Stepping Into the Void Left by "The Writer's Almanac"
Update from Nick: The first six months of 2018 were quite a ride. With little promotion, people found Bidwell Hollow. And they responded to it. It was clear early on that Bidwell Hollow filled a need people had for interesting, literary-based content.
But running a daily blog and podcast is a lot of work. Then, "The Writer's Almanac" came back in May of 2018. Not wanting to compete directly with a living legend, I made the tough decision to stop producing the original version of Bidwell Hollow.
Still, I kept working, researching and thinking. What should I do with Bidwell Hollow?
Once I honed in on an idea, I did more research, planning, and then building.
And now I'm ready to tell you that Bidwell Hollow will become a weekly podcast telling seldom-told stories about notable writers and poets. If you want to learn more, including how you can listen to Bidwell Hollow, head on over to our About page.
The best way to stay connected to Bidwell Hollow is to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. And be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll give us a listen!
When on Nov. 29, 2017, Minnesota Public Radio terminated its contracts with "The Writer's Almanac's" Garrison Keillor, many of us lost something we relied on daily. We lost a source of inspiration.
The reasons and justifications for ending of "The Writer's Almanac" are not for me to discuss. I couldn't be further removed from the events that led to "The Writer's Almanac" ending than if I were a leaf floating on the sea.
What I do know is that I relied on the Almanac to trigger my creativity. "The Writer's Almanac" was often the first thing I read each day. It served as a spark for my writing and other artistic endeavors.
Without the Almanac I've been in a creative desert, and I've been searching for a replacement.
Searching for "The Writer's Almanac" Replacement
First, I searched online. I found places publishing daily poems. I found lists of writers' and other creators' birthdays. I found "today in history" blog posts. But nowhere did I find a blog that combined these elements.
And I waited for someone else to start a replacement for "The Writer's Almanac." A lot of people loved the Almanac. Surely someone will pick up the mantle, I thought.
This was happening while I was trying to figure out what to do with a website and company I started earlier this year, Bidwell Hollow, LLC. I formed the company in case I ever did any consulting work. And, just in case, I purchased BidwellHollow.com.
But I decided I didn't want to do any consulting work, so what should I do with this company and its website?
Then one day these two paths intersected. Instead of waiting for someone else to do something, I would be the one to try and give others something that inspires, as "The Writer's Almanac" once inspired me.
Stepping Into the Void
And so, Bidwell Hollow will begin publishing daily blog posts on Jan. 1, 2018. You can subscribe now to make sure you don't miss it. And you can get a taste of what's to come by following Bidwell Hollow on Facebook and Twitter.
Our blog format will be familiar to those who knew "The Writer's Almanac." There will be a daily poem, followed by the stories behind some of the world's greatest creators. But there will also be some elements unique to Bidwell Hollow that we think augments our mission of inspiring creativity in others.
Starting out, the daily poems will be pulled from what's available in public domain while we work on securing rights to other work. After all, we recognize that Bidwell Hollow can be a platform for artists.
There are other ideas we're considering for our future, but we're going to walk before we run. And we take our first step on Jan. 1. Come walk with us.
[bctt tweet=".@BidwellHollow, a blog that seeks to fill the void left by the #WritersAlmanac, launches Jan. 1. Subscribe now: BidwellHollow.com/subscribe." via="no"]