Today, Substack confirmed that I have published every week for the past 52. Yes, this my one-year anniversary.

My first post, in which I introduce myself, has the title, “Yes,  dammit, I’m a Wordsmith. ”I began with an anecdote in which a lawyer once said during a deposition, “Joan Livingston is a wordsmith. She knows how to use words.”

I laugh still how that lawyer attempted to use my writing against me. I can hear his voice, pronouncing ‘wordsmith’ like ‘arsonist’ or ‘murderer.’ But truthfully, I was flattered.

I use a number of social media sites, largely to connect with readers, writers, and, of course, family and friends. But Substack is my favorite largely because people put a lot of thought into what they write.

Some I have stayed with since the start. Others I try out, especially if they subscribe to mine, to see if what they post interests me. I am not a fan of A-I enhanced photos, long posts, or people who barrage me with posts. Among my favorites is the author Sherman Alexie. I have read nearly all of his books and smile when he responds to my comments, sometimes even more than a “Thank you, Joan.” I also look forward to what Frederick Fullerton, an author who I have known since college, writes.

Over the year, I’ve created 83 posts. Some weeks I published twice, but most often, once, usually on Friday or the weekend. Even after a year, though, I am still learning all of its features. I’d like to add audio and video, for instance.

What do I write about? Writing, of course, and the books I create, including details about the characters and inspiration. Then there are personal experiences, including travels. (The image above is a tiled mural I saw in São Miguel, Azores.) I stay away from politics, an old habit from my days as a journalist when I kept my opinions to myself on social media

Then there is the series I call Hilltown Postcards. In those, I share my experiences moving from Boston to the sticks of Western Massachusetts and how we “stupid city folks” learned our way around this rural area. I have plenty more to write about, including stories about interesting people. In some instances, the names have been changed to protect me from the guilty.

Among the most popular Hilltown Postcards is “Friday Night at Liston’s.” My husband Hank and I went there to dance — and Liston’s is indeed the inspiration for an important but fictional bar in my Isabel Long Mystery Series.

It’s 9-something on a Friday night, and the band is into the first set at Liston’s. The tables are filled so Hank and I sit at the bar, a good idea because the band bought larger speakers since the last time we heard them.

Another popular Hilltown Postcard is: “When a Potato Field Goes Barren,” about the troubles experienced by the town’s largest landowner, who was elusive to me when I was a reporter until he needed my help.

For decades, the town of Worthington could set its calendar by what was happening at Albert Farms. In the spring, when the ground was warm and dry enough, seed potatoes were planted in its fields. The plants sprouted, grew, and blossomed. In summer the farmworkers cultivated the fields and later in the season, sprayed a chemical to kill the vines that left a stink in the air.

Every week Substack sends an email about how many weeks in a row I have published. “That’s longer than 95% of writers. Keep your streak and start your next draft.” I took the challenge, even while visiting Madeira and São Miguel, Azores, making sure they ran while I was gone.

When I returned and wrote about my adventures in those islands, I honored subscribers’ request to write about the food we ate. Here’s how “Cozinha de Madeira e Azores” starts:Quero um pastel de nata. Translation: I want a pastel de nata. That’s an egg custard tart I consumed, uh, several times, on our family’s recent trip to Madeira and São Miguel, Azores.

I currently have 221 subscribers. That’s not a lot compared to those Substacks to which I subscribe, but I genuinely appreciate each one, especially those who have pledged payments even though I don’t have a paid option. (I’m working up to that option and deciding how I could reward those who want to pay for posts while offering free ones.)

Would I like a lot more subscribers? Of course, and soon I will be launching incentives to make that happen. Stay tuned.