Complex Numbers

Cheese? What Kind of Cheese? I Want Brie

Hm. Another WDC birthday week. That means I'll be 16 soon. Can I have a car? I was promised a flying one.

PROMPT September 1st

Happy 20th Birthday, WDC!

I know this is cheesy, but I have to do it... In your entry today, write about what you love about Writing.Com. How have you grown as a writer? How are you (as a writer) different from how you were when you first joined this site? Thank the members who helped you get where you are today.

You know, my hesitation on prompts like this is not that it's cheesy. I can do cheesy. It's that I've been here for just short of 16 years, and no matter how much I try, there is no way I wouldn't forget someone significant if I tried to list all of the people who are important to me here. And, sadly, some of them have left the site and others... well, they've left far more than the site. Everyone that I've interacted with over the years -- occasionally unpleasantly, usually quite the opposite -- has helped to make me what I am today. That includes you, since you're reading this. But also everyone who enters the Writer's Cramp, organizers and participants in the October NaNo Prep Challenge, anyone whose work I've reviewed or has reviewed mine, all those who have given me awardicons and Merit Badges (and vice versa), those who take the time to give me feedback on my newsletters or comment in this blog, anyone whose blog or newsfeed I follow, the members I've exchanged IMs with, the many who I've met in person, those I occasionally talk to on Zoom... everyone.

That helps to address the earlier parts of the prompt, though. No matter what else, it's the people that make this site what it is. Oh, the setup is important, of course -- we'll get to that in a bit -- but it would be empty without you.

How have I grown as a writer? Well. I'm not sure I know how to answer that. I'm the worst judge of my own stuff. I mean, sure, sometimes I look back at stuff I wrote back in the noughties when I first joined, and I'd forgotten I wrote it, and it makes me laugh. Other times it makes me cringe (but I keep it around anyway). I expect if I'm still here in another 16 years, I'll say the same thing about this year's output.

I just don't know. I think I've improved -- I hope I've improved -- but I have no objective measure on that. Changed? Sure. I have more confidence now, but I also have a better idea of my limitations.

Aside from the people themselves, as I mentioned above, there are several things about this site that I think help anyone grow as a writer. The most obvious of these is reviewing. When done with intent, it can really help a writer determine what works and what needs work. And reviewing itself is an exercise in writing. Also, even the most cursory review at least lets you know someone's reading your stuff. I don't do enough of it, myself; I will work on that in the future.

I know I said I didn't want to thank anyone individually, but I'd be horribly remiss if I didn't call out three specific individuals for thanks. The first two are obvious: The StoryMistress and The StoryMaster . They've built a great community and a wonderful platform for all of us. I know very little about web coding and even less about graphic design, so their work might as well be sorcery for all I understand it.

The third to thank is maybe not so obvious to anyone else: Artemismad , who, approximately sixteen years ago this week, first told me about the site. Without her recommendation, I might not be here at all. Yeah, I know, some of you don't see the downside to that.

Before I go, I need to announce the Merit Badge winner from yesterday.

Mini-Contest Results!

Great comments, all. I don't really have the time, tonight, to address all of them individually, but I did appreciate every one, which made it hard to pick just one as a favorite.

But I'm going to go with ⭐Princette♥PengthuluWrites , who wrote:

I hope for Cthulhu to awaken in September and put us all out of our misery. I figure, considering how 2020 is going, that's not as farfetched as it might otherwise seem. If Cthulhu doesn't rise in September, I'm putting it down for December. Gotta end the year in style, right?

Because I can totally see that happening. Not in September though. Or December. But this is going to take a bit of an explanation.

One of my favorite writers was Roger Zelazny. He, sadly, died back in the 90s. His last full novel before he left us was titled A Night in the Lonesome October, and you can probably call it my favorite book. I don't want to spoil the thing too much, but basically, the premise is this: On certain rare occasions, it is possible for the door to the realm of the Elder Gods to be swung wide, releasing eldritch horrors to doom us all. Possible, that is, but not certain; it hasn't happened yet (in the story).

What is this rare occasion? It is a full moon falling on Halloween.

Guess what's happening for real on Halloween 2020. Go ahead. Take a wild guess.

Point is, ⭐Princette♥PengthuluWrites gets the MB this time, but I'll do this again soon so there will be more chances. Yes, even with the 30DBC running.