Making Progress with Examiner.com

In my last post, I mentioned that I had been reading a lot about freelance writing and how to get started. I am happy to report that I have actually been making some progress in that respect, and learning a bit more about the world of blogging in the process. 

If you've been following me from the beginning, you may notice that my blog has a few more gadgets than it did before. I've added links to my Facebook profile and my Gowalla passport, a search bar, pageview counter, a list of blogs I'm subscribed to, and some other nifty stuff. I have also figured out how to include links in my posts, and have added some new labels as well. 

Perhaps more importantly, I discovered that I did not actually have an option to subscribe to my blog using an RSS feed (and I learned what exactly that is...) or to subscribe by e-mail. Both are available now though, so feel free to take advantage if you are so inclined. Pretty straightforward stuff, I know, but I'm new at this! ;0)

Having come a bit further along in terms of configuring my blog, I feel more confident in my ability to maintain it. However, there is still a lot that I know very little about, as I've learned from reading other blogs - specifically those about freelance writing, though I am sure there are many other applications. 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes to mind as one of the most confusing issues. Before I jumped into the world of blogging, I had never even heard of SEO. The point of this process is to move your website up in the rankings of search engines, such as Google or Yahoo, in an attempt to generate more traffic for whatever it is you are promoting. In my case, I guess that would be myself! Or more specifically, my writing, though I haven't gotten to the point of "branding" myself just yet... (Thank goodness!)

The most common methods of SEO appear to include linking content and adding strategically chosen tags to your posts. While I am attempting to do both of these to a certain extent, I readily admit that I have no idea what labels will make my blog more likely to be searched, and I'm okay with that. I choose the links and tags in my posts based on what I think is the most relevant information and hope that at least some of it is helpful to my imagined readers.

Of course, I realize that getting my name out there is important if I expect to be successful as a freelance writer, and while it would be great if my blog had millions of followers, I happen to think that artificially inflating your pageviews is somewhat slimy. I would much rather people discover my blog because it has a good reputation and is well written than simply because it appeared in a search for popular, but unrelated, content. I think when it comes to SEO I will take the advice offered by Brian Nelson, a freelance writer with ArticLlama, who suggests that Professional Writers Should Forget SEO and Just WRITE! 

In his blog, Nelson also offers some useful (though somewhat disheartening) thoughts about how to make money writing online. It seems that most clients are looking for short articles of approximately 300 words, and additionally, that the ability to write and post quickly is key. Frequent postings, deliberate efforts to self-market and efficient job searches are also necessities. 

Considering my tendency to be slightly verbose (read: extremely wordy) and the fact that I am somewhat of a perfectionist, it seems logical that writing short and sweet articles without multiple lengthy edits is quite unlikely to happen. And yet, if I want to succeed as an online freelance writer, that is exactly what I must force myself to do. I promise that I will try. (After this post, that is!)

So how do I get started?

I was originally inspired by an article I read in the latest issue of Westword, the magazine of the Writer's Guild of Alberta (WGA), called "Can We (Finally) Make Money Writing on the Web?" by Toby Welch. The article explores some of the most popular freelance writing sites on the web, such as Demand Studios, Suite 101, Associated Content and Examiner to name just a few. Welch recounts experiences of those who have written for the sites, explaining how they work and listing pros and cons of each. After reading her article, I was convinced I should start signing up for some of these sites to see for myself how rewarding they might be for me. 

My first step was to read through all of the information I could find on each site, in terms of copyright retention, privacy policies and other legal requirements as well as rates of pay, expectations of quality, variety of assignments, etc. I also looked at reviews from freelance writers to see which sites were the best to write for and which to avoid. I chose Demand Studios as my first experiment, because it had seemed to fit many of the criteria I was looking for: lots of titles to choose from, high standards for content and writing, decent (though not spectacular by any means) pay, and moreover, good practice for someone just starting out.

Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of Demand Studios is that you can only apply once, and if you are not accepted, you are unable to reapply. Since I am just starting out, I haven't exactly mastered the art of marketing myself as a freelance writer, because quite frankly I'm not one... yet... 

