The Achievement of 100 Posts

Oh. My. God. This is my 100^th blog post!

I almost can’t believe it. Over two years ago, I took a giant leap when I created Jamie, Write Now but I wasn’t thinking about the future of my blog back in May 2012. I hadn’t considered how often I would post or how long I’d keep up with it. And I certainly hadn’t thought about my 100^th post!

It’s taken a lot of determination, some courage and a fair amount of writerly sweat to reach this point. So, what does it mean that I’ve written 100 posts? First of all, I have proof that I can stay on a writing schedule (I’ve been posting every Sunday since September 2012). Also, I have a go-to resume of writing samples. (Though not all my posts are resume-worthy, so I’d highlight the few that are.) Personally, I have a journal of my explorations in writing and reading, something I can share with my family and friends. Most importantly, Jamie, Write Now is proof that I’m committed to this being-a-writer thing. 

After two years, I’ve also learned some things thanks to my blog:

Research is important.

I look back at my Rise of Dystopia post with slight contempt. It was only my 9^th post, but I know now that I didn’t do enough research on dystopia. It was an under-researched post which I realized a few months later. I wrote The Elements of Dystopia and Apocalypse because I knew I could do better.

Don’t back yourself into a corner.

In my YA All the Way post, I backed myself into a corner without realizing it at first. I proclaimed the awesomeness of YA and said I’d only read YA, primarily due to time constraints. Not long later, I realized I should keep an open mind when it comes to my reading list. Reading outside YA is important to keeping perspective, especially since there’s greatness everywhere.

Variety and quality are necessities.

I try to mix it up when it comes to my posts. One week I’ll post a review, the next week I’ll post about an aspect of writing and the following week about a YA trend.  Even though I like to keep it fresh when it comes to my posts, I know that quality is equally as important. I try my best to get my facts straight, eliminate any spelling and grammar errors and ensure my posts are readable and interesting.

Some of my favorite posts to both write and share include:

·         Declaration to Society (June 10, 2012)

 I took to the streets with a sign and declared myself a writer!

·         Why I’m Struggling to Commit to NaNoWriMo (October 21, 2012)

I explained why I was skeptical about writing a novel in 30 days, then publicly committed myself to doing so.  

·         The Experience of Imperfect Travel (January 13, 2013)

Sometimes it’s the imperfect moments that affect us the most.

·         Balancing Work with Passion (June 23, 2013)

It’s difficult to balance job and passion. I opened up about trying to do both without compromising myself or time with my boyfriend, family and friends.

·         The Lesson of Shitty First Drafts (October 6, 2013)

Writing is hard, but getting it out is what’s important. First drafts are never good. In fact, they are shitty. It’s editing that makes them good.

·         Diversfying my Reading List (May 4, 2014)

I discussed the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign and pledged to read at least 8 diverse books before the end of 2014.

 

I must admit I’m proud of this accomplishment! I plan to keep posting weekly and hopefully grow my readership with relevant and intriguing posts. Here’s to another 100 posts!

As always, thanks for reading!