Looking Back

11 years ago, I began writing and publishing original essays on Natetheworld. At the time, everyone seemed to have a blog. Soon after launching my own website, my social media feed would be filled with countless friends taking to the internet to share thoughts on fashion, food, finding yourself, coming out, life lessons learned, and much more.

As an aspiring writer, it was an exciting time. For me, I wanted to explore my thoughts and feelings after a difficult breakup. I wanted to know I was not alone. So, I wrote. I wrote with conviction, honesty, and vulnerability. I wrote hoping to add a verse to a song about the human condition.

Since then, the websites of many friends who I enjoyed reading have gone dark. At times, writing your personal story for public consumption can feel lonely. Reading the changes in the wind, this website expanded its focus to photography, reviews, podcasts, and original videos.

I no longer think of this as a blog. It is a full-fledged website focused on reviewing the world. To those of you who have stayed with me throughout this journey, I thank you. A writer writes to be read and the best feeling in the world for me is knowing someone/anyone is listening.

2020 Highlights

·       We launched a Shop selling original photography and poetry. We also launched a Supporters page to highlight those who financially support the website.

·        In 11 years, we have published 1,998 original essays, reviews, videos, and podcasts.

·        5 Patrons are currently supporting this work via Patreon

·        In the last year, 6,297 people visited Natetheworld (a 31% increase over the previous year). If you are one of those 6,297 people, thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

2021 Writing Challenge

For 2021, my annual writing challenge will focus on a Podcast series I am calling, “Friendly Conversations.” On a monthly basis, I will be holding a 30-minute conversation with a dear friend and sharing the conversation with the world. I am really excited to see where these conversations go.

Brand New Series

2021 is going to see some big changes as far as content is concerned. For our monthly topics, we are adding The D-Pad Journal, Binged, and Longform. The D-Pad Journal will focus on video game reviews. Binged will be a monthly series ranking and reviewing television shows I am watching. Longform will be monthly work focused on a single, long-form topic.

In June, we will see the addition of a new writing project called First Impressions which will focus on my work toward visiting every National Park in the United States.

Finally, and quite possibly the most dramatic change in the history of this website. For years now, I have developed my own content calendar for the website. I have added topics based on things that interest me and said goodbye to a few recurring topics based on what is not working. This year, I am doing something completely different. The 25 topics being added to the 2021 content calendar are in direct response to the 25 most-read stories of the year. While some may see this as constricting to a writer, I see it as an opportunity to continue popular and beloved series and dive deeper into new areas. Of all the changes I have made to this website in the last 11 years, this one excites me the most.

As of today, these are the 25 topics for 2021. With a month of writing left to go, this list is subject to change, but I did want to give you a sneak-peek.

1.       An Annual Letter to the Men of Pi Kappa Alpha (2021)

2.       An Annual Letter to the Graduates of Frederick High School (2021)

3.       Musical Thesis: My 10 Favorite Songs of 2021

4.       Cinephile (Foreign Language)

5.       What We Share in Common

6.       6 Years with Brandon

7.       Lessons of Our Fathers (2021)

8.       A Dream Realized (2021)

9.       Musical Thesis: My 2021 Album of the Year

10.   Dear Lucas (2021)

11.   Journaling (Month) 2021

12.   Los Angeles Revisited

13.   Cinephile (Brad Pitt)

14.   Cinephile (Super-hero Films)

15.   Cinephile (Renee Zellweger)

16.   Captured: My Best Photos of 2021

17.   The Friendships That Remain

18.   A Reader (The Classics)

19.   Cinephile: My Year at the Movies (2021)

20.   In Three Parts

21.   An Annual Letter to My Fellow Rotarians (2021)

22.   An Annual Letter to the Graduates of the University of Central Oklahoma (2021)

23.   Poems for My Dad

24.   Cinephile (Adaptations)

25.   Cinephile (Short Subject)

Throughout 2020, writing has become my salvation and my sanctuary. I cannot vividly imagine my life without it, and I cannot imagine not sharing it with the world. As we turn the page on one of the worst years any of us will ever live through, I want to close by simply saying thank you. Thank you for reading, commenting, sharing, and joining the conversation. I am way too excited to see where we go next.

Be good to each other,

Nathan 

This website exists because of readers and supporters. If what you just read made you smile, please consider supporting the website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters