Consistent and Persistent Writing
I’m not going anywhere.
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Yesterday I went on a solo trip to the Art Institute of Chicago.
In my many, many years of living in a Chicago suburb and many, many trips to the Art Institute, this is the first time I’ve gone alone.
I could have taken my family. The kids don’t have school today and my husband doesn’t have work in observation of Good Friday. In fact, the kids/husband wanted to go. But I had my heart set on roaming through the giant halls of the museum alone. So that’s what I did.
Every time I go to the Art Insitute, I visit my favorites. Monet and the Impressionists. The Chagall Windows. Magritte and Picasso. I was wandering through the art of the Americas, and wedged between some artists unknown to me was Diego Rivera. I saw a brand new exhibition by current artist Gio Swaby that was fabulous. And there is a stunning Salvador Dalí exhibit right now.
I stand in front of masterpieces and I’m humbled. I’ll stand in front of a Van Gogh and realize that people travel the world to see this painting. And realize how many people have gazed upon it.
When I graduated from college, I gave up my dream of being a writer. It wasn’t practical, I told myself. I wanted a house and a family. I was a voracious reader, mostly literary fiction, and thought, “I’m not that talented. I’ll never write like that — I’ll never make it as a writer.”
So I went down another path (banking, technology). I was good at my work.
But after 15 years, frustrated by my job and knowing I needed a change, somehow I managed to pivot into writing.
I started at a content mill, getting paid $.02 per word. An introduction via a professional contact got me a retainer at a magazine. And the best hiring manager ever gave me a job at a high-quality content agency. Now I have a portfolio of work I’m proud of.
Earlier this week, I recorded a podcast episode as a guest. The host asked me how I managed to get some of my big-name clients. I said, “Oh well, I got lucky… I knew someone…”
It’s been easy for me to make similar comments over the past two years. I knew someone or I got lucky, rather than saying the words I’m a good writer.
