A is for Acknowledgment
- A is for Acknowledgment
- B is for Beneficient
- C is for Choice
- D is for Duh!
- E is for Efficient
- F is for Fail
- G is for Generosity
- H is for Health
- I is for Indecision
- J is for Jealousy
- K is for Kin
- L is for Likoma
- M is for Momentum
- N is for Naive
- O is for Overwhelmed
- P is for Proverb
- Q is for Quick
- R is for Respect
- S is for Smile
- T is for Trust
- U is for Useful
- V is for Virus
- W is for Whisper
- X is for Xanadu
- Y is for Yellow
- Z is for Zebra
- A to Z Wrap Up
I’m taking on a new challenge for the month of April: The Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Because my life is so dull, I have no work to do, and I can’t think of any topics to write about … I’m going to tag them for the month with the AtoZ tag.
I’m acknowledging that I’m going to be a writer again. No wait a sec, I am a writer again. Again? Hmm, I am a writer, have been a writer, will always be a writer. I’m a writer if I write. So I will write. I am writing. I’m a writer.
Now that I got that out of the way.
You non-writers might not quite get this flurry of self-confusion, but writers are an odd lot. Personally, writing doesn’t quite cut the mustard of “real job” in the eyes of some, especially if you’re not getting paid for it or possibly worse, getting paid a little for it. Because then it went from hobby (fun, side thing, like gardening) to low-paying job (embarrassment, waiting-for-something else, short-term thing). For now, I’ll take the zero pay label because I’m … an addict.
Is it worse to do something you love and not get paid for it (hobby) or get paid little for it (bad job)?
Addiction was almost my “A” word for today, but it’s a little, hmm, negative. I can’t really kick writing. I have always known that I would get back into it, I just wasn’t sure when. But like jogging, I know it’s good for me, I like doing it (or rather, I like having done it), and I miss it when I’m not doing it–or haven’t done it.
If you’re not a writer and are wondering what this is all about, you can just stop reading now. But I’m almost done.
Back to the addicts. At AA (I’ve seen in movies … ) they have to stand up and admit they’re an alcoholic. It’s difficult to do. Please don’t get me wrong with my little analogy here as I realize that alcoholism and being “addicted to writing” is a whole different ball game, but I can’t think of a better one. I still can’t really stand up at a gathering of people and feel that I have the right to say, “I’m a writer.” Partly embarrassed, partly I feel I don’t deserve it, partly I think it’d be boasting.
Do you dare admit who you really are? Click to Tweet!
Some people might say that a writer is someone who is paid for their writing. OK, I get that. A young man who plays baseball is still a baseball player, but he’s not paid for it. That would be a professional baseball player. Maybe that’s the difference. OK, I can accept that.
But he’s still a baseball player. And I’m still a writer.
If a baseball player isn’t paid, is he still a baseball player?
Yes, you write, therefore you are a writer. So keep at it. I’ll be back throughout April to read some of your writing 🙂
Good luck with moving from a hobby to a paying job! Wouldn’t it be great if we could get paid for blogging?
Hi Stacy,
Thanks! But lots of people do get paid for blogging, but they call it something else: they call it article writing or essays or workshops or white papers. It used to be all newspapers or magazines, but there are plenty of paying sites out there where we can earn some dosh by blogging. The hard part is finding them. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
*giggles* and acknowledging the truth of these words. Baseball player is to Athlete what Writer is to Author – we all play the best we can, and sometimes don’t get enough acknowledgement. Best wishes for the challenge.
Thanks, Ida! You too.
I’m a writer, too. =) Welcome to the A to Z Challenge!
Thanks, Aidyle!
I feel the same way when people ask me what I do. I’ve been writing for a while now, but I don’t have much to show for it in terms of money or acclaim, so I have a hard time telling people “I’m a writer.”
That, and I feel writing/blogging draws upon so many different skill sets, that simply stating “I’m a writer” doesn’t even began to explain who I am and what I do.
By the way, I’m looking forward to “post Z,” and everything that comes before 🙂 Good luck!
I remember the first time I wrote my occupation as ‘writer’ on a customs form, it was because there wasn’t enough room to list all the different jobs, I was doing at the time, and I thought to myself I do all of these things to give myself the chance to learn things only a writer could understand … I didn’t even have a blog then, but I was writing on the form… 🙂
Reflex Reactions
Hi Ida,
I think I’ve written “Writer” before on forms, but mostly secretly, if I knew the form wasn’t important or wouldn’t ever show up in something too official. Silly, aren’t we?
Henry, I’m right there with you (” … so I have a hard time telling people “I’m a writer.””). Looking forward to G … oh, that’s today! I’ll get on that now.