some people expect to read from you on a certain day or weekly you mean?
Yes, in my newsletter. I am now trying to defend an answer that was a stretch to begin with. Some readers might prefer that I concentrate on and improve at one genre. Others may like the variety.
I try not to be annoying in my writing. However, we all know that familiarity is the birthplace of annoyance. The closer you are to someone, the more annoyed you will be with their idiosyncrasies. Authors, writers, and poets must be the same, right?
Familiarity can bring annoyance out but so can change. So why fix if it aint broken or keep changing. I think there are two sets of readers when it comes to that. But as a creative person, would you want to write in the same style again and again?
I enjoy being creative in different styles.
My writing tends to vary as well. I write poetry. Flash nonfiction. Essays. Bits of memoir. Some things that could be seen aphoristically, but I'm dogmatic in my scheduling consistency. Always the same two days of the week at the same time. Without fail. I feel like that gives me some freedom and consistency in the work that I share.
And this is a way that is demonstrated to be the best way to build your audience and community, by consistently having 1 or 2 or however many days when you post. Are you seeing that consistency in publishing on set days helping your readers too Duane?
That's a great approach. Thanks, Duane.
I've tried Restacking at a different time today. It might help. We'll see! Haha.
Anyway, the most daring piece I've written on here... I think quite a few of them were a 'risk' and a departure from what I usually do, or certainly what I did before I came here. But I do love to experiment. I've done Sci-Fi on here for the first time, and I've also been dabbling in poetry. I wasn't sure how either of those would turn out, but did them anyway, and had a lot of fun.
Pressing Continue is exciting, I think... Because you never know what's going to happen. Some people press it , and they know they're going to get hundreds of Likes and Comments instantly, but for me, it's still a lovely surprise when things manage to take off a little.
Annoying Facts... I guess it's annoying for some that I keep changing the genre and styles so much, but that is all part of my experimenting! Haha. Most people do seem open to trying something new, though, and I like to give them lots of variety... 😎
If you don't experiment here, where are you going to experiment?
Absolutely. This is the best place to test new ideas, for sure. And gauge what is working for people... 😎