Friday, January 1, 2016

On My Mind: Blog Plans for 2016


Let's start with Happy New Year!!!!

I hope you were safe and happy during whatever you did to ring in the New Year. Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day to see what's going on here, today and everyday you lay your eyes on the drivel I spill here on a regular basis. Before I get to any particulars on what I have planned this year, let's do a quick update on a few highlights from 2015.

The biggest thing is that you, or more of you, hung around this place than ever before.


As you can see, growth in readership has been amazing. Since most of you are bloggers, this also means I am always meeting and forming relationships with writers, far and wide. As much as I hope you love coming here, I love stopping by your place, taking in your opinions, and giving feedback.

Speaking of feedback, that has also been tremendous this year. Not only are you stopping by, but your commenting. From time to time, that feedback is you telling me that I'm wrong. Folks, I appreciate that as much as I do your praise. It gives us even more chance to interact and voice our opinions on film. Isn't that what we're here for? Every now and again, these might even turn into arguments. I even love these. Again, we're just voicing our opinions. It also helps that by getting to know you, at least as much as I can from this side of the internet, I know you're coming from a good place whether we agree or not. Even without the comments section, 2015 has still been the most interactive year in the history of the site. More of you participated in my blogathons in 2015 and interacted with me on Twitter, as well.

As for what I actually did around this place, I won't go into a lot of details. I did continue some features, added some others, and posted lots of reviews. I also added some pages to help you easier find all the Blogathons I started and/or were a part of, all the lists I've done, and all posts related to superheroes.

Enough of this, let's get on to what's coming up this year.



After all that I've said in this post so far, this first part of the plan might surprise you. I plan to cut back on my posting some. For the last two years, I've been posting an average of five times a week. I love posting, but keeping up that pace has become a bit stressful and certainly time consuming. As much as I love movies and blogging about movies, I don't want it to feel like a job. That said, I'll still be around plenty. Instead of five posts a week, I'll probably average about three this year. That might creep up to four because I still plan on contributing to Thursday Movie Picks (nearly) every week. If by the latter parts of the year, my activity picks up either one of two things happened. Spreading out posts a bit more helped me get ahead and I just have lots of stuff in the pipeline, or I'm an insatiable addict and couldn't control myself.

Aside from Thursday Movie Picks, there are a couple of other projects I'm taking on this year that I'm looking forward to. A few things are set in stone, but the rest are up in the air. Let's see what we got.

As announced a couple days ago, I am again taking part in The Blind Spot Challenge. Wish me luck completing that. Hopefully, about a year from now I'll be telling you how much fun I had watching all 12 movies.

In February, I am going to do something I really haven't in years past: make a serious effort to celebrate Black History Month here on the blog. I plan on posting a couple lists and utilizing my existing features like "On My Mind" and/or "Proof of a Movie God." I will also be looking for help from you by hosting a blogathon. The details for this will be up before the end of January.

Speaking of blogathons, the big one will return mid-summer. That's the third annual Against the Crowd Blogathon. November will see the return of Girl Week. I may be looking for a co-host for one or both of those. Haven't quite decided. That gives me three blogathons scheduled for the year. Still, I want to do one more. I just don't know what that is, yet.

Another goal of mine is making this the year of franchises. By that, I mean I want to explore several entire franchises. Some I'll have previously seen, but at least one will be completely new to me. Just check my Blind Spot List to see what that is.


Then there are reviews. This is probably where the drop in my posting will be most evident. I still plan on writing plenty of them. However, I no longer feel the urge nor have the energy to create a lengthy post about every single movie I watch. I will write short blurbs about plenty using The Quick and Dirty feature. Some I just won't bother writing about at all. Again, full-length reviews aren't going away. I plan on publishing several of them over the next couple weeks. There will just be fewer of them in the long run.

Also pertaining to reviews, I hope to shortly have a singular page where you can access all of mine up and running. It was supposed to be ready by now, but is taking quite some time to create links for six years worth of reviews.

Lastly, I will attempt to take part in many of your blogathons, too. They are a great way to meet, and be met by, other bloggers. Plus, they're lots of fun.

That's all I've got. Happy Blogging!

