I Still Love to Write. Here’s How I’m Taking Myself Seriously.

A waterfall in Mexico. Courtesy, author.

I saw a fantastic note on Substack today. It went like this:

At x age, I wanted to be a writer, but I did this.

At y age, I wanted to be a writer but I did (insert job here).

And kept going like that.

Eventually, the author reached 55 and had written five books. It’s possible, she said. Don’t give up.

Here’s my version of that:

At 7, I wanted to be a writer. I did write fan fiction with my best friend.

At 23, I wanted to be a writer. I wrote a lot on Medium & eventually Substack, but I focused on growing my career in other ways.

At 25, I wanted to be a writer. I became one. I grew a successful career as a freelance medical writer.

At 26, I wanted to be a writer. I still wanted to be a writer, because writing about Ozempic and pharmacy benefit managers wasn’t fulfilling to me. I wanted to touch hearts with my writing. So I picked up my pen again.

It’s never too late to start trying, again.

Some of you may have followed me all over the interwebs in the past year as I’ve journeyed to find my voice again and understand how to use it again in a way that feels true to who I am.