The Stratagem’s Archive

Tag: Writing challenge

  • Letters from the Void: What Have I Got to Lose?

    No One Asked, But I’m Doing It Anyway

    Hey there, Fellow Archivists,

    I’ve been working on something behind the scenes; something different than my usual posts, stickers, and even hoodie: my first ebook.

    Let me be real: I’m not an expert. I have no degrees, no viral content, and no corner office either. And, you know what, that’s okay.

    What Do I Have?

    It’s okay to not have a lot of things because what I do have makes up for it. I do have:

    • Stubbornness
    • Spiteful rage
    • A refusal to stay the same
    • A willingness to try
    • A curiosity to see what I’m capable of

    That’s what this ebook is: me starting something anyway. Building anyway. Learning as I go anyway.

    Here’s a Tiny Peek:

    “This is the question I asked myself when life got loud enough that I couldn’t ignore it anymore: What have I got to lose?

    It started as a whisper, a thought I brushed aside while I kept grinding through the motions of work and just surviving another day. But it simmered. By the time my grandpa’s funeral came around, it was shrieking in my head.

    He wasn’t old. Too young to be gone. I half-expected him to sit up and laugh like it was some bad joke. But the casket closed, and it was final. No more birthday lunches, no more music, no more teaching me how to cook. Just memories—and the weight of the regrets he had confided in me while he was still here.”

    Who Is This Book For?

    This book is for anyone who’s:

    • Tired of being stuck
    • Over being underestimated
    • Done waiting for someone else to give them permission to start

    It’s not about looking perfect or “crushing it.” It’s about showing up. One small, stubborn step at a time.

    I’ll be sharing snippets, chaos, and updates as I go. For now: it’s happening. Doubt doesn’t get a vote. Not again, even though it’s a familiar companion in my life.

    Thanks for being in this corner of the internet and writing void with me.

    —The Stratagem’s Archive

    A Call-to-Action

    Follow the chaos. Keep checking back. Keep in mind, those who are already subscribed will get these updates first and straight into their email inboxes before everyone else. If you’d like to get these updates before anyone else, then subscribe to catch the next post before it disappears into the void.

    Other Newsletters From the Void

  • The 24-Hour Challenge Aftermath—Something Unexpected Happened in Just One Night

    “I took a 29-hour break from writing to rest and recharge. In this reflection, I explore how stepping away helped me find clarity, face uncertainty, and rethink creativity sustainably.”

    The Mental Reset Hit Me Hard

    A day ago, I finally followed through on a challenge I had written about in three previous posts:

    I was to take 24 hours away from writing and let my mind and body rest. I had ignored my own advice before, rushing back to my blog the second I posted, thinking every second offline was wasted.

    This time, I made it work. I rested. I spent time with my family. I cleaned, I laughed, I ate a proper meal, I even napped. And yes, I went 29 hours instead of 24. But that extra five hours didn’t just extend the challenge — it shifted something in me.

    After publishing my reflection, I found myself staring at my iPad while eating leftovers and thinking:

    “I have no idea what I want to talk about now…”

    Facing the Blank Space

    “But Archivist,” you might ask, “didn’t you already write a reflection?”

    Yes, I did, my pantomiming reader that’s not speaking in my voice. But that was the short-term reflection. Today, in the quiet aftermath, I’m staring at the long-term questions: What comes next? Tomorrow? This week? Next month? Later in the future?

    It’s disorienting. I could keep looking at the next post like a ticking clock, but I don’t want to. I want to feel my way into what matters next — without forcing it.

    Something Unexpected Happened

    What I realized is that rest isn’t just about stepping away. It’s about creating space to notice what you haven’t been seeing. In those 29 hours, I:

    Rediscovered the pleasure of cleaning my own space. Ate without distraction. Spent uninterrupted time with family. Fixed small hazards I’d been ignoring, like moldy shower curtains.

    And in doing all of that, I noticed something bigger: stepping away recharges more than your body. It clears the mental fog that makes even your own words feel heavy.

    The Long-Term Challenge

    So now I’m staring at the future — at the blank screen of tomorrow. And that’s okay. The uncertainty isn’t failure; it’s possibility. It’s permission to explore, experiment, and figure out what resonates, both for me and for the people who quietly follow this corner of the internet.

    I don’t need to have the answers today. I just need to keep showing up — sometimes writing, sometimes resting, sometimes reflecting — and trusting that both the quiet readers and the new ones will find value in the journey.

    Reflection & Call to Action

    Maybe you’ve felt the same way: the fatigue, the pressure to produce, the moment where even your own passion feels foreign. You’re not alone. Rest isn’t giving up. Uncertainty isn’t failure. Both are part of creating sustainably.

    If this resonates with you, drop a comment, share your own experiences, or subscribe to follow along. Every interaction helps others find this little corner of the internet, and reminds us that creativity, rest, and reflection can coexist.

    Keep showing up. Keep exploring. Keep letting the blank pages teach you what matters next.

