It's with a conflicted heart that I write this post. I've been dreading it for some time (hence the lack of activity for the past week or so). After four and a half years, I've decided to close down Ugly Overload.
This blog has brought me a lot of fulfillment. In the end, though, I need to let it go to pursue my true passion. Daily blogging takes its toll, and I've found that my novel writing has suffered for it. If I'm to become a full time novelist, then I need to set this blog aside. It hurts, and it isn't a pleasant decision, but it's the right one.
Ugly Overload has accomplished far more than I ever thought it would. It's been featured on CNN, Southwest Airline's in-flight magazine, BoingBoing, Mental Floss, I Am Bored, and national radio. I've been a guest blogger for PBS Nature, and I've made a lot of contacts in the nature blogging world. So many of you have featured UgO on your own blogs and sites, and I'm honored. Most of all, it's been you readers that have made this blog so much fun. Ugly animals and infotainment only get you so far if you don't have people showing up to read and comment. It's you readers that I'll miss the most.
I plan on doing a few more posts to clear out some of my inbox. I've got hundreds of photos set aside for use and oodles of unsifted submissions. I can't possible get to them all, but I'll get to some.
I've had big plans for this blog, including complete site overhauls, calendars, merchandising, and all that. In the end, I just don't have enough time to do it all justice, not and become the novelist I want to be.
So what will happen to Ugly Overload? What about all this free content, with more than 1,600 posts? I've debated that for some time. I've thought of passing the reins on to someone else--all you readers who submit are already co-producers. In the end I imagine I'll just leave it in place as a repository of ugly animals. It's actually quite a resource and a collaborative creation that I'm very proud of.
Thanks for all the great memories. I'll miss posting here, but I've already had a taste of what it's like to be able to focus on my writing, and it's wonderful.
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48 comments:
The ugly overload blog has been great!
Best of luck with the novels!
Good luck in your writing. Thank you for creating this wonderful website.
I wish you well with your novel! You're entering a very competitive world. Don't get discouraged, OK?
And PLEASE don't hit DELETE on your blog! We don't want spammers picking it up and desecrating what you have done in 4.5 years!
we are gonna miss you :-[
Thanks for sharing this part of your life. I'll miss your news on my feed reader.
NNNOOO! Oh, this is too sad! I'm almost crying. I will miss this so much, but I wish you luck with everything in the future. Thank you for the amazing blog.
Thanks for sharing such a great site with us all. Good luck with your future writing. :)
Would it be possible to pass the reins to a team of readers? I know that while I would not be able to do daily stuff, I would be more than willing to be part of a team helping to keep this site up. This site is just too good to let die.
Regardless of your decision, thank you for taking the time to make the world a bit uglier (sometimes, it needs it)
So sorry to hear this! UO has probably done more than any other blog to introduce non-scientists to a wealth of organisms that they would have never otherwise encountered.
Best of luck with your writing. And if you change your mind, we'll still be here!
cheers,
Neil
I will miss new posts but I'm glad you're leaving the archives up! Maybe someday when your novel is done you'll come back? Good luck w/everything, and thank you!
Thanks for everything you've done, this blog has really opened my eyes up to the world and shown me amazing things I never would have seen otherwise.
Good luck with the novel...maybe someday we subscribers will wake up to discover a surprise post about your new published novel.
I don't know how much more I can add to the great comments that you have already received, so I just thank you. I really got a lot out of this blog and I'll miss it. But you just go out and be the best darn novel writer you can. I especially hope you'll let us all know when the first one is done.
I am going to miss your posts. Good luck with everything!
You will be quite missed. Honored that I got to help this blog along at least a little.
Good luck with everything you do with your life :)
We'll miss having a daily dose of your wit! Best of luck with your other writing endeavors.
Thank YOU. Thanks for updating with interesting and (most of the time) scientific posts. You've had a great run!
Sorry to see it go, but not sorry to hear you've come to the realization that you have to put the novel writing first, not second (or last). I've had many things sidetrack me over the years, but you hit on exactly the reason why I can never keep up with a daily blog, or even updating every couple of days. FB has done all right by me-- I can manage a line or two every day or so, but it's an effort to keep it from becoming addictive. And yes, Wes and I even had our own high-maintenance website project that we worked on for over a year, it started to dwindle, and eventually we had to just shut it down. Best of luck -- your blog always showed you were a great writer. So now let's see it in novel form!
