Evergreen Times

I’ve done it at last! I’m starting my own blog after over 12 years of writing for other people’s blogs. It’s not my first foray into the world of blogging. At one point, I started a blog on freelance writing, but one quickly runs out of topics. So this time, I’m going to delve into my history as a businesswoman, touch on topics that I come across during my research, and provide some tips on home and family life, particularly elder care. But I still haven’t explained the “why,” so here goes!

The Obvious: I Love Writing!

I really do like writing. Of course, I usually get paid for it, but it would be nice to write about my own topics for fun. So, in a sense, I’m turning my job into my hobby. Or perhaps I turned my hobby into a job to the point where it wasn’t a hobby any longer and I’m rediscovering writing for pleasure. Whatever the case may be, I decided it’s high time I did some writing for the sheer love of it.

The Slightly Less Obvious: New Clients Want to See my Work

For over a decade, I have been a very discreet ghost writer. There are tens, maybe even hundreds, of thousands of words of my work out there, but very little of it has my name on it. When I’m looking for new clients, they want me to have a CV (yikes!) and a portfolio (double yikes!) showcasing my work.

There are two problems with this. As a freelancer, I haven’t actually been “employed” by anyone for over a decade. There was one exception, but since they didn’t pay me after a few months, the less said about that the better! I could probably get testimonials from some of my current clients, but I don’t know if that amounts to a CV.

As for the portfolio, my work stops being “mine” in the strictest sense of the word after my clients pay for it. And most of the work was done through agencies, so the website owners probably don’t know who the heck I am. Without a blog of my own, prospective employers might be pardoned for thinking I’m sending them a random collection of links and that I may not have written anything at all.

The Obscure: I Wasn’t Writing for Myself

When I write for clients, I try to “sound the part.” I try to fit in with their style and tone. I’m still “me” but I’m “me delivering a message for someone else.” To be honest, I quite enjoy taking on different roles. I’ve written for CEOs, psychologists, movers, you name it – and I always try to write as if I were them. This time, I’m going to write as me. Perhaps its a form of vanity.

If I make the big time (dream on) with this blog, I may host a few articles provided they’re interesting and of a reasonable standard, but that’s for the future. After all, this is my first post on my first personal blog, I’m not expecting sponsors to be queuing up for my attention.

The Weird (For Me Anyway)

There are some things I really do not do well and that I’ve always avoided. Image editing comes to mind. I could also do with a bit of hands-on SEO experience. Usually, I just follow instructions. I’m not sure if I’m looking forward to learning new things at my time of life, but I also think I ought to challenge myself. Perhaps this will be the opportunity to do so. After all, how can I challenge myself without trying something new?

Intro Done?

That’s probably enough as an intro, and if you read it, thanks for doing so! I hope we’ll find that I have rather more interesting things to talk about as time goes on. For now, I’m just thinking with my typing fingers in gear. It’s my way of working out just why I bought this domain and template. With luck and a bit of inspiration, who knows? It may even turn into a website worth watching!