Thoughts About the Last Four Years of The Update

Has it really been four years? In 2011, I was a struggling attorney trying to find a full-time job. I was working on various temporary document review projects, making decent money, but without any real security (plus the work was boring as hell). I was living in a small apartment with my wife that was starting to feel cramped. Worst yet, I was actually pretentious enough to call myself a writer. What did I write about? Nothing, nada, zilch.

Of course, people would ask what I would write about, but I would only tell them about the "ideas" I had because I had nothing concrete to share with them. It took one my fellow contract attorneys, however, to finally utter the fateful words that set me on my current path: "You can't call yourself a writer if you don't write anything."

He was absolutely right. If I was going to continue to call myself a writer, I needed to start writing...but what should I write about? Well I liked alternate history, so I started writing about that. I created Alternate History Weekly Update as means to force myself to write on a regular basis, even if it only meant I was just talking about the news or reviewing other people's work. It was a way to keep me writing and it made me focus on improving my abilities (or lack thereof).

Now four years have gone by and I am eternally grateful for all the opportunities this blog has given me. I have been a panelist at conventions, read a lot of interesting books I otherwise would never have picked up, I have been a guest on one of my favorite podcasts, I traveled to Britain just to talk about alternate history and I got to interview the master of alternate history himself, Harry Turtledove. Most importantly, I am finally a published author. All of this means I don't have to feel like I am lying anymore when I call myself a writer.

I admit there have been times I have thought about closing this blog down. Despite all of the opportunities it has given me, it isn't paying the bills. I did find that full-time job I was looking for and as my career progresses, my amount of free time decreases. On top of that my wife and I are thinking of trying to have children again. As I sit trying to write this next sentence I find I can't even think of the words to describe the pain we felt when we lost our Geraldine. It almost broke me.

Nevertheless, we survived. We still love each other and we still want a family. A new child would mean even less time to blog, but I don't think I will ever truly leave this place. Along with the aforementioned opportunities, the friends I made talking about alternate history on the Internet helped me cope. I have found alternate historians to be some of smartest, interesting and supportive people in this world and I am happy that my ramblings and rants have been found acceptable by them.

I have no idea what the future holds. Maybe I will create that ultimate alternate history website I have talked about in the past. Maybe I will focus on making more videos for my YouTube channel. Maybe I will try to publish some more of my original fiction. Who knows? Right now I am just trying to have fun and not worry too much about the future.

In the end, thank you all for being part of this crazy experiment.

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Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. Check out his short fiction. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.