FAWM Thoughts (pt 2)

Last time I looked at things I got right. This time  - what I got wrong

I didn't really have a proper exit strategy

FAWMing is like living on another planet for a month. Writing songs 24/7 becomes such a way of life that on March 1st the natural response is to either stop dead and not pick up a guitar for 6 months or try to keep going at the same breakneck pace. I needed more than just a vague plan as to what I was going to do next including

• What am I gonna do with all these songs I've written? Let 'em lie fallow for a month or two? Rerecord? Play 'em live? (Maybe I should have some gigs already lined up for March then…)
• What am I going to write in Mar? (Writing a small amount of something is a good idea, even if it just functions as a sort of mental 'warm-down')
• How am I gonna pick up all my dropped balls (that sounds so wrong). What am I gonna put in the diary to reconnect with family and friends. How am I gonna decompress? Two week supply of Tequlia? Watch an entire season of 24 back to back?

I didn't buy hosting

I used my box.net account which worked fine but meant the songs didn't automatically appear in FAWM's streaming jukebox. There are other free sites that would have done it, but the FAWMfathers provide a great service and all proceeds go towards running the site (less the 10% that goes to charity). And on that topic...

I didn't give enough money

You're always wary of giving online, I donated $10 but $35ish would have gotten me free hosting, a mug, a CD of previous highlights, a llama and given some much needed support for this excellent site.

I wasn't prepared enough

January would have been the best time to gather song starts, contact potential collaborators, find my way around the site etc

I didn't have a clear personal finish line

Mainly because I assumed I'd scrape 14 songs at best. When I shot past the goal I had no idea when, why or how to stop. By the evening of the 28th I was raving about 24 being a nice round number like a delirious gibbering maniac.

Next time - part: the final - what I learned

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