32 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your growth. Consistency can be the most difficult thing about blogging. I'm looking forward to everything you have planned for the new year. I'm hoping to participate in some more blogathons, so put me down. Also hoping to rope you into some things that I'll be launching on my blog.

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    1. Thanks. I also hope you get to participate in my blogathons, and those of others, as well. I'll definitely be on the lookout for whatever you're launching. Can't wait to see what that is.

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  2. Awesome growth and well deserved. I'm in the same boat on adjusting review length, gotta keep it FUN vs.feeling like a chore. Look forward to whatever you do. My resolution is to bust out of my rss reader and say hi to bloggers more (you've all been warned :) ).

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    1. Thanks. That Fun vs. Chore thing is a tough rope to walk, sometimes. Looking forward to seeing you around here, and other places, more.

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  3. Happy New Year to you too! Posting 5 times a week is impressive, you have a lot to say! Look forward to your blind spot reviews.

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    1. Thanks. It might be impressive, but it was way too stressful for a hobby. At least for me. I still have plenty to say, I'm just going to spread it out a bit more. Thanks!

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  4. Congrats on your growth as well. I definitely look forward to whatever you post for the New Year.

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  5. Congrats on the numbers. The cutting back is understandable but I'm glad your still doing the Thursday Three, I get a big kick out of them, and Blind Spots. Also happy to hear your going to do the Against the Crowd blogathon that was fun this year. I'll have to put my thinking cap on to come up with a couple.

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    1. Thanks a bunch. I can't stay away from Thursday Movie Picks, even if I tried. Looking forward to what you come up with for the next installment of Against the Crowd. You've got a few months to think about it.

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  6. Congratulations on the blog growth! I'm looking forward for your blind spot reviews and your blogathons!

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    1. Thanks. I hope they are as fun as I think they will be.

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  7. Always good to see a fellow blogger doing well. Congrats on such rapid growth too, it's heartening.

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    1. Thanks a bunch. And thanks again for the banner!!!

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  8. Congrats on the growing numbers! Best wishes for another great year.

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  9. Congrats on the increase in readership! That's always such a nice feeling. I look forward to your posts (as always), 5 times a week is a lot, I don't blame you for cutting back.

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    1. Thanks a bunch! Yeah, it was getting to be a grueling schedule rather than a fun excursion.

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  10. Awesome increase, my friend! Your blog deserves it, for sure. Can't wait to see where 2016 takes you.

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  11. Good job, brother! I really love what you post, and I'm looking forward to another year. Glad to see you on the Blind Spot Challenge this year. I didn't quite make it through my first year with it. Didn't post (or even watch) my picks for the fall months. Got too busy with work . But I'm trying again. All the best to you in 2016, man.

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    1. Thanks a lot. Yeah, the last few months got the best of me on the Blind Spot challenge last year, too. Glad we're both giving it another go.

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  12. Congrats on those stats, dude! That's amazing. Really can't wait to take part in your blogathons this year :)
    - Allie

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    1. Thanks! Can't wait to see what you come up with for them.

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  13. Wendell! I can't wait to take part in Against the Crowd again! It was my first blogathon! I haven't blogged at all since October which is sad but I can't wait to get back into it, mainly because I get to read great blogs like this one!

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    1. Glad to see you're getting back into and looking forward to what you will do on your blog. Also very happy you're ready for Against the Crowd. I am, too!

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  14. Congratulations on the increase in traffic! That is awesome. Right now my only regular reader is ... you. :-) It would probably help if I stopped blog-hopping.

    It looks like you've set solid goals. I know what you mean about keeping up blogging without letting it morph into a job.

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    1. If that's true then I am proud to be that reader. You are an awesome writer and I have come to value your opinion. Becoming blogging buddies with you is one of my 2015 highlights. Thanks for coming around this place!

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    2. Thank you! :-) You just made my day.

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  15. Happy New Year! Congrats on the stats. Wow you have a lot going on and plans for the new year. I actually plan to blog less as I continue to work on my script. Glad you're joining Blind Spot this year, me too but it'll be a bit less films than 12 just so I can actually complete them all :D

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    1. Thanks. The trick is going to be fitting all that in while posting a decent amount less than last year. We'll see how it goes.

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