After revising my c.v. and filling out the online application as well as I could, I hit send, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best. My efforts were rewarded with the following:

Dear Katie Gillespie,

Thank you for submitting your writer application to Demand Media. After careful review of your resume and writing sample, we are unable to offer you writing assignments at this time.

Due to the increased interest in freelancing positions at Demand Media, the approval process has become quite competitive, and we have had to turn down many high-quality applicants.

We sincerely thank you for your interest.

Best regards,

The Demand Media Team

Yay, my first rejection letter! Argh. At least it was polite. I'd also like to note that my application was submitted at 2:40 am (yes, I am a night owl) on March 20. I received this response only three and a half hours later, at 6:10 am on March 20. A very "careful review" indeed, I am sure...

Anyway, my slightly bitter disappointment aside, I refused to let that initial roadblock discourage me. After all, there are literally thousands of other opportunities out there for writing online, not to mention all the potential newspapers, magazines, newsletters and other printed sources I could try. All writers, regardless of who they are, have to start somewhere! And I'd be willing to bet the number who have never been rejected is probably less than 1%.

My next attempt turned out better, at least so far, though I have yet to actually publish anything. After reading freelance writer Jennifer Escalona's post, Get Paid to Write at Examiner.com, I thought becoming an Examiner might be a good way to test the waters of freelance writing. Although I will probably never make any money from Examiner.com, I am intrigued by the opportunity to become an "expert" of sorts. I also like the fact that Examiners can choose their own topics, within a given field, rather than choosing from a list of specific assignments as on Demand Studios. 

I should note, however, that Escalona rescinded her recommendation of Examiner.com after a few months of writing for the site. She didn't think that it was worth the time, because of the extremely low pay, and many others seem to agree. Even so, I thought it couldn't hurt to give it a try for myself. I certainly don't expect to get rich as an Examiner, but I want to get some experience, so I filled out another application.

This time, I put some more work into my writing sample and made sure that I listed all of my relevant (though limited) experience. My application was approved, and I was told they think I "would make an excellent Calgary Creative Writing Examiner". 

I can't offer any statistics on how many writers apply to and are typically accepted or rejected by either Demand Studios or Examiner.com, or what criteria they base their decisions upon, so I'm not really sure if this is reflective of my qualifications and writing ability. I'd like to think I was selected because I wrote well in my sample and my ideas for possible topics were interesting, but maybe they approve anyone who applies to be an Examiner. 

Anyway, now that my account has been set up, I am all set to write and publish my first article for Examiner.com. I've been informed that my content will be displayed on the Arts & Entertainment channel, and that once I have submitted my first article it will be reviewed by a member of my category team. If it is appropriate then it will be activated, and if not, I will be contacted for discussion. Either way, I look forward to receiving some feedback and the chance to practice being a bit more concise in my writing. 

So, that's about all for now! I will post links to my Calgary Creative Writing articles for Examiner.com as soon as possible, provided they are published. Here's to taking the first step toward being a "real" writer!

Who am I? A Cultural Narrative

Since my last post, I have been thinking a lot about the future. That's why it surprised me when I came across some of my writing from the past that seemed so relevant to my life right now.

This week, I have been reading a lot of blogs about freelance writing, and researching different opportunities in the world of online freelancing such as Examiner.com or Suite 101. More about that next time...

What inspired this post, however, was a piece of writing I discovered while I was looking for a sample to submit along with an application to one of these freelancing sites. It was written for a course I took in 2009 called "Narrative Possibilities: The Transformative Power of Writing, Story, and Poetry in Personal and Professional Development". I have never shared it with anyone outside of that class before, but I present it to you here exactly as I wrote it two years ago.

It is very personal and reflective. Re-reading it now makes me realize that I still have unanswered questions about who I am and where I am going. Some of my views have changed since this was written, especially when it comes to the question of religion and my spiritual identity, but I will discuss that in more detail in another post. For now...

Assignment:

Write a cultural narrative about your own life or family that contains elements of healing. Demonstrate that you can put this story into a cultural context.

