The beginning. It is time to move forward with a plan that gets me results by the end of the year. Briefly, it means that I spend time — preferably and hour a day first thing in the morning — writing. To start, the first 15 minutes will be this blog. The final 45 minutes will be Tick Tock.
I’m writing this on the Sunday on a return from a week on the Outer Banks. A week I could not have done without my mother’s financial help. It is an embarrassment, to be sure. I took my job at First Generation after too many years on the road and following a path of freelancing that was not me. At times I made good money. But quite often I was filled with stress. My job at First Gen is good… but I am a poor man. I can’t spend any money. I need more. Before October, I hope to have a raise, but I need to be realistic. It will not ever be enough.
I walked on the beach many times over the past eight days wondering what could I do that would save me financially. The answer came quickly… but let me go over what won’t work: Making lots of money being a video editor and motion graphics designer. I need to admit that this path is not correct for me anymore. There are many, many young and talented individuals ready to to this kind of work for very little money. My skills here are good… but not unique. Yes, for now, this is the only thing that I can do to bring in money… and I must continue on with my best work to keep that (extremely small) revenue stream going.
But writing is what will get me where my family and I need to be. I have a uniqeness here. A voice and a style that I have let sit dormant for far too long and a voice and a style that I will cultivate over the next months. I can write from anywhere. I can do it any time. I can do it long into my ever advancing years.
These first few paragraphs I have just written are rough. Rudimentary. Embarrassingly bad for a man of 53. But they will improve. That’s why I sit here on this hot July evening in my office writing this first blog post of many. It must be done. Every day.
Writing can save me and my family. It must be nurtured, honed, exercised and respected. The respect will come from hard work, diligence, and practice. Will it happen?
I’ll just have to keep “watching this space” to find out.