Rhi Axtell – Writer

Happy Halloween!

But let’s be real here, what we are all really celebrating is the end of Blogtober 2024! If you’re a fellow blogger who has reached this milestone with me – congratulations! Take a breath, sit with me, let’s enjoy the view from the top of this mountain of success.

(Also, yes, the title is a reference to Agatha All Along which had its season finale today and I loved it).

Which leads me onto the question:

How was Blogtober for you?

I promised a reflective blog post yesterday so here we are. Are you sitting comfortably? Let’s get started.

Blogtober was a long one. After deciding to do it on 30th September – far too late to be making that decision – I entered the challenge woefully unprepared. You probably got that idea around post number 5, where I was already beginning to feel like I was scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Some days were easier than others, as is the nature of life, and overall, I found the ‘one spooky thing a day’ quite difficult to achieve (although in the end, I did manage to find a spooky thing for most days). In future challenges, I might go a little bit broader with my idea, or perhaps actually come with 31 things prepared so I am not desperately groping for ideas at the most tiring time of the day.

I think the lowest point of the challenge was when I told a friend I was doing a blogging challenge and they laughed at me and said, “What is this, the early 2000’s? No one blogs anymore!”

Cue existential crisis ‘why am I doing this’ nearly giving up, etc, etc. (Also, why do my friends talk like the female bully in a teen film?)

Luckily, I am getting better at ignoring people so I didn’t give up. I’m glad I didn’t.

I am actually thrilled that I did Blogtober.

It was fun – I was surprised to find I learnt a lot about myself along the way. I didn’t realise how much ‘spooky’ things have influenced me growing up. But horror and spooky things have been part of my life from the books I read, to the words I wrote, to the choices I made.

I also learnt from other people, reading their blogs. One notable person obviously being Jennifer Moore – artist and bird extraordinaire. I bought your book, Jennifer! It fits perfectly in my pocket when I am out and about.

Would I do Blogtober again? Yes! Why not?

I’ll probably do Bloganuary at the start of 2025 – not with a spooky theme, obviously. Maybe with themes closer to what this blog is supposed to be about: Creative Writing and counselling training (didn’t expect that, did you? I haven’t mentioned counselling training in a while!).

I guess all that is left to say is thank you for sticking with me for the last month. It’s been a journey. I’ll try to keep posting once a week but who knows what about.

I do. I know what it will be about. I learning, see?

See you in November!