But how can I do that when I don’t even really know or understand my own culture? Everyone is part of one, I know… Even me, though I often feel as if I am missing something in that respect. So what is my culture? What shapes my culture, and my “self”? Who am I, anyway? I am just me…

I fulfill many roles, including daughter, granddaughter, goddaughter, niece, cousin, friend, girlfriend. But although they are all parts of me, these roles do not make up the essence of who I am.

Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in my name. After all, the act of naming is sacred, and my name must provide some clues as to who I am and where I come from. Let’s start with my first name, my “given” name… Given to me by whom? Well, my parents, of course. Katherine. Katie. Kate. From the Greek “katharos” meaning pure – did they know that when they chose it? Or did they just like the way it sounded? I have never asked…

I remember being told that my name was chosen to be original. Many people are named after family members, or someone respected and admired. This kind of naming provides a link, a connection with the past and with someone who is loved. My story is different… I was purposely not named after someone else, so what does that say about me? Does it mean that I am lacking somehow, maybe lacking that familial connection? Or is it a sign of power? I am independent, original. I am the first in our family with this name, and it is mine only. For that, it is special and unique. I am special and unique.

My middle name – Dawn. Chosen because it goes well following Katherine? Because of the image it evokes, of the sun rising and light shining and beauty and newness? I’d like to think so. I have never really felt any attachment to my middle name, however. My mother’s is May, the same as her mother’s. Why was that tradition not passed on to me? Roberta May, Cynthia May, Katherine May… It is even the month of my birth! My father does not have a middle name. None of the nine children in his family do, for reasons unknown to me. On official forms requiring a middle initial, he must leave it blank. I wonder if this lack of a second name means anything? How has it affected them? Perhaps not at all…

Surname, please. “Gillespie.” A good Scottish name. When asked about my heritage, I always say Scottish first. I wonder why that is… On my mother’s side there is German and Irish blood, and it is from my maternal grandmother that I get my red hair with which everyone identifies me. So why do I always answer that I am Scottish? That link to my name, I suppose…

My parents were both born here, in Canada. I am a Canadian, second generation. Grandpa Gillespie was born in Scotland and Grandma in England. They had their first four children in Scotland, but my father was not one of them. He and Aunt Joan (fraternal twins) were the first to be born in Canada. That is something special, I think.

I am proud to be Canadian. But what does that mean? To be honest, I’m not really sure. How do I define it, “being Canadian”? It is more than the stereotypes of surviving cold weather, loving hockey and being nice and polite. And more than simply “not American”.

I am Canadian… I stand at attention when our national anthem is played. I wore a sweatshirt emblazoned with the maple leaf when traveling Europe, to avoid being mistaken for an American. I love living in this country, where there are so many opportunities. Where there is freedom and beauty and now I just sound cheesy… But my respect is genuine and I know I am lucky to be a Canadian citizen, even if I cannot express all of the reasons why in words just now.

My history is inextricably linked to the military as well, though I myself have never served. My father was in the Royal Canadian Air Force for 32 years and retired at the rank of Major. He is a very intelligent, well respected and hardworking man whose values have had a tremendous impact on my own. My dad is my hero. That’s important to know if you want to know me.

Both my grandparents were veterans of WWII. My grandpa’s brother, Uncle Al, was captured and imprisoned in a POW camp during the war. He never spoke about it for years, I am told, but near the end of his life would tell my parents and I stories over a glass of scotch on Sunday afternoons. Two glasses, actually because – “you never fly on just one wing”. My culture, my heritage, my history, my ancestors, my past, whatever you would choose to call it… Scotland and the Air Force both play important roles.

I do not know much about Grandma Gillespie. I remember her voice and her famous sour cream cookies. She came from a family of thirteen or fourteen children. Many of them were killed in a house fire before she came to Canada. No one ever speaks of it, though I’m not sure how much is really known to speak of… She passed away when I was ten years old, from cancer. My grandma was the first person I ever knew to die. Tears still sting my eyes when I think of her, and I wish I had gotten to know her better. My Uncle Bill recently underwent surgery for the same kind of cancer, and my dad was tested early enough to catch the single polyps before they could spread, thank God.

