The soul is here for its own joy. — Robert Bly
Today marks Just Add Father’s 200th post.
When I began here three years ago, I had no idea what I was doing, just a vague notion that starting a blog about fatherhood was a good thing.
In my ignorance, I didn’t even know that many others had had the same idea.
It turned out I was right–starting a blog was a good thing. I still don’t know what I’m doing, although I’ve learned much about writing, publishing, and the Internet, to say nothing of fatherhood.
This after many, many years of writing and publishing in the traditional, paper way.
SCHEDULE
Long time Just Add Father readers know that I’ve adhered to a fairly strict publishing schedule, once a week for most of the blog’s life, once every two weeks for most of this year. Sometimes I didn’t feel like writing a post, but I wrote one anyway, hoping that I was enough of a writer that you couldn’t tell the difference.
Several months ago I started another blog, Wolfspeak, on my new, writer website, Wolf Pascoe Wordshop. Wary of overscheduling myself, I said this of Wolfspeak: “New posts won’t be scheduled. They’ll appear whenever I have something to say.”
That publishing policy has worked out for Wolf Pascoe Word Shop—it’s given me much needed time for other writing projects—and in the interim I’ve asked myself whether I ought not to have the same policy—publishing when I have something to say—at Just Add Father.
I’ve concluded the answer is yes, I should.
THE REVOLUTION
In the 1960s, Mao Tse Tung spawned what became known as the “cultural revolution” in China. Basically, it was policy of continual, social change designed to keep the Communist revolution from growing stale. What it did in fact was drive everyone in China crazy.
I’ve often thought of the Internet as Mao’s cultural revolution put into digital practice. And as the Internet goes, so follows the rest of the world.
Writers, for example, are urged by “experts” (an expert is anyone who’s been doing something for more than six months) to do all manner things on the Internet in service of their careers—blog, tweet, pin, face, digg, stumble, reddit, etc., etc. Do all this at least once a day, more if possible.
Well, I’ve tried much of that, and what it comes down to for me is that none of it matters. You should do what you want. I want to write books. So I’m going to.
The glowing screen has a funny effect on the heart. It makes it want things that are elsewhere, always elsewhere. — Benjamin Anastas
I’ll be taking a brief, summer vacation from Just Add Father, and when I come back in the fall there will be no publishing schedule. I’ll publish when I have something to say. Rather than checking back here at intervals, you’ll find it easier and less frustrating to receive notice of new posts. You can still do that in the usual way: Email ⎢ RSS.
PLANS
As I announced some months ago, my creative focus has shifted toward new literary projects, of which the first was Breathing for Two, my somewhat poetic dissection of life at the head of an operating table.
A few weeks ago I created a trailer for Breathing for Two, embedded below. I didn’t make the trailer to sell more books, though I hope it will do that. I made it for the joy of it. All of what you see and hear, the words, music, photography, editing, etc., is home grown. Which took time. Take a look, if you have a minute and twenty seconds:
Soon I’ll start making an audiobook version of Breathing for Two. I hope it sells, but as with the trailer, I won’t be doing it for that. I’ll be doing it for the joy of it.
After that, whatever projects I embark on will be for the same reason.
I wrote on Mar. 4 that I considered shuttering this blog, but only for a moment. I’m grateful to Just Add Father for stretching the voices in me and bridging to many wonderful new writers and friends. And there’s more for me to uncover and share about fatherhood.
None of that has changed, so stick around for the next post. It won’t be scheduled, but it will be written for the joy of it.
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EXPRESS YOURSELF!
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Love the trailer for your book. You sound really good – nice voice. I hope you’ll be reading the book yourself for the audiobook version.
Yes indeedy, I will.
I had already signed up for email notifications because I’m so bad about checking for new posts and didn’t want to miss any! I agree with you about relaxing the blogging rules. I keep going on mine for me, and try not to put any strict rules or regulations on myself. Life is too stressful as it is! As soon as I’m through with real estate school, I’m reading your book, dang it! Love the trailer.
My new motto: Lower your expectations.
You write for the joy of it and I will do the same, just as I read for the joy of it and I much enjoyed these words and the spirit of authenticity from which they flow, an authenticity they inspire in kind.
Perhaps when we’ve “lowered” our expectations to meet whatever actually is at the moment, we’ll find we’re messing about in boats on the best river ever on the best day ever.
Amen.
When I began my blog getting closer to five years ago, I wasn’t sure why I had done so. I wanted a voice, I think, and somewhere to share my experiences of life, mental illness and my spiritual journey. I’d been a writer my whole life (I used to *borrow* my father’s typewriter before I could read) and I had books that had garnered lots of praise but no publishing contract, so that was something that went into the mix too.
Was very glad to meet you at The Undercover Soundtrack.
Thanks, Viv. I enjoyed our exchange in the comments there.