I was recognized tonight, for the first time! Sorta. I expected some stranger might eventually recognize me and say, “Hey! You write that column?”
But it didn’t happen that way– rather, an existing acquaintance saw my column and connected that it was me. Mentioned it to me, in a bar! Awesome. Almost three months in.
That works too. I’m not picky.
“Are you gonna write about this in Common Sense?”
I had to laugh! At that moment, I loved my life. And I loved my column.
That was the question this same bar acquaintance asked me as I was leaving to go home tonight. I sporadically run into this person at karaoke, don’t even know his last name. But he apparently knows my byline! Stellar. I told him to watch for my next one, which is running this week.
I was in a VILE mood today. I basically avoided being social all week, except for a few hours yesterday. I was feeling a lot of writer’s block.
Someone recently labeled me a “political columnist,” and I realized I’m getting pigeon-holed. Time for me to break the routine a bit, try something different. The first two topics I chose were indeed, political. But it doesn’t have to remain so!
Coming up with topics for my column has thus far been pretty simple– they jumped out at me. This time has been more difficult– I had a few issues I felt strongly about, but was torn between them.
Tonight I decided to attend a friend’s party, and sing karaoke. And at the party, my friends gave me a bunch of insight for blog ideas, column ideas, and generally unlocked my writer’s block.
When I feel uninspired, I need to the put the books down and go talk to someone!!
Now I feel happy, and ready to work tomorrow. Ready to write, in my own voice.
It seems appropriate, since typically 90 days is when you become secure in a job. When you start to feel you’re becoming accepted, and hopefully get your insurance and are told you formally have the position now that you’ve passed initiation.
In my case, I’m beginning to accept myself as a columnist.
I always say, the joke about me writing a column called “Common Sense” is that I don’t have any! But it’s forced me to think differently, to choose topics that deviate from my comfort zone. To write for a broad circulation in a different style than I blog, and to do it with word economy. On a deadline!
Maybe I took this job to LEARN some common sense. Eh?
It just might be working.
Congrats on overcoming your writers block and not allowing yourself to be labeled as a one trick pony.
You go girl!
Thanks, Sixx! Had to throw out a curve ball for #3!! One woman has commented four times so far on my new column, about Twilight and why I hate it. Bring on the Twi-hards! That looks promising to me.