What is Sputnik Prose?

Welcome to the blog redesign, everyone.

As part of my journey as a writer, I recently decided that I would love to work towards blogging full time. It's an idea that I've been mulling over for a while, and an activity that I truly enjoy working on. While I won't be quitting my day job anytime soon, I am starting to move the blog in a more professional direction.

Don't worry - the tone of my writing will not be changing much. I'm not redesigning my personality, only the architecture of the blog. The blogs that catch my eye have a simple loveliness to them, and that's what I hope to accomplish with the new look, and name.

Why Sputnik Prose? Well, to start, you won't find Work in Progress on a quick Google search. I wanted a name that was not cutesy or gimmicky, but something memorable that made one pause and think. I hope Sputnik Prose can accomplish that.

I brainstormed one evening and came up with some truly hideous blog names, so I put my notebook aside and put myself to bed. In the middle of the night, I groggily wrote down "Peppermint Sputnik", and in the morning, I cast off the "Peppermint" but realized that "Sputnik" was perfect.

It's perfect for a few reasons: Not only was Sputnik 1 the first satellite sent from Earth in 1957, it was also the name of my purple bike when I was a little girl. I've also secretly harbored dreams to be an astronaut for much of my life. Aaron helped supply the missing piece, "Prose", which kept the same alliteration I loved in "Peppermint", without being too saccharine.

Here is my vision for Sputnik Prose.

Blogs are a powerful source of ideas, as well as a glimpse into another person's life. I want to present the lives of Aaron, Hobbes, and myself in a simple, beautiful manner that invites readers in to share their own experiences. I want to be realistic about my own life, in a way that prompts readers not to compare themselves to me and feel lacking (as I have a tendency to feel when I peruse other blogs) but in a way that prompts them to reflect on their own lives.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the new name, design, and mission statement! As always, thank you so much for reading.

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