A Love Letter to Writing

My relationship with writing up until now has been quite tumultuous. Although I know this isn’t uncommon, at least that’s the message I have received from tv and movies. You know the stereotype, the dark and twisted writer that drinks too much and cares about their family too little.

In my case though I have always loved it from far away, an unrequited love. It has taken me almost 20 years to admit that this is something I would like to do. Always thinking I could never do that, I have nothing important to say, and I definitely don’t have it. Really compassionate self-talk, ya know? Writing always seemed like a space I could never be a part of though. Whether I made that up in my head or there is some truth to it from feedback I held onto along the way. Either way I have just now decided to not let that stop me.

When I would read a really great article or book that spoke to me I would get a shooting pain of jealousy through my body, like a pinched nerve. That can’t be healthy. And the wellness people say to pay attention to what you're jealous of, it could be a message indicating something important. I finally listened and I am taking the leap, for my health’s sake and all.

But here I am finally doing it and it feels like — warning about to get cheesy — what I am supposed to do. Like I am stepping into what I have always been meant to do? and damn does it bring so much fricken joy.

Writing feels cathartic and wonderful. Maybe I am not a phenomenal writer, but if I have learned anything…there’s an audience and a niche for everything. So here’s to me finding my audience.

I am hoping to grow into the writing community. To have people even if it's the smallest amount of this gigantic world, that is what makes my entire heart sing and my cells buzz even just at the thought of it.

Writing experts and social media authorities often say to niche down to achieve a following. At least at first and then you can expand. But I don’t know what my niche is and I feel like I am doing it a bit backwards. Sharing my journey of finding my writing niche with you. If I wait to take the time to figure it out I may never write. There are also people out there that just believe in writing as a form of expression and the audience will come. I am banking on the latter.

I want to commit to writing, afraid or not, every day for a month. There wasn’t much thought in strategy or growing an audience, I honestly hope to write and share a window into my life. I just hope there are messy and quirky people out there that want to follow a journey of an almost 30, non-binary, passionate dude trying to figure out what the hell they are doing, while also sharing all their array of knowledge they have from their obsession with researching topics. I’d like to think there’s a space for that out there.

This was supposed to be a love letter to writing and honestly I still think it is. These last few days writing and engaging with other writers has brought me immense joy and dare I say it…some sort of purpose. I look forward to writing each day and that alone is enough. I don’t even cringe at the thought of people I have met or worked with reading it and making fun of it! Because frankly I don’t care. Life is wild and hard and if this is what brings me joy and that’s what you want to make fun of…you can have it. It won’t bother me in the least so do what ya gotta do.

So thank you writers and writing. Thank you for embracing me and allowing me to step into this a little late. I am grateful for this platform and the excitement of even the potential of reaching a community out there.