Looking Back: December 2021

Stephen Hebert -

Well...2021 is just about over. Holy smokes and thank God! Am I right? As I noted in a previous post, 2021 often felt like a creative funk. However, I've ended it on a bang. Here's a look at what I've published this month.

It's Not Working Yet

I started a new site called It's Not Working Yet. This site has two primary aspects (with room for growth):

  1. Workables (2x/week). Short pieces intended to inspire you to be your creative best.
  2. (Re:)write (1x/week). Long pieces documenting (in fairly painstaking fashion) the rewrite of my novel.

You can read more about each of those on the inwy newsletters page. Here's what I've published over there in December.

Workables #1: The Power of Yet
“Yet” is not “never.” We can keep writing, painting, sculpting, honing, working. We can build, we can grow, we can make, remake and remake again.
it's not working yet (inwy)Stephen Hebert
(Re:)write #1: Taking Stock
Zero score and four years ago, I finished a manuscript for a novel tentatively (and terribly) titled The Brief and Horrible Resurrection of Lorraine Barth. Now it’s time to rewrite it...
it's not working yet (inwy)Stephen Hebert
Workables #2: Practice Your Best Material
Sometimes, we mistakenly believe we aren’t good enough to work on our best ideas.
it's not working yet (inwy)Stephen Hebert
(Re:)write #2: Tools of the Trade + Character Names
Rewriting a novel is a big job. What tools should you use?
it's not working yet (inwy)Stephen Hebert

rootedEDU

In December, I returned to ROOTED which had been quite dormant for a while.

Don’t Like the Result? Do It Again.
I’ve tried just about every grading system under the sun: traditional systems, standards-based, no grades, etc. But starting with these three key principles, I really think I’m hitting my stride.
ROOTEDStephen Hebert

the unruly buddha

the unruly buddha also received some new content in December.

Just This
We live in a productivity culture where we measure our value based on how much we improve and how much we produce. How do we move beyond that?
the unruly buddhathe unruly buddha
The Cult of Productivity Encroaches on My Vacation
The productivity monster again comes after me, even though I’m on vacation. What to do?
the unruly buddhathe unruly buddha

sbhebert.com

Lastly, I published a couple of things right here on sbhebert.com.

Writing is a Commitment
Writing, like a long-term relationship, is a long game: it requires patience, it requires practice, it requires commitment.
Stephen B. HebertStephen Hebert
Doing a New Thing
One simple way to create some pressure: deadlines. Announcing a new website: it’s not working yet (inwy).
Stephen B. HebertStephen Hebert

What's Next?

With the launch of It's Not Working Yet, I'll be putting most of my writing posts over there. This site will continue to aggregate some of that stuff (as this post is doing), and I will also continue to publish occasional letters to Gus.

I suppose we can consider sbhebert.com a repository for all of the stuff that I'm doing PLUS anything that falls outside the bounds of other projects. For example, I'm working on some new sites for new clients. I may post about those here, especially as I learn something about the technologies I'm using. We'll see.

Thanks for reading! Have a Happy New Year's Eve and a great start to 2022! (There's no way but up from here, right?)