Recently the number of hits on The River Landing weblog passed the 20,000 mark. To me this seems pretty significant. When I started The River Landing in 2008, I was not really sure what to expect. I mainly wanted to establish a web presence in order to market my upcoming book Side Channels: A Collection of Nature Writing and Memoir, which was published in 2011. But the Internet is a big "place." I never really expected too much.
As far as using the weblog as a book marketing tool, the idea was only mildly successful. At the same time, The River Landing has evolved into something more: It has been a strong motivation for me to write in order to keep the weblog viable for search engines. I have tried to post once per month, and I am usually working on one idea or another for the next post. This has been a highly satisfying experience, and it has given me confidence to continue writing.
It has been said that one way to improve one's writing is to write more often. I hope that has been the case as a result of The River Landing. But of course, I am not the best judge. To celebrate the 20,000 mark, I am providing links below to my three favorite posts.
Bur oak tree, leaves, and acorns.
2. Change and Comfort in Nature
Dead canopy oak at Funk's Grove Natural Area.
3. Recollections of a Man on Skid Row - Chicago Early 1970s