When I was younger, I used to write down short stories. I forget if it was an exercise for school, or if I had just enjoyed writing. But when creative writing projects were issued, I would often dive into writing them. I still remember being set up to take the ACTs by the 8th grade because they believed I was an advanced learner. Mind you, I didn’t do that well and it never really came up again, but it was fascinating. Fast forward to today, and you’ll find that I have barely even begun writing as a hobby. Yet somehow, I want to be a full-time writer instead of a full-time office worker. The only way that changes is if I truly commit to the change.

Nowadays, it’s like pulling teeth to get me to sit down and actually practice writing. This really is frustrating, considering I still love telling a good story. I always seem to struggle at the point of putting in the real work. It’s one of the many reasons I’ve struggled to get my first book written over the past 20 years. This is exactly why I’m working even harder to practice, even when I have no real patience to sit still and write. By forcing myself to take 30 minutes to an hour every week to write, even if it’s just for a blog post, I’m finding myself actively working toward writing a story with a point: is it a memory, a train of thought, or a bad joke? Whatever it becomes, it all becomes practice in self-work. I rarely work on projects without a deadline or someone else depending on me. I think it’s important to give myself the same level of care and commitment that I am willing to give to others, but it’s still a work in progress. That’s why I’ve begun writing in earnest. Even when I fail to reach a point of understanding on my book, I can always fall back on learned techniques and advice from experts to help me find a way around or through the problem.

In some ways, I’ve noticed that I’m not as dedicated to taking care of my own business as I realized. One easy excuse is the fact that I still work full-time for another business. However, I can’t make a living without the skills and dedication necessary to make a career as a writer. No, the choice to change careers can’t be done without a commitment that I have yet to make. That’s why, when I noticed that this website and domain came up for renewal, and realized it is still under my personal account, I decided to take the first real step. I need to stop acting like this is a silly project and treat it as the business I started. I will be transferring the domain to the company this month, and with that act I will be committing to this website fully as an actual business. Is that a financially stable, full-time business? No on both accounts. Well, for now. But becoming a published novelist requires dedication and effort, and so far I’ve been meeting the bare minimum. It’s time to reach for better goals and greater success. I hope you’ll join me as my website changes and grows with the pursuit of each new dream.