Freelance writing at 45

Why do we write?

I felt compelled to share my experience, strength, and hope with fellow freelance writers as we trudge the happy road to destiny. We all have that deep desire to share the thoughts, feelings, and stories that float through our heads. I think we all can relate to those days when everything we look at, hear, or feel creates and instant panic to find a napkin or something to write on before we lose the thought or idea that just ran through our mind. We also have those days when we stare the thousand mile stare at the keyboard, we stare, we yawn, we consider a nap, we stare some more, and nothing what so ever comes to mind. We have this innate hunger to have our written words touch the lives of others-in most cases even if we don`t get paid-and we are overwhelmed with joy when someone tells us we touched them.

How did I decide to write? I have been dreaming of becoming a writer my whole life. It was locked away deep inside and I rarely ever verbalized it. I was very foolish as a young man and spent some time living a life entrenched in sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. I never went to college when I got out of school and it took me years to get over my youthful mistakes. I started working for myself in the mid 90`s and owned several successful businesses in the housing industry. In 2007 I found myself bored, unfulfilled, and tired of the rat race. I decided it was time to step out of the rut my life was in and take some chances.

I decided I was going to go back to school and earn a degree in Education because I was a successful Karate instructor and I discovered I like to teach. I had so many opportunities during my tenure as an instructor to make an impact on the lives of my students both young and old. I made a decision to go to school and once I did, I found myself in class 6 weeks later. During the course of my studies, like other college students, I was writing several papers a week. My instructors were constantly commenting on my writing ability and telling me I should pursue a career in that art. I began to see that in other course work I struggled but when it came to writing a paper I was extremely efficient and it came with ease. In most of my team projects in college the team would always pick me to write and edit the main portions of our papers. I felt I was on to something, a path, which had been in my gut my entire life.

I earned an associate degree in Education but when I was entering my course work for my BA I knew that I did not want a full four year degree in Education. I thought about it and I decided to challenge myself and pursue a degree in English.

The writer?

I was so nervous early on about what readers would think and whether or not I could really write something of interest to them. I spent my first year writing a political blog, which I still maintain, but I knew that I still was not hitting the mark. I tried writing for the Examiner.com, Textbroker, and other online venues and I still felt out of place. I have made some money doing these things but as a writer I felt emptiness and I lacked any real sense of fulfillment.

One day I read a Hub that spoke volumes to me and has given me the motivation to write this Hub as well. I don`t remember the writers name but what he said changed my whole way of thinking as a young and aspiring writer. He related in his hub that he struggled, in much the same way I was, about what to write and who to write for. He went on to say that it wasn`t until out of sheer frustration that he decided to write whatever the hell he was interested in that he found any success. He said that his passion was unable to rise to the top as long as he was smothered by some editorial review or some format that he followed only to make money. He was not only still broke but he wasn`t enjoying his craft either. He decided that whether or not he made money, he would write about the subjects that he was most passionate about. He later went on to state that he was now a full time published author and writer.

I have recently taken his advice, I resigned from some of the writing jobs I held and I am currently in the final stages of publishing my first book through Smashwords.com. I felt that I needed to share this story with other writers who are struggling to find their personal passion. Good luck to each of you, Scott