Dear Friends,
As much as I would love to retire to a mountain cabin with my wife, dogs and computers to do nothing but write beautiful, exciting, moving and inspiring fictional stories, I'm in need of a way to earn some money writing. That may seem like a tall order to some, given that I don't have a journalism degree or experience writing professionally. However, computers and the Internet have opened many more doors to creative types than were available even a decade ago. I've been assured that, not only is it possible for a non-professional to earn money writing, it is in fact happening daily. It is no longer necessary to have college degrees and letters behind one's name to be considered a viable resource of talent; if only because there is so much opportunity available.
The problem is, even though I know what to do and SOME of whom to ask for freelance jobs, I find myself stuck on one particular problem: My professional profile. Ironic, isn't it? I may not need a formal education to be a paid writer but many of those hiring want to know my capabilities before they agree to pay me. The challenge is, even though I can write, I have no professional experience writing.
My training resource tells me that a professional profile can consist of ANY kind of experience but I'm finding it particularly challenging to figure out how my past work and school experience translates into writing skills. I know I have raw talent. I've considered writing example articles to display my natural ability but I'm in need of subject matter.
Here is my request: Respond to this blog with your ideas and suggestions about subjects for example articles as well as ways I can parlay my past experience into something that at least APPEARS to contribute to my writing ability.
Who knows? If I one day become a famous writer, you could see your name printed in my voluminous list of people to whom I owe a debt of gratitude. Any thoughts and ideas are greatly appreciated!
Chip, the Archerfish
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
My awakening and those I have to thank for it
I'm a "late bloomer".
I didn't discover my passion in life until this year, at age 44. That may not seem late to some, especially since we're generally living longer these days. So, you could say I'm blessed to have discovered my passion so EARLY in life.
What is my passion? Writing. Given that so many people seem to have professional writing aspirations, I know it's not a new or original passion but, it's mine. The funny thing is, I've known for some years now that writing in a more or less professional capacity is something I was meant to do, even if I never get a novel (or even a short story) published. It just took me a while to get to a point where I could take consistent action towards my passion and not get derailed by discouragement. There are some people to thank for this, although I still wonder if my acknowledgments will be enough compensation for having dragged them through my frequently hellish emotional landscape. These people stayed with me through times when I felt like the only option was to end my life, melodramatic as that may seem.
My wife, Robin has stood by me for seventeen years of personal and career turmoil and emotional challenges brought on by not learning at a young age how to move successfully through my pain and accomplish my goals - my parents were NOT good emotional role models! Robin has seen me completely stopped and even appearing to move backwards at times through life. Fortunately, she seems to love me too much to give up. She is a wonderful realtor, an animal lover to a fault, incredibly generous, has a great laugh and, even if she doesn't understand me sometimes, she stands by me all the time. She is ever the optimist and, for that and other reasons too numerous for this forum, I will love her until the end of my life.
I met Gavin Anderson ten years ago. With his wife, Pat, he was co-leading a course offered by Landmark Education Corporation (LEC) - the Self-Expression and Leadership Program (SELP). Robin and I clicked right away with Pat and Gavin. We're so close now that we often feel we're in a group marriage, as if such a thing is possible outside of a polygamist compound in Arizona.
Gavin has tried to coach me over the years. Occasionally he's had some success. But the most important thing Gavin has done for me is to be my friend when I was at my worst. He and Pat have led Robin and I through some tough times together, due directly or indirectly to my problems. Man, was I narcissistic! Still, Gavin supports my passion and has stuck by me through the best of times and the worst of times, even doing so through his nearly two-year battle with liver cancer. If I were to design a best friend from qualities I admire in others, I couldn't come close to designing Gavin. Every day, I thank the stars for his presence in my life and pray for his complete healing and freedom.
I met Carol Winkler years ago, during another course offered by LEC that she led. At that time, I held her in such high regard that I found it almost impossible to even talk to her without getting tongue-tied! Last year, though, I completely got how accessible she really is. I was able to take her down from the pedestal and let her stand beside me. She became my personal coach and a great friend. My life hasn't been the same since. Through her and the use of a process called Fluency, I was able to get beyond the self-designed traps I had so skillfully layed for myself over the years. Because of Carol, where I am now is a place of frequent joy, possibility and positive expectancy. My demons aren't dead; rather, they've become subservient to my passion. Carol, my love and respect for you are beyond words. You have shown me who I am and helped me embrace it. I couldn't possibly ask for more than that!
There are others to acknowledge as well because, in fact, everyone in my life - my brothers Steve, Stan and Mike, my old friends, my acquaintances, my business associates and...well, even my dogs...have contributed so much to me that my heart spills over with gratitude. I love you all more than words can say.
Now that I've declared my passion, here are some specifics: I'm open to writing in a number of styles and for a number of purposes. I'm currently studying a program that is both training me and providing me a job bidding forum for freelance writing projects, such as content articles for SEO, webpage content and e-books. I consider that a "bread and butter" project to help me earn a living and give me good training for consistent action. To quote a line from the film, "Throw Momma from the Train": "A writer writes - always!"
However, my deepest and most powerful dream is to write novels and, perhaps, even screenplays. Gavin knows this because he and I have talked about some day collaberating on a screenplay. He has a writing dream as well and has recently taken a correspondence course on writing about one's life. He has a great story to tell!