I have not mentioned religion so far because I do not know where it fits into my story. It is part of culture, I know, but I feel no strong connection to any religion. My dad was raised Catholic, and my mom is a Protestant. We went to church when I was little and I attended Sunday School, but I never really understood much of it.

I guess I am a Christian – I celebrate Easter and Christmas – but I do not go to church. For me, it is more about spending time with my family and being together than anything else. My mom goes on Christmas Eve, but to me that seems hypocritical somehow. One year my dad and I went with her, and I felt awkward and out of place. After that, I chose not to attend anymore.

I rarely ever pray, though I have when I felt the need to. I live “in sin”, I suppose, with my boyfriend since we are not married. No one seems to think this way any more though… At least, nobody that I know. The stigma once attached to that seems to have faded, and I do not see anything wrong with the way that we live. Maybe I would feel differently if I had children.

I want to believe in God, and there are times I’m sure that I do. The idea of Heaven and Hell seems strange to me, though. I wonder if my grandparents are really watching over me, as I’d like to think, or if they are really just gone. This is a subject I will have to spend much more time contemplating and writing about in my journal.

Grandma Munk, my mom’s mother, also died of cancer. I was closer to her, especially in the last few years of her life. When I moved to Kamloops, my grandparents and my aunt were the only people in the area that I knew. They lived in Salmon Arm, about an hour away, and I used to visit them a lot while I was going to school. Today, Grandpa Munk is my only living grandparent. He suffered a stroke the same night my grandmother’s cancer came back and they were both hospitalized. He is not the same person anymore. I miss the strongly opinionated man he used to be. Maybe that man is still there somewhere, trapped behind the docile mask that looks so much like the Grandpa I used to know.

So where does culture come from? And who am I, really? Am I any closer to finding the answers?

I am Canadian. I am a daughter. I am a student. I am a redhead. I am Iggy. I am white, I speak English, I am heterosexual and I am on a journey to find myself. This much I know, but I want to find out more. I crave answers, about the world and about myself that I can discover only by pursuing my writing and reflection, and by finding out more about my family history. I cannot say that writing this has healed me exactly, because I’m not sure I have anything I need to heal from…

Nothing related to culture, or a lack of it, anyway. I do believe that this week has forced me to ask more questions and probe for answers that I have not tried to find so far. I want to continue my journey of self-exploration and I hope that I can get to know myself better one day. Maybe I will find some connections to my culture along the way.

Having read this over again, and having cried through parts of it as well, I must admit that I still feel a little lost and unsure of myself. I am hopeful though, and have been left feeling inspired by one of the last lines I wrote, containing an observation I had forgotten until now:

"I crave answers, about the world and about myself that I can discover only by pursuing my writing and reflection, and by finding out more about my family history."

I believed then that through writing and reflection, I would be able to answer the questions I have about the world and about myself. That is exactly what I have set out to accomplish with this blog, as I explained in my first post, through the metaphor of throwing my heart out in front of me and running ahead to catch it. How is it possible that I have allowed myself to forget the importance of this in the past couple of years?

I am glad that I stumbled upon this piece, and am more and more convinced that what I knew then is true now. It may be cliche to say that life is a journey, but that's the best way I can describe it, and I am excited about where my own is leading. I may not know which direction the road ahead will take, but I am looking forward to finding out, and I am more confident than ever that writing will play a huge role in my discovery.

Taking Chances

Hellooo, all!

I know it has been a couple of weeks since my first post, and I apologize for taking so long to get to this... As I mentioned, it has never been easy for me to keep up a regular journal of any kind, I think partially due to the (admittedly self-imposed) restrictions that are often associated with such things.

The most obvious of these so-called “rules” of keeping a diary is that you write in it every, or almost every day. Well I am throwing that idea right out the window, since it isn’t of any use to me, and all that can come from upholding it is disappointment or guilt when I inevitably fail to write every single day. Besides, this is quite a different endeavour from a journal or a diary, because although it is personal, it is also public – and that is what I am hoping will make the difference in my maintaining it!

