Tuesday, May 20, 2014

I Did Not Fall Off A Cliff...

...Although frankly, you could never tell since I haven't updated this blog in over two months now!

Well, a lot has happened in those two months. I've changed jobs, and am trying to move forward with my writing in a more active and meaningful way. While I really enjoyed my work at my former job, it was clear to me that I would not be able to move forward in a direction that helped me achieve my goals for my life, either personally or professionally.

In my former position, my technical skills were both blessing and curse, in that I felt valued and needed for them, but I was also pigeonholed. I am happy to have been able to do what I was good at, but when my abilities in one area started to prevent me from pursuing my passions in other areas, I realized that I had to move on. I'm grateful for every opportunity that has brought me to where I am now - I've always maintained the philosophy that every step of the road is what it needed to be if you got where you wanted to go. After all, who knows how one small change might impact other things?

Nevertheless, I am actively in the process of retooling my skill set and improving my writing skills to make sure that I don't run into the same issue again. I love books. I love writing. I am creative. I am proud of the qualities that make me who I am.

I want every job I have in the future, whether as a writer, librarian, or something in an entirely different field, to reflect who I am and what makes me special. I don't want this just because I will enjoy my job more, but because taking joy in your work ensures that you will give your best effort every day without ever having to worry about burning out.

So what does this mean for my journey as a writer? Well, it means I've had more time to improve my body and my mind. I've started taking exercise classes, jogging with a friend, and have read several books to make me a better author and creator. For starters, I highly recommend Austin Kleon's "Steal Like An Artist," and its fun follow-up, "Show Your Work!"

The books are full of cheerful gems of wisdom like this one above.

And in light of the above piece of advice, I am no longer referring to myself as an "aspiring" author. I am an author. As I grow more knowledgeable, I am becoming more confident too. My works may still be in progress, but they are moving forward, and I have no intention of giving up on them. Now that I've got my head together, you're going to start seeing more fun stuff from me, like pieces of my actual work popping up on my blog. I can't wait to share it with you!