Remember, the time of year when the future appears like a blank sheet of paper -Jackie Kay "Promise"
“Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes…”
-Rent “Seasons of Love”
Theater kids, or at least theater kids of a certain age know exactly how much time that is. Maybe you know even if you weren’t a theater kid. I was a theater kid but math has never made quite as much sense. I did take several semesters of statistics. Which isn’t necessary to see that our views are up almost five percent over last year. That our three most popular articles this year are SAT Students and Boundaries, Of Fauxpologoes and Wheelchairs, and one about John Cheever’s “Reunion”. A funny article, an article about disability justice, and an educational one. We’re all over the map. Figuratively, sure, but also literally. We’ve had writers from at least seven countries (if I didn’t miss any) and on four different continents.
There’s so much the numbers don’t say. The numbers don’t say that our Facebook community is livelier than ever and has doubled in size. We’ve hosted virtual readings this year. Numbers don’t tell us about the weekly writing groups we host, and the people who choose to spend time in person with us week after week. They can’t tell us about the new voices we’ve published this year or how hard our community members work to make the incredibly kind and thoughtful space it is. Numbers don’t tell you that we’ve added an “author page” which presents a different side of 2 Rules of Writing. They might tell us how popular some things like 30 Days, 30 Poems is. Learning that us decide to give 30 Days, 30 Poems a Facebook page of its own, too.
Two years ago when we embarked on this project we had a very small vision for what we wanted to do. We had a website, a few friends and a Google Doc called “Website Plan.” Who knew that two years later we’d have “a vibe”? We’re proud of that-how often people tell us they like our vibe. More than our literary success we are even prouder of the humanity that our community shows. Watching our community weather crises and joys, seeing how they are truly invested in each other, in learning and growing and doing good is the best part of 2 Rules of Writing.
In Daylights, In Sunsets
With all the growth our community has had, it’s easy to overlook the personal successes we’ve had this year, too. Adam had pieces published in Door is A Jar Magazine and in Capital Psychiatry. Erika was selected as one of Lilith Magazine’s “The New 40” and had a piece published in Bi+ Women’s Quarterly.
Looking back is wonderful, but we’re about to enter January…named for Janus, the god of doors, of transitions and of endings and beginnings. So let’s sweep the floors before midnight (because in some places cleaning on New Year’s Day is bad luck,) and look ahead because we have so much planned for the year ahead.
Bringing a project like this to life is an arduous task. We were ambitious and excited in 2022 and burned ourselves out. It took us most of 2023 to recover, and to catch up on the personal projects we’d neglected in 2022. We learned some hard lessons about self-care and balance. We’re starting 2024 off more aware of how to create the balance we need in our lives. That means that for 2024 we’re going to return to regular contributions from both of us (Adam and Erika) and also introduce you to some new regular . We’re also going to continue bringing new featured writers and we hope you’ll submit your own work to us, too.
To start with, in celebration of our second anniversary, we’ve put together our very first anthology. Based on Dante’s Inferno, a group of 2 Rules writers have come together to create their own updated vision of Hell. You can read pieces from Adam and Erika, of course, and a group of other contributors, some we’ve published before and many new voices you’ll discover for the first time. You can keep up with our progress and be the first to know when it’s available for preorder if you sign up here.
In Midnights, In Cups of Coffee…
If participating in something like our Dante Project sounds fun to you, get ready for a chance to join in on a new project. Join us as we write our own version of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. You don’t have to be familiar with the book to join us–we’re going to read together, and talk about it and at the end, we’ll write our own tales. Instead of The Miller’s Tale, maybe you’ll write “The Tech Support Drone’s Tale.” Or instead of “The Pardoner” buying church indulgences he’ll be paying off Supreme Court justices. Sign up here to keep up with our plans and get ready to join a great collective storytelling experience.
Chaucer isn’t the only writing project we’ve got planned. Maybe speculative fiction is more your style, and you’ll want to submit something for our new speculative fiction anthology “The Beautician’s Guide to the Resistance.” We’re looking for stories that explore the “what if?” of a society where the male gaze inflates the value of a woman? We’ll be telling stories about what happens when your body and image could finally be yours to control… but it’s not up to you? How do you cope when the patriarchy is coming from inside the house?
Of course we’ll bring you a 2024 edition of 30 Days, 30 Poems. We’ve got big plans for National Poetry month this year. You can start submitting your suggestions for poems we should feature on our 30 Days, 30 Poems nomination form. We love choosing the poems featured each day, and look forward to sharing your favorites and the reasons you love them. March will also bring National Poetry Month reading, and for the first time we’re planning on bringing you at least one exciting workshop to celebrate the month.
Five Hundred, Twenty Five Thousand Journeys to Plan
We’ll also host our usual slate of readings, writing groups and other events for our fantastic community. Come be a part of it. Submit your work. Join a group. Find a beta reader. Take a writing class. Create the 2024 we want to see. Make it beautiful.