The first week of anything is often the hardest, but this time I had some time to prepare. Next week I may not be so lucky—or prolific.
I had a week, from Christmas to New Year’s, to make over the blog with new content. I explain that in “Turning over a new leaf.”
Awesome original photos? I’ve picked and edited a few hundred by now and am trying to post them on or about the date they were taken in past years.
New material? I changed the default category from “Essays” to “Short Takes” and try to keep them under two minutes in reading time. I stocked up enough for the first week, and drafted some for other dates throughout the year. I’m not sure how long I can keep up the pace of six days a week, but I’m starting 2022 with more posts than in all of 2021.
And I intend to keep topics current by posting seasonal pieces and swapping in timely pieces when I can. The Rhetoric Referee has been told to keep it short, clear, and timely, and to try to avoid taking sides.
Observations: Posting frequently and sharing to Facebook seems to have attracted more visitors than posting infrequently and sharing reluctantly. (Thank you, Captain Obvious!)
Professional development: At last, a daily deadline! It’s been a long time since I faced that challenge.
Next week: Develop a routine. Stock more advance copy. Create captions and metadata for the photos. Get back to work on other projects.
See you here next Saturday!