Challenge

Six Years Without Missing A Day

August 1, 2018 /

A Blog Here Every Day for 2,190 Straight Days…

Didn’t miss a one. Not one day, even with computer issues, web site issues, hospital stays, traveling, major move across country, death of friends.

Not one day went by that I didn’t blab about something here, from important writing stuff to my cats and everything between.

So here I sit, in my office in Lincoln City, doing this blog tonight. Not only does this mark six full years, but this is my last blog from this office. (No worry, I will keep the streak going until it breaks.)

But tomorrow my desks and computers will be moved and this house will be empty. Kris and I lived here on the top of this hill looking over the ocean for 23 years.

In four months, I have cleaned out over 5,000 square feet of books, collectables, furniture, shelving, and a ton of bears and stuffed animals and cat toys. Seven large trucks and more trips in my car to charities to give stuff away than I can count. (Kris and I had more coats that I could ever imagine. I have given 32 away so far and I am sure Kris gave a bunch away before she left.)

I wrote 30 short stories in the last four months as well, and all these blogs. And put together an issue of Pulphouse as well. And helped Kris build us a new home in Las Vegas. And set up all the workshops in Las Vegas and the new Study Along workshops.

I am so ready to get back to writing fiction. (grin) And getting actually into our new home in Vegas and not living out of my suitcase. And getting back to eating better and exercising beyond moving exercise.

So six years ago I was trying to ramp up from a major life roll of tearing apart my friend’s three bedroom house and two bedroom apartment after his death. Now I am ramping up again, getting Smith’s Monthly back on track, doing a bunch of challenges here in public.

Just as six years ago, it will take me the month of August to really ramp back up, but stay tuned and watch, so you can see what it is like to recover and get back to writing.

2,190 straight days of blogging without missing a day. Six years ago I would have laughed if you told me I would do this. And many nights I wanted to toss it in, but Kris said, “Did you do your blog?”

Streaks are impossible to maintain without fantastic support. Thanks, Kris.

Damn, a streak this long just has a lot of weight.

So I am happy and surprised about the streak, and really sad about leaving this wonderful office looking out over the ocean. But I have a nifty new office waiting for me in downtown Vegas.

Life changes and things move forward.

So onward into the next six years. Got a hunch they are going to be great fun.

Hope you all stick with me for the ride.

23 Comments

  • djmills

    August 1, 2018 at 2:34 am

    Congratulations. I read every one of your blog posts. And learned a lot along the way.
    I look forward to reading the next 6 years of blog posts.

  • Mike

    August 1, 2018 at 5:44 am

    Congrats, Dean! And I’m sure I speak for a lot of people in saying that we’ve really benefited from all you’ve written on here about writing and business. It’s been a pleasure following along.

    Here’s to another six! Cheers!

  • Mike Zimmerman

    August 1, 2018 at 8:20 am

    Dean,
    I’ve been along for this entire ride and it’s been great fun, informative, and inspirational. I’m more of a nonfiction magazine and book writer than a fiction writer (though I’ve published 13 novels), but I’ve learned that writing is writing and having a daily touchstone like your blog reminds me of all the good habits that are so easy to forget even after 30 years. We’ve never met, but I was submitting to you back in the first Pulphouse days — came close to landing in your Splatterfairies anthology that never quite happened 🙂 — and I know I’ve written jacket copy for a few of your Ace books back in the day. What you bring to writing, for writers, can’t be overstated. So thanks again — and see you tomorrow.
    Mike Zimmerman

    • dwsmith

      August 1, 2018 at 9:20 am

      Thanks, Mike. Hard to believe we haven’t crossed paths yet. I wouldn’t have realized that if you hadn’t told me. Thanks for following along and yup, see you tomorrow right here, same bat channel, same bat station, as the old saying goes. (And an entire generation went “What?” (grin))

  • Colleen

    August 1, 2018 at 8:51 am

    YAY, Dean, on so many fronts: the blog streak, the new horizons, the return to fiction and healthy living. You and Kris always amaze me.

  • Lloyd MacRae

    August 1, 2018 at 12:41 pm

    Congratulations on your streak, Dean. Your example and discussion about the power of streaks has kept me going.

    This is day 1,322 of my streak of writing something every day. That’s closing in on 4 years!

    My only problem – I realized last month I was enjoying the writing so much that my finished books have been piling up on my hard drive (500,000 words!). I just popped one novel out and have six more covers to work on. And oh yeah, great – I just started on another book (grin)

    I now need to work on a Heinlein’s Rules streak LOL

    • dwsmith

      August 1, 2018 at 2:23 pm

      Lloyd, great streak! Wow. But Heinlein’s Rule #4 is where I also have issues at times. So maybe we both can get back on that. (grin)

  • Phillip McCollum

    August 1, 2018 at 1:00 pm

    Thank you for inspiring us all Dean, even when you just show up to say ‘Hello.’ What you say about streaks is true… I just wrapped up my 52 stories in 52 weeks experiment and told myself I’d sleep in the next day, writing be damned. Well, I’m sure you know what happened…Alarm went off at 4:30 AM and I got to writing. 🙂

  • Lynne

    August 1, 2018 at 4:40 pm

    Thank you Dean. I read your blog every day. It has been inspirational. Congratulations on the move to Las Vegas. It sounds exciting.

  • Vaughn Heppner

    August 1, 2018 at 6:19 pm

    I just moved from CA to Northern NV, and I totally sympathize with leaving your great writing location. I’ve found it hard to leave mine. I can also sympathize with all those trips. Mine were wearing me down, and mine weren’t nearly as many or as long as yours.

    I really admire your drive and zest, and I have enjoyed your thoughts on writing. What a great streak.

  • DS

    August 3, 2018 at 5:02 am

    Congrats, Dean! And thanks for all the fish (just made some more people go “What?”).

    I’ve learned a lot from you as well these last few years. I’m on a streak of writing daily again (goal of at least 1000 words) since July 10th, which may not seem like much, but it’s sure great to be on it after some life rolls threw me “off the horse” for several months. Now, I’ve got to pay more attention to Heinlein’s Rule #4, too!

    Write, blog, teach on, and prosper!