Saturday 31 August 2024

Wrap-up of 100DaysToOffload
===========================

At the start of August 2023. together with Prahou I started the
100DaysToOffload challenge. Just like the #100DaysToOffload challenge
published on https://100daystooffload.com/, but we wanted to do this
on Gopher.

The idea was to post one hundred phlog posts in one year, see:
gopher://box.matto.nl/0/boost-our-gopher-activity-challenge.txt

The challenge started on August 1st, 2023. Currently it is August 31,
2024, and this is phlog post 98. Close enough, I think.

Ambitious
---------
The goal of 100 posts in one year is quite ambitious.

Creating 100 posts in 52 weeks theoretically means, on average, at
least two posts per week. There are always weeks without writing,
because of holidays, other commitments and priorities, and so on.

In practice this means that the rate of writing posts should be
above two posts per week, probably closer to three.

Environment
-----------
When doing a challenge like this, it is important that you create
an environment that works for you. When your environment works
against you, it will be hard to complete the challenge.

Setup an environment where you can start your writing immediately and
make the publishing part as friction-less as possible.

I write my phlog posts in Denote, using the wonderful capabilities of
org-mode, like outlining. A small Elisp script turns the denote-file
into a plain text file, with some simple markup. The posts are checked
in into RCS. This automagically sets the last-edited date at the
bottom of the phlog post.

Experience
----------
At the time we played with the idea of participating the challenge,
the first thing that came to mind was to create a list of possible
subjects for phlog posts.

I started building such a list, and was still collecting ideas in the
beginning of the challenge.

In hindsight, this was not needed. I hardly used this list, perhaps
only one or two times in the early phase of the challenge.

It turned out that it is enough to be geared toward writing a post
every few days, When you open your mind to it, the subjects will
present themselves.

Some noticeable effects of doing the challenge:

* Posting has become easier, and I think that is because I am more
  relaxed about it.

* Subjects for posts present themselves. This is a wonderful
  revelation.
  
* It has become easier to write about non-technical subjects.

* Writing posts has become a habit. When something presents itself as
  a subject to write about, I just start writing.

And now?
--------
Now the habit has formed, I expect to keep cranking out phlog posts
at a regular interval.

Just like during the challenge, life goes one, and some weeks will see
some more posts, and some others none. That's OK, of course.

Should you do it?
-----------------
A nice question is, can one recommend doing this challenge?
Why should anyone want to do it, and what are the benefits?

* First of all, we need you to write phlog posts :)
  The Gopher sphere is precious, it is the last resort that is not
  tainted by the monetization and commercialization. We should cherish
  it. It can only survive if we keep writing phlogs.

* Doing the challenge can help create a writing habit.

* Committing to the challenge adds some accountability, that can help
  you keep on track. This can be helpful in the early stage, when your
  writing habit is not established yet.

* Nobody is forcing you to go for one hundred posts. You can also
  do a `fifty posts in fifty weeks' challenge. Or any other number.
  Committing to any number helps.

* It is fun to do.

Harness the power of initiative, and start your challenge today!


Last edited: $Date: 2024/08/31 09:27:33 $