In the summer of 2009, I made a decision to voluntarily leave my company and job to embrace and live a dream: to have and run my own freelance writing business.
If you've never "lived" your dream, I can attest that is the greatest feeling in the world...at times. There are failures (early on I bid on ghostwriting two books, and both projects stalled and dissipated) and hardships (often there is more month the money), but there are also successes (I taught two writing workshops, was guest on a radio show, attended networking events, stretched my writing skills by taking on different projects, was featured in Q&A articles about the freelance writing world, and most of the time I was able to support my family on my income). In 2012, I shut my full-time business down and toiled at it part-time, but there was a definite sadness, lack of pride if you will, at not being able to continue. Now, as the summer of 2017 approaches, I am going full-time again as a writer, this time with a gentle nudge, and step into a new but somewhat familiar realm. Things are a wee bit different now. I'm older, the departure is of a different nature, there are now many younger, excellent writers -- my daughter Stefanie included -- whom I must compete against for jobs, and the platforms have changed: goodbye much of the print world, hello online; must be familiar with SEO; digital marketing. So, how do I, a 55-year-old man, who was looking at retirement possibilities albeit at a crawl, do in this situation? I embrace it as I did before, and in reality as I always have. Not every day is rosy, but I have my faith in God and my skills. Yes, I have to gain new experience, but I have all of what I've done as well. And that book project that now looms even larger in my life? The proposal is now buttressed, strengthened as I once again will live my dream. Steve
1 Comment
helen blunt
5/4/2017 06:08:36 pm
dear Steve, read your article congratulations - Aunt helen
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Steve Sears is a New Jersey based freelance writer
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