One of the many places I applied to write blog posts for responded with a form-letter-email rejection today. This is a reminder that rejection is built in to this process, but it didn’t prepare me for the gut check that rejection always gives a person. “What the hell is wrong with what I wrote?!” –…

This happens to me often: I wake up with no idea of what my day will consist of. Suddenly a whim presents itself that I have to focus on. Everything else becomes completely out of focus and that idea burns bright, completely consuming me. Yesterday that idea was to carve wood so I made an…

It has become increasingly apparent how out of touch with the world I am. I feel as though I’ve been disconnected from the channels that virtually everyone else is locked into. What drives modern society? Politics, celebrities, fashion, sports, finance, etc. None of this interests me. It makes me feel like a pariah because there…

There seem to be countless websites out here telling prospective writers that a quick way to monetize their creativity is to write about writing. Write about the business of writing and how to best navigate those obstacles. When you have zero of the requisite knowledge about the business of writing, it is impossible to write…

In my opening research of the gigs available to entry-level writers, I am noticing recurring themes. For blog writing, it is all about making sure to cleverly disguise all of the keywords the client needs in their posts. They are telling you what to write, but not how to write it. Since these are, albeit…

Since my dad passed away in February, I’ve been writing a fictionalized version of the events he had to live through. I wasn’t able to occupy his mind or body during the two months he was in the hospital. This much is obvious. But it is my intention to give him a proper eulogy through…

In my search for writing gigs, a problem of conscience comes up. If I start writing content aimed at directing traffic and adding eyeballs to sales material, am I a part of the problem? Does my contribution to this meaningless traffic undercut any inherent value my writing has in the future? Or do I just…

Since I’ve decided to pursue my future in writing, it occurs to me how little I know. Thankfully I enjoy researching. I believe we are always better off for having learned new things and this is no exception. As with so many potential directions, it can be hard to know where to begin. Since I…

It is a fact that has been with me for most of my adult life that I pushed under the rug of practicality: I am a writer. This is what I am meant to be doing. It is what I am best at and it is truly fulfilling every time. It has a fair share…

Authenticity isn’t cheap:It’ll cost you friendships. It’ll cost you marriages. It’ll cost you extra time to explain even the most innocuous comment. It’ll cost you in very real world terms, financially. Starving artists are nothing, if not authentic. The first duty is to be authentic to yourself. This may reveal that you’re lying to yourself…