The Reader Project (Pilot)

Figuring out what to write in the space of this first sentence took me three days. So, instead of trying to write something profound, I just decided to write what frustrated me. The technique has proved to be helpful because I can segue into the real frustration, and that’s the premise of this post.

I have debated for years now about whether or not to start a routine blog. Sure, I have dabbled in themed blogs, but those were simple undertakings confined by a central idea. These previous blogs followed specific journeys of mine, journeys I felt interesting enough to engage an audience of readers or, if nothing else, to keep my family posted on my whereabouts. For example, when I went to Thailand, my blog helped map my way through a year abroad and allowed others to share in my crazy experiences. This blog was a piece of cake. Being in a third world country offered breathtaking topics on a silver platter, and best of all, to a goal oriented writer, I had a finish line in sight. Not that I was rushing through my time in Thailand, no. On the contrary, I was relishing each day and each blog post knowing I was working toward a final and meaningful last entry, the “moral of the story” entry, if you will.

So, imagine how daunting of a task it must be for me to start writing just an average, every day blog attempting to build a readership. To start writing blog posts with no gimmick, no motif, no adventure (yet) and no pot of gold in sight.

Building a media platform has never been appealing to me. In fact, it is pretty damn intimidating. It’s where true authors get their start, and I have to give it my best shot. An amateur writer’s ego hasn’t much further to plummet, so sending out a beacon call to readers is a real risk. What if no one reads? Embracing the old soul within me, sitting at an old typewriter, waxing nostalgic and hiding my work in journals to be discovered upon my deathbed sounds much more romantic, but that doesn’t reach readers. And in the end, that’s why us writers write. . . for readers. Expression through the written word is the ultimate display of vulnerability, so if I can do it, I want to inspire others through it. That’s where you come in.

In a way, I am embracing an ongoing theme in this new blog. I am writing toward a pot of gold. I am writing to reach more eyes and ears. I am writing because that’s what I’m supposed to do in wake of discouragement or rejection. I am writing because it makes me feel better despite its seeming futility. I am writing for my plucky little tribe of followers, and I won’t let you down.

So subscribe – because this is my Reader Project, and I need you.