Farewell, NaBloPoMo, a tradition on this blog

Normally, I would post this month's Nablopomo theme, as I've done ever since March 2011, when I posted April 2011's theme of Sprout.   That's not going to happen this month or any month until next November, not as a Nablopomo theme.  I'll let Melissa Ford of BlogHer explain in What's Next After #NaBloPoMo? Introducing the BlogHer Writing Lab.

Big changes are underway for lovers of #NaBloPoMo! Like NaNoWriMo, #NaBloPoMo will now own November and only November. But that doesn't mean NaBloPoMo is disappearing during the other eleven months of the year. Oh, no. It's only getting better.

What's Staying the Same

We will still create a monthly theme for you to take or leave as you wish. Each month, I'll post about the theme and give you ideas on ways you can embrace it. December's theme post will go up on December 1st.

There will still be daily prompts on weekdays, and I will be posting those prompts on BlogHer at the beginning of the month so you can work ahead if you choose.

There will still be a monthly newsletter sending along links and important information.

What's Changing

We're getting rid of the blogroll, except for the month of November. "But how will I join along, Melissa?" you ask. Keep reading below. We hope this new system has made it easier to drop in and out as time permits.

We'll only have monthly badges during November's #NaBloPoMo.

Brand New

First and foremost, the name. While we'll retain the name #NaBloPoMo for the November challenge, daily prompts during the other eleven months now exist as the BlogHer Writing Lab.

The name embodies everything we hope this project will be. We're excited to build up the community aspect of the #NaBloPoMo you know and love, making this experience ten times more interactive.

So, no more blogroll or monthly badges.  There will still be writing prompts, but they'll be on Facebook.  Since I've been ignoring most of them, that will probably continue.  Instead, I'm more enamored with a particular paragraph about what Melissa wants participants to do.

We want you to write about current events and figure out how to record the world around you. In other words, process the things happening in your world with words and images.

That's what I do here every day anyway.  It's about time that I participate in a program that encourages exactly that.

The ironic thing about the BlogHer Writing Lab is the first theme: December 2015 BlogHer Writing Lab Theme Is Tradition.

Listen, we get it. NaBloPoMo was your monthly tradition. But once you get over the name change for months other than November, you'll see that the best parts of NaBloPoMo are still here on a monthly basis. It's only gotten better!
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We hope that BlogHer Writing Lab becomes your new monthly tradition, or really, your new daily tradition. Because blog post ideas pop up daily, but you need to be around to catch them.

This month, the set daily prompts concern traditions: starting new ones, celebrating old ones, and figuring out why you do what you do, year after year after year. In addition, we'll be throwing out extra prompt ideas over in the Facebook group, both about traditions and life in general.

Farewell NaBloPoMo, hello BlogHer Writing Lab!  As the description says, "Let's start a new tradition!"