Have you ever had that sensation of wanting to undertake a new project or life change, but being unwilling to make that final step? You look at it, you read up on it, you analyze it, but you can't quite bring yourself to make that life-altering decision. It is like looking through the store window at the object you desire but never walking through the door. Or standing at the edge of a diving board looking down but not quite being able to muster the courage to make the jump.
Until, of course, life comes up behind you and gives you a shove.
I've been slowly developing my contract writing business since last year, but have never quite made the jump over to pursuing it full-time. There are so many things to worry about. Sure, this blog is popular, but trying to actually re-enter the workforce as a contract writer is scary stuff. What if I can't find enough clients? What if things start off well but then peter out? What if I suddenly lose my drive to write? (It happens, it is referred to as "Writer's Block".) What if, what if, what if...The voices ring through my head like an out of tune orchestra. So, instead, I remain safe by keeping up with Misdirected and creating a few ghost-writing posts a week for content mills like TextBroker. No way to make a living at it, but no fear of rejection or major impact to our lives should I suddenly stop.
But yesterday, life threw us a curve ball. One of our sources of secondary income just dried up, with no easy way to replace it. There is no real way to slash our expenses, either - we are already budgeted down to the last penny of my SSDI income, and as it is we receive some help from family members every single month. I briefly considered getting a part-time job, but I can vividly remember my last experiences with the regular work force - everything is fine until I start having seizures at work. Then, suddenly, things are not so great, and I am shortly looking for another minimum-wage job. It is a depressing and humiliating cycle.
No cure for Epilepsy yet: there is a reason I am on SSDI.
So, having been pushed off the diving board, I am either going to have to get myself into position for a dive or else go splat when I hit the water. This writing thing is going to have to turn into a regular revenue stream, like, now.
Accordingly, I turn to my "network" - the loyal readers of Misdirected. If any of you know anyone who is looking for contract writing, please let me know! I've written blog posts, magazine articles, product reviews...pretty much any kind of writing you can do on the Internet, I have done. Just some contact information for the person (or people) I should talk to would be great - I am happy to sell myself, but just need to know who I am selling myself to.
(Reading that last sentence creates so many opportunities for misunderstanding, but I think I will let it stand. Mock if you will.)
Thanks again to my loyal readers, and we'll be back to talking about bariatric surgery and all that pertains thereunto on Thursday!
"Thereunto" Just Means I Am Practicing Writer-ish Words,
- Hawkwind
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