So, it’s been a while.
Right off the bat let me say thanks to those who reached out about AFTW. I will emphatically state that I plan to continue writing and sharing my pieces.
So, where’ve I been?
As John Lennon once sang, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”.
Family and work have taken up a majority of my time—the former is non-negotiable while the latter is expected and understandable—to where I haven’t had much opportunity to write. As those who write know (or at least this applies only to me), once you get in a rhythm, it’s hard to stop or even re-start should you stop. So finding a stretch of uninterrupted time when life is happening. But I’ve had ideas floating in my head that have promise and I’m truly excited to write about. And will do so!
What I’ve discovered from when I first started and on through to this writing is that I might have been a tad too ambitious. Hubris stabbed me in the back and left me for dead on the side of the road in some remote, heavily-wooded area that nobody ever wants to travel through because you’ll come across a body stabbed in the back. Yup.
My original approach was to write a new piece each week. Each. Week. Reading that after I’ve typed it even has me laughing at myself. But honestly, I thought I’d be able to do it with no problems. I was wrong. It reminds me of what I would tell people regarding ambition: like alcohol, it’s great in moderation. Yet the reasoning was thankfully simple and not me being robbed of a passion. As it was said above, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”.
But the period in between has gotten me to not just try to fill a bag with ideas for stories, but really re-think the entire approach to AFTW. I believe you should always assess yourself, your product, etc. This is what I’ve done with AFTW. Rarely does a business remain identical in its maturity to when it was conceived. You continue to iterate, even if it’s something small. Think of the iPhone. From its early years to about year five, the form and the aesthetics changed. Now think of the last three to four years. Changes have been ever so slight. They may be bigger or thinner but they’re essentially the same. And Apple isn’t going to stop iterating either.
And that’s what I’m thinking here with AFTW.
I’m still going to write fiction. I love it too much. But perhaps some personal essays, too. Maybe some commentary. And it might be a little scattered as I AB test what works for me (as life continues to happen) as well as for you, the reader, until the two come together. Would love to get your feedback on what direction works best!
Lastly, I will be starting a novel and doing so through this Substack. It will run parallel to my other writing. As with the others, I have a few ideas but mostly have to map out the approach on how to execute.
Gotta say I’m excited. I write this while in the Tennessee mountains with the amazing view, the smells, and the sounds of nature along with the very real threat of encountering a bear. Basically, it’s like my feelings with the renewed approach to AFTW—exciting and a little scary. But hey, life happens.