2012 – Looking back

I’m writing this on New Year’s Eve, to be published on New Year’s Day – so I’m not sure if this is my final post of 2012 or my first post of 2013.  I guess it doesn’t matter, really…the important thing is the fact that I’m still posting at all!

When I started this blog in August, I honestly had no idea if I’d be able to keep it going.  I was a voiceover artist, writer of poetry, unpublished children’s author, and dad; what could I add to the plethora of information out there on the web?  I doubted I had enough to say that enough other people would care to read.  I was determined, however, to try to make a small mark on the world.

I was shocked when I discovered the world was willing to be marked.

Just the stats, ma’am…

Now, before I get too far, let me say that, although this post is about my blog, it’s really about you.  After all, you could be watching TV, reading a book, plotting a scheme to get back at your no-good boss for not giving you that holiday bonus you were expecting…you could be doing a lot of things right now besides reading this blog.  But you are reading it – and because of that, I have something to write about!

You see, the statistician folks at WordPress.com emailed me an annual report for this blog, and as I read through it, certain things jumped out.  One was the fact that this blog received 3000 views over the course of the year – which may not seem like a lot to many of the more experienced bloggers out there, but considering I only started 5 months ago, 3000 is a pretty good number to me.

It was also interesting to learn that the post that received the most views was one of my first: The Stand-Up Comedy Rule That Can Make You a Better Writer, from August 13.  I’m still getting views of that post as recently as a couple of weeks ago.  The second-most-viewed post was on the blog’s busiest day of the year: September 28.  That was the day I shared “The Grossest Poem Ever,”  The irony of this lies in the fact that it was not necessarily one of my best or favourite poems, but one that drew considerable responses.  It was hard keeping up with the comments that day!

Perhaps one of the most surprising, meaningful, and thought-provoking stats was the sheer magnitude of scope the internet allows poor little unknown writers like me.  WordPress.com’s report provides a world map highlighting each country from which my blog received a visitor, and how many visitors there were.  While most views came from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., I learned my blog was also being visited by folks from countries as diverse as India, Peru, Russia, Spain, Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, Kyrgyzstan, and all three Scandinavian countries (wonder if they were searching for my Pepparkakor recipe?).

People from a total of 63 countries, popping into my little home on the web.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around that.

“Tying together poetry, parenting, and advertising in a neat little package”

That was the goal and theme I set for myself when I began this blog 5 months ago.  I think I’ve covered a lot of ground, too, touching on everything from radio drama and childhood to dog breeding and minimalist art…along with plenty of poetry.

2012 has been a big, busy year for me, too:

– I left fulltime employment in July to work from my home studio and be a stay-at-home dad to my son who just turned 3

– I completed the manuscript for my winter-themed collection of children’s poetry, which is now in the hands of one of the top children’s poetry editors in the country (still waiting to hear what she thinks!)

– Thanks to Steven Withrow and Poetry Advocates for Children and Young Adults (PACYA), I had the opportunity to interview children’s poets Lee Bennett Hopkins and J. Patrick Lewis

– The Young Adult Review Network (YARN) published several of my poems in their online journal

– And my wife and I gained a new member of the family – Rosie our puppy – in addition to finding out we’re expecting!

All this, plus I’m in the process of writing my follow-up book, an autumn-themed collection, in case the winter-themed collection gets picked up.  (What can I say, I’m an optimist.  A very busy, sleepless optimist)

I’m honoured and touched that you have been a part of this.  I hope you’ll continue stopping by and leaving your comments and sharing this blog with others.  There are bigger, fancier, more extensive blogs out there, so believe me when I tell you that I truly appreciate your support and look forward to sharing 2013 with you.  I have some fun, exciting things planned – including hosting Poetry Friday THIS Friday – so stay tuned!

If you’re interested, feel free to click here to see the complete report...and have a safe, prosperous, and VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I wish you all the success and joy you can stand!