The Evolution of a Name: Gatlinburg NOW

I started writing about Gatlinburg in 2015. I had no idea what I really wanted to gain from it. It was clear how much we already loved Gatlinburg after four short years of visiting. Looking back, I really didn’t know very much about our favorite vacation spot. There were roads we hadn’t traveled, places we hadn’t visited, and knoweledge we lacked. But I started writing anyway. Here is a brief explanation of how it started and how it’s evolving.

I’ll get right to the name first. Gatlinburg NOW was something that just popped in my head, to be honest. I remember thinking that it sounded like what I wanted it to be: updates (“N”ews) about happenings in Gatlinburg, while still letting people know I was just another tourist from Ohio. In fact, to this day, I will occasionally get some confusion when I post pictures from years ago, but that’s okay. I try to let people know it’s not recent, and I’ve started posting on social media the month and year it was taken.

The “O” in NOW is opinion. It is a bit filtered, but I wanted to be honest without being negative in a way that hurt local businesses in town. They are the lifeblood of the community, and I’d like to see more local shops and eateries and less fancy chains, but I digress. This is funny because I didn’t have many readers, so who was I going to offend if nobody was viewing it anyway. Basically, it was reviews of our experiences I felt essential for the few people who were.

Finally, the “W” is wonder. It’s what dazzled us from the very first visit—The Smoky Mountains. It’s also what’s kept us and many others traveling to the area every single year. The wonder of the mountains keeps calling, and now (no pun intended) that we will be calling it home, it’s only fitting. It’s served as the foundation of our trips, despite the fact we’ve found many other activities we enjoy in Gatlinburg.

Wordpress was my home on the internet for seven years, but now I’ve found a home on Substack. I have absolutely no regrets. It’s simplistic, and I like the fact it’s a subscription service that puts the writer in charge of their content. Creative freedom is encouraged, and building an audience of active readers via email has been wonderful.

Gatlinburg NOW will always be Gatlinburg News, Opinion, and Wonder, but NOW (sorry) it will also mean keeping you updated with current pictures of this lovely tourist town, and perspectives from a local, instead of a visitor from Ohio. Check my Facebook Page (also, A Gatlinburg NOW Publication here on Substack) to see the latest happenings in visual form. I love bringing this to all of you, since it seems to bring most of you a little more happiness to your day. The feeling is mutual, and I plan to keep it that way. Thank you for joining me on this journey! I can’t wait for this new edition of my Page and Publication!