back in class

Writing is the hardest way of earning a living, with the possible exception of wrestling alligators.
- Olin Miller

Last night I was invited to speak at a Writers Round-Up panel discussion for a graduate journalism class at my alma mater, New York Institute of Technology. I remember attending such panels when I was an undergraduate (already more than three years now), which were then, as they are now, organized by the faculty adviser of the campus newspaper, John Hanc. So when he asked me a few months ago if I would be one of the guest speakers, a representative of NYIT alumni who have gone on to somewhat lucrative writing careers, I was quite honored.

Speaking about my career thus far as a writer was kind of strange, even more than how it felt to write a bio about myself to give out to the students. There was a lot of, I did that? I do that? I'm planning to do that, too? I actually ran the bio past a few people to make sure that I hadn't made anything up in my sleep. Not that I'm exactly touting Pulitzer Prizes left and right or Oscar nominations on the horizon, but still, even the small things sometimes make you ask, really? Especially when you're sitting at your computer and writing about yourself at 2 AM in your pajamas, with a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios, reminding yourself to re-tape the top right corner of the LOTR poster that's been in your room since forever...Yes, it can be hard to acknowledge your own accomplishments when you're with you every day.

But getting back to the main point, in speaking about what I did in college, what I've been up to since then, and what I'm working on right now, some life truths and words of advice that came up were ringing pretty hard in my own head. I spoke about taking chances, and doing what it is you love when it comes to writing, and working hard, writing often, acknowledging when you just don't have an answer, promising to always look for one, not being afraid of the blank page, expecting crap some of the time, attaining not-crap other times, and always striving for brilliance. Saying it out loud was a very loud reminder to follow my own advice.

Yes, I'm launching my own online magazine. Yes, it's kind of scary. Yes, there's a lot I'm still trying to figure out. Yes, money hasn't yet started to grow on that money tree out back. Yes, there's also the book and the graduate school and the acting and the tennis.

And yes, I'm passionate about all of it.

So now it's just a matter of getting over the fear of that blank page.