A month of daily posts

I successfully completed the Nablopomo challenge: “Post something every day for a month. That's all you have to do.” 

Sounds easy: it isn’t.

It not hard to come up with a topic every day: there is lots going on in life and it’s easy to come up with single-thought ideas without resorting to the daily suggestions (“Friends”).

The problem is really time and quality.

It takes me an hour to write, edit, and illustrate a blog post that I think is worth posting, and that is a big hit out of each day.  A travel day, one with meetings, or shopping can leave no time for composing and reviewing an essay.  Slipping in a photo post or a previously prepared piece feels slipshod.

Trying to rush the process is also uncomfortable. An idea really needs to gestate overnight before its ready for a public airing, so I’ll write a draft, having a think about it, then post it the next morning.  That pipeline doesn’t hold two thoughts.

On the good side, it has forced me to write about everyday topics that I wouldn’t have otherwise.  Paradoxically, seeing my writing each day has motivated me to work harder to avoid lazy writing and repetitious topics. 

Still, the whole necessity of a daily post becomes a bit tyrannical by mid-month.   So, I hereby return to a more relaxed schedule going forward.  After all, it should be fun.