Best of luck on your new road in life!
Oh, paca poo! No! No! No! No! No!
Bummer. I wish you luck!
Thanks so much for this - I have enjoyed it immensely, and it has added many new loveably ugly animals to my life.
Best of luck with your other projects!
Nooooooo. This is terrible, terrible news.
Nevertheless, good luck with your novel and other work.
Noooooo!!!!!!
I think the suggestion above by Tom to turn the blog over to a team of readers is an excellent one. I too would not be able to make a daily commitment, but I would be honored to join a team dedicated to carrying on the blog's mission. I will email Raging Wombat about this. Who else is in?
You're a talented writer, and I've enjoyed this blog immensely, though I've never commented. I'm very sad to see you go and do hope you'll keep the site active for the archives (and to let us know when the novel is ready for us to read).
Best of luck to you!
I've kept your blog in my feed reader for some years now, just for the cold shiver down the spine as yet another disgusting beast scrolls by. I totally appreciate the concept, and the effort you've put into this.
And finally, "Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.i'm so sorry to send so many links in your blog comment.but this is my job,i have no idea"
Thanks for the awesome blog, it stands out from the crowd. Post an update when your novel is done?
Good luck with the novel, thanks for the blog, and how about 'Ugly Overload - the book' once your novel is finished?
Best of luck, and thanks for the creation!
Hopefully we can get someone nearly as enthusiastic to continue with the same concept someplace else; ugly animals do deserve their place in the spotlight.
while i'm sad to see you're discontinuing it, i appreciate your work here. this has been one of my favorite blogs to visit, and the ONLY one to showcase some of my favorite not-so-pleasant animules.
thanks for your time and work. good luck in your future endeavors. :)
Can't wait to read the novel. Your wife had lots of good to say about it. Happy writing!
Waaaaaaaa! So sad to see Ugly Overload becoming dormant! I so totally love this blog. Thank you, Wombat, for all the great work you have done. I will totally miss all the new facinatingly ugly critters ::sniff:: Good luck on your novel and remember, Santapede is watching you.
Sherry from SofN
Been here every day for a couple of years; thanks for all of the creepy crawlie and strange critters. Looking forward to the novel.
good luck and thank, thank you for every single smile you put on my face
Sell it, give it to someone else, ffs.
I wish you all the best in your writing and am glad you have found the time to devote to your novel, but no, no, no....I am losing my favorite blog.
You have done a great job at giving ugly animals their day in the sun.
At least you could give us a clue about what your novel's subject matter (crosses fingers and prays that it is about ugly animals).
Aw, you will be missed.
Good luck with your future plans!
Thank you. I'll miss this blog intensely. I'd like to second those who suggest turning it over to a small group to keep posting.
Oh, man... :'{ I'm sad to see you end this blog, but fulfilling your dream is more important. Best of luck to you, Wombat! :)
Awww. I'm disappointed to not see your great posts anymore, but I'm happy for you to be working on something that obviously means so much to you.
Thanks for giving me so many reasons to smile at ugly animals!!
Best of Luck!
I'll really miss the blog and your writing, but I wish you the best of luck with your novel! I have the same dream myself, so it's not difficult to understand why you have to make this choice.
:(
I'm going to miss you, my fellow arachnophobe! Thanks for the journey so far!
Never posted a comment before, although I've been a fan for a long time. I check this site almost daily, definatly every week. It has shown me many interesting animals and gave me loads of laughs. But if this is the end, I feel the least I can do is thank you for that. Hate to see it go, but I don't blame you at all. I've enjoyed your website very much while it lasted.
SO fuck all those good looking animals, ugly animals are the way to go.
Thank you very much and good luck on your book.
- Jelmer van Groningen
I am really grateful for all the work you have done in creating and maintaining this magnificent blog! I check almost dally and have consistently been amazed by the "ugly." Sorry to hear you won't be posting. Best of luck in your ventures and, again, thank you!
So sorry to hear you're not going to post anymore, but I'm an advocate of following the heart, and if your heart is leading you away from Ugly Overload, then that's where you should go. I've enjoyed catching up on your blog and becoming desensitized to the uglies of the planet. That's a good thing, believe me! Good luck with everything!
I'm sorry you're not going to continue writing the blog, but I wish you every success in your writing. Cheers, good luck, and may wonderful things come your way!
sad!!!
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