What kind of novelist am I? Since I'm just now embarking on that venture, it's a little early to know exactly, even though I have several ideas (including a children's book). A couple of years ago, I bought a program from American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) called "Writing for Love & Money: How to become a successful Romance Writer". Because I had yet to overcome the self-limiting beliefs and habits that kept me from pursuing my passion, that course sat in my home office bookshelf until now. I just started my first writing assignment yesterday. I bought that course because, even though romance writing was never really something I thought I would do, there was always an "idea behind the idea" of being a writer: That love - either Romantic or Divine (or both) - would always figure prominently in my future works, even if those works would more rightly be classified as science fiction, fantasies or mysteries. So, while my novel-writing self is still in its infancy, I'm clear that, no matter how one would classify my eventual style, I believe romantic relationships will figure prominently in most all my writing and will frequently set the stage for both character and environmental transformation.
To all those who read and respond to this blog post, your support, encouragement and honest but compassionate critique is welcomed. I may not take it all to heart but it is welcome!
Chip - the Archerfish
I didn't discover my passion in life until this year, at age 44. That may not seem late to some, especially since we're generally living longer these days. So, you could say I'm blessed to have discovered my passion so EARLY in life.
What is my passion? Writing. Given that so many people seem to have professional writing aspirations, I know it's not a new or original passion but, it's mine. The funny thing is, I've known for some years now that writing in a more or less professional capacity is something I was meant to do, even if I never get a novel (or even a short story) published. It just took me a while to get to a point where I could take consistent action towards my passion and not get derailed by discouragement. There are some people to thank for this, although I still wonder if my acknowledgments will be enough compensation for having dragged them through my frequently hellish emotional landscape. These people stayed with me through times when I felt like the only option was to end my life, melodramatic as that may seem.
My wife, Robin has stood by me for seventeen years of personal and career turmoil and emotional challenges brought on by not learning at a young age how to move successfully through my pain and accomplish my goals - my parents were NOT good emotional role models! Robin has seen me completely stopped and even appearing to move backwards at times through life. Fortunately, she seems to love me too much to give up. She is a wonderful realtor, an animal lover to a fault, incredibly generous, has a great laugh and, even if she doesn't understand me sometimes, she stands by me all the time. She is ever the optimist and, for that and other reasons too numerous for this forum, I will love her until the end of my life.
I met Gavin Anderson ten years ago. With his wife, Pat, he was co-leading a course offered by Landmark Education Corporation (LEC) - the Self-Expression and Leadership Program (SELP). Robin and I clicked right away with Pat and Gavin. We're so close now that we often feel we're in a group marriage, as if such a thing is possible outside of a polygamist compound in Arizona.
Gavin has tried to coach me over the years. Occasionally he's had some success. But the most important thing Gavin has done for me is to be my friend when I was at my worst. He and Pat have led Robin and I through some tough times together, due directly or indirectly to my problems. Man, was I narcissistic! Still, Gavin supports my passion and has stuck by me through the best of times and the worst of times, even doing so through his nearly two-year battle with liver cancer. If I were to design a best friend from qualities I admire in others, I couldn't come close to designing Gavin. Every day, I thank the stars for his presence in my life and pray for his complete healing and freedom.
I met Carol Winkler years ago, during another course offered by LEC that she led. At that time, I held her in such high regard that I found it almost impossible to even talk to her without getting tongue-tied! Last year, though, I completely got how accessible she really is. I was able to take her down from the pedestal and let her stand beside me. She became my personal coach and a great friend. My life hasn't been the same since. Through her and the use of a process called Fluency, I was able to get beyond the self-designed traps I had so skillfully layed for myself over the years. Because of Carol, where I am now is a place of frequent joy, possibility and positive expectancy. My demons aren't dead; rather, they've become subservient to my passion. Carol, my love and respect for you are beyond words. You have shown me who I am and helped me embrace it. I couldn't possibly ask for more than that!
There are others to acknowledge as well because, in fact, everyone in my life - my brothers Steve, Stan and Mike, my old friends, my acquaintances, my business associates and...well, even my dogs...have contributed so much to me that my heart spills over with gratitude. I love you all more than words can say.
Now that I've declared my passion, here are some specifics: I'm open to writing in a number of styles and for a number of purposes. I'm currently studying a program that is both training me and providing me a job bidding forum for freelance writing projects, such as content articles for SEO, webpage content and e-books. I consider that a "bread and butter" project to help me earn a living and give me good training for consistent action. To quote a line from the film, "Throw Momma from the Train": "A writer writes - always!"
However, my deepest and most powerful dream is to write novels and, perhaps, even screenplays. Gavin knows this because he and I have talked about some day collaberating on a screenplay. He has a writing dream as well and has recently taken a correspondence course on writing about one's life. He has a great story to tell!
What kind of novelist am I? Since I'm just now embarking on that venture, it's a little early to know exactly, even though I have several ideas (including a children's book). A couple of years ago, I bought a program from American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) called "Writing for Love & Money: How to become a successful Romance Writer". Because I had yet to overcome the self-limiting beliefs and habits that kept me from pursuing my passion, that course sat in my home office bookshelf until now. I just started my first writing assignment yesterday. I bought that course because, even though romance writing was never really something I thought I would do, there was always an "idea behind the idea" of being a writer: That love - either Romantic or Divine (or both) - would always figure prominently in my future works, even if those works would more rightly be classified as science fiction, fantasies or mysteries. So, while my novel-writing self is still in its infancy, I'm clear that, no matter how one would classify my eventual style, I believe romantic relationships will figure prominently in most all my writing and will frequently set the stage for both character and environmental transformation.
To all those who read and respond to this blog post, your support, encouragement and honest but compassionate critique is welcomed. I may not take it all to heart but it is welcome!
Chip - the Archerfish
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