    My Thanks to All Who Found Themselves Here at the End

    Thank you for taking the time to read this post from the beginning to end. You could have spent your time doing anything else, but you chose to spend it here in this little pocket of the internet with me.

    I’d like to share with all you readers a few things that I’ve made that you can check out at anytime curiosity strikes.

    No pressure, no guilt, just for whenever you feel like looking into the gifts I’ve prepared here.

    Other Posts You Could Check Out

  • Challenge Unlocked: Taking a 24 Hour Break From Writing (and My Blog Stats)

    “Can I really take 24 hours off from writing? In this personal challenge, I test myself to rest, resist checking my blog stats, and reflect on the grip of consistency. Join me as I push against burnout and redefine what balance means for a writer.”

    Welcome — However You Found Your Way Here

    How Long Before I Crack?

    In about three of my earlier posts,

    I talked about finally giving myself time to rest my mind — and my iPad — from writing. I wanted to let go of the insistent need to publish consistently, and, because I didn’t do that, I’m taking escalating measures for myself.

    There’s something that scratches a part of my brain when I look at my stat cards and see blue fully coloring each month. It signals that I’ve been able to write and publish consistently, as though someone is holding a gun to my head. But that “someone” is just me. The gun is metaphorical. I don’t need this pressure.

    Time is not anyone’s friend — wealthy or destitute, charming or awkward, caffeine-addicted or caffeine-averse, healthy or sickly — we are all on borrowed time. Even though the title says “24 hours,” that’s simply a goalpost, not the goal itself. The real challenge is broken down hour by hour: Am I able to make it through the first hour? The second? Can I push it to three?

    I’ve been able to wean myself off soda for 18 years: first cold turkey for one week, then gradually reducing intake week by week until I stayed clean for nearly two decades. If I could do that with a highly carbonated, sugary drink, maybe I can do the same with my writing.

    The Challenge

    Let me tell you, kicking myself off of any screen is a vastly different beast than no longer drinking soda.

    Starting the moment I publish this post, I will take at least 24 hours completely off writing. During this time, I will not:

    • Write anything new for my blog or anywhere else
    • Check my WordPress/Jetpack stats or any tracking apps

    If I crack and publish anything other than reflections about this challenge, I will face a penalty from my Penalty Roulette (see below). The penalty is designed to be visceral enough to make me hesitate before breaking the rule, but still safe and within my boundaries.

    I’ve Cracked From Other Challenges

    I’m not saying that I’m some disciplined guru who’s motivated every day. I’ve struggled to make it through the first few days, even the first few hours, because my brain is recognizing a break in routine.

    If it’s nice enough, then my brain won’t spiral out of control and call me a “useless, worthless failure who can’t do anything right”. So cheerful, I know.

    However, that is the point of trying something out anyways—to gauge where my baseline of energy is and to see how long I can last.

    This is a simple little challenge, not the Spartan runs or those Death Valley marathons. When I read about these things I wanted to do a Spartan run, and I’m deathly terrified for the people doing those Death Valley runs, so not exactly my cup of tea, but to each their own, right?

    Penalty Roulette

    Anywho, if I break the rules, I will roll a die (which I totally have being the nerd I am) to assign one of the following penalties:

    Number

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    6

    7

    8

    Penalty

    Cold Shower

    Hated Chore

    Wall-sit

    Digital detox

    Tedious task

    Mental rage

    Mini habit reset

    Observation drill

    Duration

    2-3 minutes

    Deep cleaning

    1-2 minutes

    2-3 hours added

    Fold/wash/walk

    What I hate…

    Return to habit

    Stare at a thing

    Roll once if I crack; penalties are done immediately. If I crack multiple times, roll multiple times and do all assigned penalties consecutively.

    A Reflection for Fellow Archivists

    I know it might sound strange to plan a challenge about not doing something I normally love. But there’s value in testing my discipline, my patience, and my relationship with my own habits. The hours I spend away from writing will be a conscious exercise in rest, curiosity, and self-respect.

    If you’re reading this, I’d love your silent support while I attempt this challenge. You don’t need to comment, like, or interact — just knowing someone else out there is aware helps.

    Although, liking, sharing, subscribing, and just checking out the archives would help grow this little corner of the internet for other Weary, Wondering, and Wandering curious Fellow Archivists to find.

    Mostly to have a place to potentially feel seen, to not perform for, to explore someone else’s journey in the middle while exploring your own, and not needing to feel pressured to fit into something that doesn’t fit for you.

    This is also an invitation to reflect:

    • do you give yourself space to rest without guilt?
    • Or do you feel like there’s always a “goal” to chase?

    Maybe you can try it too, and notice what happens when you step away from your own routine for a short period.

    I hit “publish” now. Let the first hour begin.

    Gifts From Me to You

    Thank you for being here and present with me. Before I take my leave, I’d like to share with you a few things I’ve made that you are welcome to check out:

    Thank you again. I’ll see you all at the end of this personal resting period. Wish me luck!

    — The Stratagem’s Archive