It’s December! It’s time for a recap/update email! I really do want to start posting updates regularly, but time just often gets away from me and before I know it, it’s been 3 months since my last update. Or in this case I think it’s been 4ish… If I remember correctly, I’ve only done 2 official updates this year, which is about 10 less than I really intended to do. I honestly do mean to post a monthly update/recap but as I said, time tends to get away from me. I promise I’ll try and do better next year. But right now, it’s this year, and I’m here to give you an update/recap for the year.

First up, a recap. I’ve made many changes and updates to the website this year, and I hope to get many more done next year. I’ve been working on trying to increase the “value” of the NLLB website, and I’ve been trying to find contributors to that end. I’d love to find some online resources for the DDLG community that I can reference or link to from the NLLB site, though what I’d love to do more is make NLLB into the resource that people want to go to, or find when looking for information. I would love to make NLLB the place people come to to find out things, and get information on the things they want to know or learn about in the DDLG community. Any and all help on this front is appreciated.

I’ve also made huge strides in updating and using the NLLB Discord server, a big thanks to all those who have joined up and helped out in that regard.

Along the same lines, I have also been remembering to use the other social stuff as well. The Activity Packets are posted to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram profiles, though those are mostly just used to boost the spread of the Activity Packet right now. Only a few followers on those, and oddly enough most of the followers are actually on the Facebook page. I have been remembering to post the Activity Packets to other Discord servers though I do try to remember to post them to Our server first, before the other servers get them. I have also been posting the Activity Packets to our Patreon page, and our new Reddit page to help spread the NLLB name, though the Patreon is more of just a way that people can support the project than a place to get the packet, though there are perks on Patreon for people supporting us. The Reddit page is new, so I’ve only been able to put the last few Activity Packets on it, but I have been attempting to be more active in the DDLG community pages, and it’s kinda worked, I’ve had a few people join the NLLB family recently from being seen on Reddit.

All in all, it’s been a very positive year, NLLB is about twice the size this year as it was last year, we’ve gone from 12 subscribers to 23. Which excites me, but I also have to remember to keep in mind this only counts people who actually subscribed to the emails. This doesn’t keep track of people who participate in the activity packets through Discord servers, or get them from the social pages. So I can’t really give an accurate count of how many people actually receive the Packet, all I can say is a minimum of 23 people.

Now for the Update/Upcoming. I kinda went over a little bit of it there in the last section, I’ve added Reddit to the place where the packet is available. I don’t really have a huge “update” other than that. I’ve just been trying to get as much done as I can to “future proof” everything so if I have a bad week or something happens to me I can still release the Packets on time without having to worry about scrambling last minute to get them done. On that note, I’ve told myself I’m going to stick to a more rigid schedule next year, so I have to actually treat this as a “job” mostly. Obviously my IRL job may make that hard, but I have plans to get stuff done next year. For example, my plan for next year is this; 2 days before the “official” (email) release of the packet, they will be made available on the NLLB Discord server (and in theory to Patreon supporters as well). The day before the email is sent, they will be made available to the other Discord servers I’m a part of, which is 3 right now. And then the day of the email, so the 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd, the email will be sent along with the posting officially to the Patreon for non-supporters/followers, Twitter/Facebook/Instagram, Reddit, and anywhere else it currently gets shared to.

One thing I’d really like to do, requires NLLB to be making money, whether it’s from selling something, or from supporters. I’d love to be able to have monthly drawings and be able to give out prizes. Some of my thoughts are gift cards such as: Build-a-Bear, Etsy, Littlest Gift Shop, DDLG Verse, Etc. Or just fun things I pick up at Costco like the Squishmallow Bathbombs, or Mini Squish Packs. I’ve even thought about things like “little packs” where I can just gather a bunch of stuff like coloring books and sticker packs and stuff and put it all in a box and someone can win that. Just little ideas like that to help boost engagement, as well as give another incentive for people to help support us. Just little things like that really, but of course we’re a bit away from that as our financial support from anywhere other than me is basically $0. Lol. But one step at a time right?

I was going to change the posting schedule for 2023, then I decided it would make things unnecessarily complicated, so I left it alone and will continue to do the 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd schedule.

I also have an idea for helping to theme packets a bit more, but I have to get hold of an actual artist and see how much what I want will cost me. I love the idea, and my little helped me come up with it, but I doubt it’s going to be done before the new year, so I will likely put it on the back burner and save it for 2024, but we will see what happens. If I have any significant movement on the project early in the year, I may decide to do it mid way through 2023. I’m also still working on a colorable calendar to sell, but that’s definitely looking like it’s going to be sold for 2024, cause I also have to find an artist I can work with for that as well, which is going to be much more expensive to do, so that’s also a back burner project for when we’re making actual money, though I am still going to look around for artists that can help me out with it and see what their rates are so I can at least plan ahead.

Well I think that’s about it for the update/recap email. Not sure what other info I have to pass along, or to give you about upcoming things. As always everyone, stay safe and stay loved, and I hope you all have a wonderful rest of December and that you all enjoy your upcoming holidays!