Thursday 28 June 2018

I'm a full time author!

Flip flops casually dangling off my two fingers, I walked barefoot in the sand.  Happy.  This was a happy and content feeling. My blonde beach curls were becoming more ruffled with the wind as I shook them from within the close view of my pupils.  Today was a good day.  



After avoiding the sun all week and instead preparing for this day with much writing and inside-type stuff, I was happy to watch the cloudless blue skies from the window as I knew today was the day I had 'Beach with Jasmine' written in my diary.  Expecting to need suncream, it was a ridiculous thought to pack my hoodie in the bag along with the towels we would use to lay on the sand after noon when the sun was due to shine.  Noon onwards.  However, the clouds kept moving fast with glimpses of sun in between.  Right after we had finished filming we popped into the old fashioned cafe and had a hot drink.  This still was a good day.




In my mind, I wandered.  Not thinking too much about what I was going to say in the voiceover.  You see, I'd planned in my mind to sit on the beach (we even took the tripod with us) and talk to the camera; yet I knew the wind would just howl down the microphone, even with the fluffy bit attached.  So those words could come later I decided.  Right after I write this passage in fact.  
My candle holding Buddha is lit and I am going to take some time to flow.  There is news you see. Big news.




Maybe not so much to you but definitely for me. It seems I may be the last to know. 

After lots of soul searching and a huge journey full of stress, twists and turns and not allowing myself to be ill or healthy for that matter, I have arrived at a destination.

Growing up, I was taught that toil, stress and misery is what working is all about.  At the age of 14 my wonderful Aunt invited me to think about doing a job I would love.  Leaving me totally perplexed, I began to wonder what I loved.  Settling on the idea of doing something with food (I was a straight A in my Food and Nutrition subject) I looked into several avenues there.  Ending up at college training to be a chef.  A long story follows that but suffice to say I still had the notion that work was something to be suffered.  I loved my job with a total passion but I think perhaps did some damage to myself after working 70-90 hours a week for 15 years.  Seldom a day off.  
Yet, work was going well, I was achieving.

Fast forward to today.  I'm trying hard (it's an effort) to believe that the one dream I really have might in fact be able to be my job.  

After lots of brain training to the contrary, I am now stepping into the brave place of telling you I am now embracing being a full time writer! 
There, I said it.  
Out loud and to the world.  



Since I was little I have loved all sorts of writing. 
Letter writing
script writing 
story writing, even poems.  
It's one of those things I simply can't get enough of.  People have told me I have a talent.


Blogging


When blogging became a thing I was excited.  I started blogging years ago and we were told not to make it an online diary but rather to train people in something.  So I set about doing that and managed to create myself a successful blog with around 9000 readers per month which isn't record breaking but for me, it's wonderful.  Now though, I sense blogging is doing a 360 and people love hearing about memoir. 
Publishing on Amazon was another brave decision and I have some books out there now, one of them is even a little bit of fiction. I loved writing that too, seeing where the protagonist took me in the story (I love how writers state that even though it always sounds so 'out there') and people seemed to love my story too.

My health struggles sometimes. Which is something I don't like to admit. I like to be an achiever.  Against the odds.  Although recently I have had to listen to the signs my body is giving me as there has literally been no alternative.  
Ending up wired up to machines in hospital with total fatigue consuming me, I decided to make today happen, the day at the beach; filming.  It was time to create this life I have dreamed of as well as hoped might actually be able to fulfil me.  I want to write full time.  




Going full time


I'm going to write full time. 

Of course the money bit scares me. Of course it would.  I have worked out a little bit of a plan to keep me going while I continue to grow my author platform and I have also created a patreon account for those who want to support me.  Those people will be able to see all the raw stuff I go through as it happens, warts and all.  But most importantly, I'm going to step into the life I have really wanted for all these years and call myself an author.  

Will I still be blogging?  Yes.
Will I still be hanging out over on instagram a lot?  Definitely.
What about keeping the Youtube channel going? More than ever.
What types of books will I write?  Mostly non-fiction with a little spice added (based on true stories).  Many about living life on purpose (A lusher Life). Many more will kind of be Romance novels. 
Am I excited?  Beyond belief.
Am I frightened?  So much.  Yet I'm more frightened of not doing it!

Right as the day was coming to a close at the beach, an email popped up inviting me to undertake an amazing medical research role. I'm very temped, still.  Yet I know with my beating heart that I simply must write.

It's a must.  I'd love your support. <3



SHARE:

No comments

Post a Comment

© Louise Usher. All rights reserved.
BLOGGER TEMPLATE BY pipdig