Wednesday, November 19, 2008

I got sparkplugged

I have to be honest: With all my dreams of where I'd be by now in my freelance writing career, I've pretty much come up with diddly. I mean, really, I have had some great clips in some great publications, but it took me until tonight to realize that maybe I wasn't working harder to get more work because it's time to switch up my specialties.

I think I got bored, plain and simple. Covering too many city council meetings and criminal court hearings (or any topic!) can get old after a while. And while I first thought that I really needed to look at if I was done with writing and needed to look for a "real" job, I got the kick in the pants I needed tonight ad saw the light: I'm not done with writing; I'm done with what I am currently writing about.

I had a recent article published in a very prestigious publication recently. Last year, I would have thrown a party when it got published. I would have sung about it from the rooftops and decided that the byline validated my childhood dreams of becoming THE GREATEST WRITER EVER.

This year, I just wiped my brow in relief that the editor did not hate me or my work so much that she would decide not to publish it and then sat down to blog about life with Buttercup and worked on a product review. That right there should have been a wake-up call.

(With that said, you can bet your sweet little boo-tays that I won't be turning down any future assignments should they come my way. I'm not an idiot. I just won't be pushing as hard for more work once I get myself going in my new specialty!)

So with the help of this article at the FreelanceParent at Sparkplugging, I'm now on a new writing warpath. I'm still working out the kinks in my head, but I'm pretty sure I know which direction I am headed in. All I have to do is get myself a nice little affordable web designer, start pitching new prospective clients, and voila! I am in business!


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5 comments:

Mary said...

Sounds exciting! Can't wait to see the new paths you forge. Good for you!

lornadoone said...

Pauline,

Which article did you find helpful? I'm so glad that you've decided to refine your dream rather than give it up.

-Lorna

Marsha Loftis said...

Woot!! You go girl. Don't give up on those dreams.

Lesley said...

Good For you....complacency is the root of all evil in my opinion...great job kicking it in the butt....

Pauline said...

Lorna, i found the 67 niche writing tips the most helpful. I'll be contacting you!