[Recent Updates Newsletter] Vol. 5 Seeking Big Eater Hunters! ~How about a 'Monster Omelet Rice Set' and an 'Extra-Large Hamburg Steak Set' for 300 yen?~

Good evening, this is Mizuka.

I am a dad spending every day with my 5-year-old (middle-year preschooler) daughter, my 1.5-year-old daughter, and my wife.

I live a life where I unravel the little snags of daily life with children by writing on note.

1. The 'October Reflection Note (Monthly Report)' is complete

This week, the night before last, I was able to publish the "October Reflection Note (Monthly Report)".

I think this one is fun content too, so I would love for many people to read it, not just those who feel they are 'slow-paced creators'.

As I mentioned in the "Recent Updates Newsletter Vol. 4" I posted last Thursday,

although I was enthusiastic when I started writing, thinking 'This time it will go smoothly!', once I actually started working on it, the flow of my thoughts just didn't fit, and my hands stopped many times right away.

However, a few days have passed since then, and I have finally been able to sort out the cause for myself.

To start with the conclusion, there was an outrageous 'misalignment' at the root of that discomfort, and because I was trying to write while leaving it unaddressed, I think the gears in my brain kept rattling.

And this time, by somehow noticing that 'misalignment,' I reached the decision that I needed to significantly rethink the very structure of the 'Reflection Note (Monthly Report)'.

From here on, I will dig a little deeper into that realization.

2. The decisive difference between the 'August Reflection' and the 'September Reflection'

The trigger for noticing the first 'misalignment' was when I happened to be looking at a paid article by another creator.

I thought, 'Huh?! Everyone has quite a low word count.' (No, actually, it's probably the right amount. My sense of it was just off.)

When I roughly checked the market rate for paid articles on note, it seems like it's around '100 yen per 1,000 characters for the paid section'.

Of course there are exceptions, but at the very least, I hardly saw any 'extremely heavy' articles.

I see.

The first 'reflection note (August monthly report)' I posted in September had about 2,500 characters in the paid section for 300 yen.

Compared to the market rate, that was a fairly reasonable balance.

However, this wasn't intentional; it just turned out that way as a result.

Since I only had numbers from a short period of about three weeks since I started posting on note, I naturally spent less time pondering 'my own numbers,' and as a result, the focus ended up being on organizing 'my own changes outside of the numbers'.

However, the problem was what came next.

The 'September reflection note (monthly report)' was over 15,000 characters in total.

Of that, the paid section alone was over 13,000 characters.

And the price remained 300 yen.

Thinking about it calmly, this is an 'outrageous combo meal'.

Because the content,

(1) A reflection on September based on access status (a little over 9,000 characters)
(2) The reason why essays gave me the power to continue (a little over 4,000 characters)

was a two-part structure.

Looking back on it now, this was completely

a state where I was offering a 'Monster Omelet Rice Set' and
an 'Extra-Large Hamburg Steak Set'

at the same time for 300 yen... (There are takeout containers, but it's like, 'You absolutely have to order the Omelet Rice Set and the Hamburg Steak Set as a pair!')

Of course, there was the intention of "since it's the beginning, I'll test how far I can go," and it was an article I put a lot of heart into myself.

However, when thinking about the experience from the reader's perspective, it's just too heavy no matter how you look at it.

I naturally arrived at the conclusion that "this should have been split into two parts..."

And I felt that this excessive 'assortment' was the root cause of why the 'flow of thought didn't fit'.

3. Decided to significantly change the model for the October issue

With that said, for this "October Review Note (Monthly Report)", I took the plunge and significantly revised the structure.

First, I broke down the content that was previously included in one article by its role.

I decided to keep only the "considerations for organizing and accepting 'changes in my own numbers'," which was originally treated as 'Part 1,' in the monthly report, and to spin off the other content as a separate series.

That is where the new series, "Note Exploration Records" is born.

In this series, I plan to write about 'changes and realizations other than numbers,' and I'm thinking of setting the price range at roughly '100 yen per 1,000 characters'.

I will write and post my usual "parenting essays" and "parenting live reports" themed around "child-rearing" and "days spent with children,"

read articles by other creators, and interact with them,

I will grow it into a place where I can record the "flavorful things" I feel and realize by "exploring the world of note" in that way.

Meanwhile, the monthly report will remain fixed at 300 yen.

By limiting the scope, it becomes clear to all readers what kind of note this is, and it also makes it easier for me to organize my own thoughts.

And I am preparing to post the first installment of the 'Note Exploration Records' around next week.

Instead, this month, I will be taking a break from the learning-focused parenting essays that take up so much time and energy.

I intend to make this a month to take a deep breath and adjust my writing rhythm.

4. Regarding the problem of the word count growing anyway

Well, this 'Recent Updates Vol. 5' has also, as usual, become long before I realized it.

Before I started writing, I thought, 'It would be nice if I could keep it to about 1,500 characters,' but I broke through that limit in no time.

It seems I have a habit of letting my writing grow whenever I have the urge to explain things carefully.

However, thanks to this series of realizations, I was able to face the issue of 'excessive word count' once again.

Sometimes, instead of just reducing the volume, it might be a good method to ensure readability by separating roles.

And I will weave my writing while periodically being conscious of 'which box should the content I am writing now go into?'

By organizing the form of my output in that way, I hope to cultivate a style that is more sustainable for both my readers and myself.

I would be happy if you could continue to keep me company in a relaxed and laid-back manner.

See you later.

[Bonus]
I have a 'Mitene' widget on my tablet's home screen, and my concentration is constantly broken by the photos and videos of my children from the past that pop up there every time with a 'On this day X years ago' notification... I mean, they're just so cute.

This is a magazine that collects articles reflecting on my progress and future plans regarding the note posts I started in August 2025, presented in the form of a monthly report that also touches on actual access data. ↓

↓ This is a magazine that collects 'Learning-focused Parenting Essays' written while I write my daily [Parenting Essays], occasionally weaving in lessons learned from books, video content, and articles by other note creators.