Anyway, rest assured (since I’m sure you’ve all been waiting anxiously ;0) lol), that I have not at all abandoned this project. Actually, I have been thinking about several topics for discussion since I last wrote, all widely different though in some ways related, and all fairly complex. I have even started writing about one of them, but ultimately decided it may be too early to delve into at this point, so I am leaving it alone for now. We will get there eventually, perhaps even next week, but for now I think it is time I tell you a bit about what I’ve been up to since I officially resolved to put myself out there...

The process has been slower, and a little less impulsive, than you might imagine. Nonetheless, I have definitely made some conscious decisions in the spirit of chasing my dreams. :0)

Which leads me to ask some questions that I believe to be the crucial starting point for anyone embarking on a journey such as this one – most importantly, what are you passionate about? What is it that drives you? What makes you the happiest? What inspires you?

Initially, it may seem like the answers to these questions should be obvious. I mean, shouldn’t you be aware of the things that are most important to you? Aren’t you supposed to know, instinctively somehow, what you want out of life?

Perhaps some people do, and I have to admit I am slightly envious of them... It must be so much easier to follow your dreams when you have a clear picture of what they are! So how do I get there too?

It seems to me that an undertaking like this is rather exciting, and that to be successful, a certain amount of bravery and impulsive action is required. That said, I don’t think this action necessarily needs to be random...

In fact, it is probably better to think things through carefully, even though that seems to go against the very idea of taking risks... (What can I say, I’m an overanalyzer by nature so this cautious attitude is probably to be expected from me!) The logical first step in my mind is to try and answer the questions I have posed, and go from there...

So what is it that I want out of life?

I guess the simplest (and most obvious) answer is that I want to be happy. In every aspect of my life, I want to feel fulfilled. That may be asking a lot, and it sounds selfish to me even as I type it, but I honestly believe that it is what each person on this planet should strive for, because if you aren’t trying to be happy then what is the point of living?

Alright, having established that my goal is to find happiness, I must now ask myself two things: What is it that will make me happy, and how do I get there?

Before I attempt to answer, I must digress a little here... I am aware that saying it is my goal to find happiness presupposes that right now I am unhappy... And I guess, to an extent, that is true...

However, I should mention that I am not at all complaining about my life, as it is right now, or trying to place blame on anyone other than myself for the way I feel. I also want to say that I have a lot to be grateful for – material things like a car and a nice house to live in, but even more importantly those things which cannot be measured, such as my health, family and friends that love and support me, and an education that I am fortunate enough to be able to continue – all of which I try not to take for granted, because I know it is much more than many people have.

I also know that I am only able to hold views like “everyone should strive for happiness” because of the way I have been brought up. Compared to people living in parts of the world where it is a daily struggle just to survive, my goals seem (and perhaps are?) superficial. Just writing this post is an example of the privilege I have, and that most of you reading it have as well.

That is why I would like to clarify that my quest for “happiness” is not meant to reflect negatively on the aspects of my life where I am already so lucky. Rather, I am searching for ways to make the other areas (which are lacking inasmuch as they haven’t really been developed yet...) as good as they can be. My goal is not to earn lots of money, so I can have all the toys. What I am striving for is more important than that, and I hope that if this is not clear that it will become so as this blog continues...

So let’s get back to those key questions, shall we? First of all, what is it that will make me happy, and secondly, how do I get there?

I guess I should begin by identifying the specific areas I am trying to work on, since that will make it easier to figure out how I should go about improving them. The first one that comes to mind, that I would like to talk about in this post, (and that goes directly against my claim that I am not after money, it would appear...) is my professional life. To be more accurate, my complete lack of a professional life!

I got my first job when I was 15 years old, and worked all through high school and my undergraduate degree, both part time and full time. After I graduated from university, I continued working for about a year, saving up money for a backpacking trip to Europe. None of these jobs were ever intended to be any more than that, however... They were just “jobs”, which would not lead to the all important “career”.

Since I began my Masters in May 2008, I have been fortunate enough not to have to work. It has been nearly three years now, and several times over the course of grad school I have searched and applied for jobs, mostly out of guilt over not working. I will not go into detail about this now, but perhaps another time... The point though, is that I have never had a real career and it has been quite awhile since I have even had a job.

