I was flipping through some of my 2020 content when I came to an unexpected realization - until COVID-19 hit, I was averaging around two posts every three days. This was partly because I'd completed an odd but worthwhile goal in 2019 - one post per day - which made it seem like a good time to try a different approach. But, as was the case for so many of us in 2020, the pandemic forced some unanticipated changes. In hindsight, I think reemphasizing a daily schedule was a healthy idea for the balance of 2020, but for the past couple of weeks I've had the feeling 2021 is the right time for a return to a reduced schedule.
I'm expecting some interesting results as a consequence of making December 2020 the final month in TOA history with daily posting. My main goal links closely to yesterday's post, when I noted my concern with the effect of distractions - in the context of TOA, a distraction is anytime I feel pressured into writing something for the next day, which means I waste that day's precious writing time on something with little substance relative to my more invested efforts. I feel this is a universal truth in most situations - a day-to-day busyness, productive in the short-term, eventually becomes an obstacle to long-term achievements. I think returning to a schedule of three to five posts per week (on average) is a good first step toward directing a greater proportion of my energy toward these more challenging essays.
I don't have a set idea at the moment for a 2021 TOA structure. I'd say in the short-term I'll keep an eye on maintaining a three hundred word daily average from Monday to Saturday while keeping Sundays uncapped, but who knows by this time next year. In terms of the daily experience, I will likely post every Sunday, but if there is actually a week-long break I'll fill in the spaces with some TOA rewinds (which I keep track of based on positive feedback, so continue letting me know what you liked or, more importantly, what you thought was good). I may also experiment a little bit with timing, such as by batching posts (for example, by doing reading reviews over a string of consecutive days each month, or cutting down on time between leftovers and their origin post). But let's leave it here before I get too far into the possibilities, as too much talk of what might be can have a paralyzing effect on the opportunity of a new year.
Many thanks to all my readers, new and old, for sticking around in 2020. Happy New Year, and see you in January.
In the next month... of True On Average:
1. Thirty-three
I turned thirty-three on December 28 and (for some reason) I decided the best way to mark the occasion was to write out one thing I learned from each year of my life. Honestly, birthdays were much easier when it sufficed to get drunk and eat late night Chinese takeout.
2. The 2020 TOA Awards - 10 for 10
I threw in the towel last year and condensed my annual review into one post, borrowing Matthew Berry's "ten lists of ten" format; this adjustment was met with widespread approval, as it saved both reader and writer endless hours of otherwise productive time.
3. Website revamp?
I know most readers interact with TOA via email but I may take some time this month to update certain features on the main page. One possibility is implementing the search tool I use on the backend, which might be of significant entertainment value for new and returning readers alike. No need to check the site for this, though - if I make changes, I'll introduce them with a short post.
