It’s half way through 2018. A lot has shifted since setting goals for this year.
The main thing that’s shifted is my professional focus.
Come September, instead of growing my web design business, I will focus on writing and building my writing career. It’s interesting that even as I wrote that last sentence, it felt right to talk of a web design business but not of a writing career. What is it that makes me feel more assured in tacking words like “business” and “career” onto a profession that is more culturally aligned to those descriptors? Is it too presumptuous to want a writing career? What is a writing career anyway?
I’m figuring out what a writing career is to me.
I’ve spent a lot of time on the craft of writing. I’ve spent less time on the business of writing. In college there was no course available (that I knew of) on how to be an artist who makes a living in the world. I’ve learned all I know from my former boss, Architect Ligon Flynn, and my friend, Karin Wiberg of Clear Sight Books (who is also an amazing poet). I’ve filled in the gaps with research, and brainstorming with friends and fellow writers, Suzanne Farrell Smith and Claire Guyton.
New Events Page
In light of my new trajectory, I’ve created an Events page. Not so much putting the cart before the horse–I have three events scheduled through the rest of 2018. I’ve gotta start somewhere, right?
The main reason I created the Events page, is to put into motion this thing that I want to accomplish: public speaking. Whether it is a poetry reading, presenting at a Meetup Group, sitting on a conference panel, or, (as it so happens) giving a sermon, my next professional phase involves speaking in public.
One day I will be facilitating workshops, and speaking at a local TEDx Raleigh or TEDx Greensboro conference. Maybe I end up on the large TEDx stage. Who knows. I’ve accepted over this last while that I have a lot to say. Some of it will be really hard to talk about at first. But all of it is necessary. At least to me. And that’s all anyone has to go on.
Privacy Policy Update
On May 25, 2018 the European Union (EU) put into effect the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for all individuals within the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). The primary goal of the GDPR is, according to Wikipedia, “to give control to citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU.”
To comply with the GDPR, I have a added a Privacy Policy.
If you ever want to opt out of receiving blog posts, just click “Unsubscribe” in the email. I would never sell or give anyone your name or information for any purpose without your consent.
If you’re not signed up and want to, the signup form is below. I’d love to share with you.
Thank You
Thank you for sticking with me as I figure this whole writing career out. The image quotes were a much needed start in putting this blog together. They won’t go away altogether, but there will be more writing involved.
It’s both invigorating and unsettling to have so much experience and expertise under my belt, and still feel like I’m just beginning. Maybe this is what the elders mean when they say they feel younger than their years. As long as we have things to look forward to, goals to accomplish, or dreams to strive for, we get new beginnings. And what is more youthful than new beginnings?
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Awesome!