I have a lot of academic experience but very little practical experience, and I am worried about how this will impact my future. Not to name any names, but I know that this concern is shared by others in my life as well, who feel either that I should be working already or that immediately after graduation I should begin my career (whatever that may be!). And to be completely honest, that is utterly terrifying to me, for a few reasons...

First of all, I don’t know what I want to do with the rest of my professional life (or most other areas of my life, for that matter, but let’s stay on track here!) and that presents a bit of a problem. You would think, being less than five months away from completing my Masters, that the road from here would be clearly marked. And in some ways, I suppose that is the case... I mean, I do at least have the choices somewhat narrowed down.

My degree is in Adult Education and Cultural Studies, so it is pretty unlikely that I will end up as an accountant or a pilot or a trapeze artist or... well you get the idea. ;0) Since I was in high school, I have leaned toward a career in teaching. At first I wanted to be a high school English teacher (hence my BA in English) and from there, the plan changed to teaching at the university level (which led me to a graduate degree, with one of my specializations being Adult Education).

But teaching what, exactly? English Literature and Drama (American, Canadian and British) interest me, and are certainly possibilities, as are film studies. However, the other specialization I am working toward through MAIS is in Cultural Studies. What exactly is Cultural Studies, you might be wondering? I will have to devote an entire post to this subject at a later date, to try and do it justice... In general terms though:

“Cultural Studies is the exploration of the links between the arts and other human activities in complex societies. It includes both high art and popular culture, both ancient texts and new hypertexts. Cultural Studies is interdisciplinary in its methodologies and in its goals of finding integrated views of human cultural activities.” (from the MAIS website) http://mais.athabascau.ca/specialization/details.php?question=7

The last course that I completed was called Cultural Studies – Directed Studies in Literature, which allowed me to focus on a subject area of my own choosing. I developed a research project that examined female characterization in Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation. In my final integrated project, I am using the Star Trek franchise as a resource again, but this time, am broadening my analysis to include not only gender issues but also depictions of racial inequality, as well as examining the future of pedagogy and curriculum development, and globalization (in terms of loss of culture and language). Because my research is interdisciplinary, I will be incorporating literary theory, film criticism, philosophy, psychology, and other disciplines into my project to encompass several points of view. That is an example of the kind of work done in the field of Cultural Studies.

Leaving teaching behind for now though, there have always been other paths that have appealed to me, some related and some completely different...

Since I was in about grade 4, I have wanted to write. Actually I think it started earlier, but that is about how far back I can trace the conscious desire to be a writer of some kind, though I did write stories and keep notebooks even before that point. Over the years I have flirted with this idea, sometimes more seriously than others. Most recently (until now), the last time I was serious about writing was during the courses I took on Creative Writing and Personal Development, in my first year of grad school.

Lately, I have been thinking about the possibility of writing professionally more and more, to the point where it occupies most of my waking life, when I am not considering the other (vastly different) alternative...

Going back to the question I asked earlier, about what am I passionate about and what excites me, I would have to say that more and more I am thinking about two things: traveling around the world, and food and cooking.

When I went to Europe and the UK in 2007, I was bit by the travel bug. Hard. So much so, in fact, that when I came home to Kamloops I made plans to quit my job, sell my car, give up my apartment and move to England. This was not something that I took lightly... I had actually started the application process for a visa (because my grandmother was English and my grandfather was Scottish, I qualify for UK Ancestry) and began making other arrangements. In my heart, I was already there. And then, at the last minute, I didn’t go...

This particular story is probably another one best suited for its own post, but I will mention briefly that when I came back from traveling, the long term relationship I was in ended. Shortly after, I became involved with someone else, and it was ultimately because of that relationship that I put my plans to move to England on hold, and decided to stay in Canada. And here we are, nearly four years later! We moved from B.C. to Alberta, and are still together, living in the house we had built a year and a half ago with the dog we got together, and life is pretty good. But I have to admit, I am still full of wanderlust...

