Amazing what we say and save ...
I recently took a big decision. I must part with a big grey 4-drawer lateral filing cabinet. And although it contained many years' worth of stuff, including a raft of saved articles -- both by me and of interest to me -- it had turned into a bedroom eyesore. Ah but I could not dispose of it without conscientiously examining every single document in its bowels.
Of course much got pitched into the trash. But after that, the proverbial treasure trove of forgotten material! For openers, "The Writing Life," a piece I wrote in 1990 for Willamette Writers newsletter -- a venerable Portland writers' organization I previously had had the privilege of presiding over.
I was surprised, as I often am ...
I started writing when I was 11. I wrote everything and everywhere I could. I loved it and they said I was good. I wrote book reports, letters, even my first ad. And I wrote my first requested piece - an 8th grade class history. Then on to school papers and yearbooks.
Much later, as a divorcee in search of my "self," it dawned on me that maybe -- just maybe -- I could earn money writing!
I have to admit it took more than the click of the proverbial lightbulb. Along the way I perfected the secretarial art, counseled in an employment agency, did promotion in an airline office, traveled, got out of 2 marriages, promoted and marketed real estate, paid my dues in a small advertising agency, developed a raft of interests and abilities.
An interest in jazz led me to freelancing, promotion and agenting in that way-out world. And voila! "The First Book of Oregon Jazz, Rock & All Sorts of Music: was published in 1982.
I also lost the copyright on my book (due to lack of knowledge) so I joined Willamette Writers. And ta-da! At last I discovered that the one unbroken thread through my life was marketing and promotion. Not only could I write, but I seemed to innately understand how to peddle someone's skills, how to promote a band, a musician, a book, a writer.
Well, "The Writing Life" goes on and obviously so have I. Not only to this blog and other creative writing, but also to a day job happily writing and promoting the newly-emerging science of learning. Even so, I believe my final lines hold true:
Remember to take time to live life, enjoy, learn about everything. Write to live -- but also LIVE to write as you never know when a half-forgotten experience or piece of information will be exactly what you need.
Positively,
Carolan
Of course much got pitched into the trash. But after that, the proverbial treasure trove of forgotten material! For openers, "The Writing Life," a piece I wrote in 1990 for Willamette Writers newsletter -- a venerable Portland writers' organization I previously had had the privilege of presiding over.
I was surprised, as I often am ...
I started writing when I was 11. I wrote everything and everywhere I could. I loved it and they said I was good. I wrote book reports, letters, even my first ad. And I wrote my first requested piece - an 8th grade class history. Then on to school papers and yearbooks.
Much later, as a divorcee in search of my "self," it dawned on me that maybe -- just maybe -- I could earn money writing!
I have to admit it took more than the click of the proverbial lightbulb. Along the way I perfected the secretarial art, counseled in an employment agency, did promotion in an airline office, traveled, got out of 2 marriages, promoted and marketed real estate, paid my dues in a small advertising agency, developed a raft of interests and abilities.
An interest in jazz led me to freelancing, promotion and agenting in that way-out world. And voila! "The First Book of Oregon Jazz, Rock & All Sorts of Music: was published in 1982.
I also lost the copyright on my book (due to lack of knowledge) so I joined Willamette Writers. And ta-da! At last I discovered that the one unbroken thread through my life was marketing and promotion. Not only could I write, but I seemed to innately understand how to peddle someone's skills, how to promote a band, a musician, a book, a writer.
Well, "The Writing Life" goes on and obviously so have I. Not only to this blog and other creative writing, but also to a day job happily writing and promoting the newly-emerging science of learning. Even so, I believe my final lines hold true:
Remember to take time to live life, enjoy, learn about everything. Write to live -- but also LIVE to write as you never know when a half-forgotten experience or piece of information will be exactly what you need.
Positively,
Carolan
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