I have known this for a long time, but the fact was confirmed for me last month, when I went to Vancouver to visit a friend and we took a short trip down to Seattle to explore. Talking and daydreaming about places I want to travel makes me both nostalgic and excited, and I honestly can’t think of anything else I would rather do.

Combined with my desire to travel is the passion I have for trying new food, experimenting in the kitchen, and learning about wine and beer. Anyone who knows me personally has heard about my addiction to Food Network, and my love of trying new recipes. ♥ This interest has come about only in the past few years, as my mother is fond of telling people (“She never wanted to learn how to cook growing up!”), but in that time has developed into one of the central focuses of my life.

Which brings me, finally, to the other career path I have been seriously considering, despite the fact that I have no actual training for it at all! What if I became a chef, and followed in the footsteps of people I idolize like Michael Smith or Gordon Ramsay? (Minus the yelling though, perhaps...) ;0)

I think what most appeals to me about both of these ideas, writing and cooking, is the fact that I care deeply about them, and perhaps more interestingly, that they encourage creativity. Education is still very important to me too, though...

So where do we go from here? Let’s leave behind the what for just a moment, and look realistically at the how. How do I realize any of these dreams? What obstacles are potentially standing in my way?

I have to acknowledge the fact that having any of these careers – a university professor, writer, or chef – will not be easy. Each can be very difficult to get into, not to mention it is hard to make a living in any of these fields. But I refuse to let that stop me, because – as I said at the outset – if you aren’t striving to be happy then what is the point in living?

The next step, you might think, is choosing which of the three to pursue and then figuring out how to get there... That’s what I thought at first too, but the way I see it, that only limits my options, which is completely the opposite of what I am trying to do here!

Instead of narrowing things down at this point, doesn’t it make more sense to keep as many possibilities open as I can? And so, that is exactly what I am attempting to do...

Since I last posted, I have been doing a lot of research into potential future studies, in a few different areas. Specifically, I’ve been looking at PhD programs in education at several schools. I spent an entire day revising and updating my C.V., so that it will be ready to send out with applications. I will also have to begin drafting letters to arrange for references soon, as well as order copies of my transcripts from AU.

I have written a few places to enquire about qualifications, clarify admission requirements, and ask some other important questions. I’ve received a few e-mails back already and am getting ready to work on my applications soon. Most will require me to write a research proposal, which will take some time to complete of course, in between working on my final project and everything else!

I have been reading about culinary school as well, and am looking into scholarships. In addition to that, I have been considering options that would allow me to write professionally, and doing a lot of research about how to get published, both in academic journals and as a freelance writer.

I am trying to find academic journals that will be a good fit for some of the work I have done already (for instance, my Star Trek paper, among others). The feedback I have received so far suggests that that one in particular will have to be heavily edited before it can be published in a journal, given typical word limits. There may be other possibilities, but I am still checking things out.

I’m also looking into the possibility of publishing a personal article I wrote last November, and have been reading a lot of websites about freelance journalism. The first step there, it seems, is to master the query letter... Which I am going to try and tackle next, I think! There is a lot of good advice online, and I plan to go out and buy a copy of Writer’s Market soon too, since it seems to be an invaluable source of information. I am already on the mailing lists of some helpful writing sites, which I will have to check out when I have time, and there is a lot of good information in my WGA (Writers Guild of Alberta) magazines as well.

And who knows? Maybe there is a way to combine my passions, in a way that might actually work out. I could see myself as a travel writer... Or a food writer... What about a traveling food writer? :0)

The way I see it, no harm can come from pursuing all of these different options, and maybe one of them will lead to something amazing...The best outcome that I could hope for is to have more than one option to choose from, which would be a pretty good problem to have! The point is that you’ll never know if you don’t try, and it is about time I started to make something happen for myself. No one is going to come and offer me a career out of the blue, so it is up to me to start networking.

So, as promised (finally!!), these are all of the efforts I have been making toward progress, since my last post. Perhaps I haven’t exactly been “running” to catch my heart, but I have taken the first few steps, and I don’t intend to let it get too far ahead of me... ;0)