Write On!

On: My Writing Journey

I am starting this new career chapter of my life and I think it is going to be a juicy one. Expect some excitement, suspension, trials and tribulations, and a bit of fun. Perhaps you guessed from the title that this career chapter is about my writing. I have to say, after this week, I am stoked! 

What’s got me so hopped up, you might ask? Well, the pieces of the puzzle are coming together, and they all revolve around writing. The excitement began last Saturday when I decided to attend the VT Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference. I thought it was about time I started getting back into the networking world, and since I am the woman owner of two businesses in this state, it made sense. I am so glad I went because not only did I hear some great speakers that were thought provoking, but I was also inspired by the people I chatted with throughout the day. I met new people, and I also came across a colleague from a past career. The thing that made me feel so good, however, was that when I told my story about how I came to be the owner of the plumbing business, more than one suggested that they could see me standing on that stage inspiring others to be courageous and resilient in the face of adversity. That really made my heart full. And these were women I just met! 

I also spoke with others about advocacy and how I can play a role in encouraging our young men and women to join the trades. Of course, that will require writing, speaking and engaging with the state representatives to break down some of the barriers that business owners face when it comes to hiring apprentices, etc. This is where I began to make sense of my role as the boss in a company in which I am not a skilled tradesperson, but am skilled in other areas of business management, networking and messaging and how I can use those skills not only to grow my own business, but to help others build theirs. So cool! 

Now that I had this newfound energy, I decided to ask for help in another project I am working on. It is a book for new teachers. I solicited the help of my next biggest sister Liz, who is also a teacher, to help edit this book. Boy, am I glad that I decided to do that because what I had down on paper already was really kind of crappy.  This accountability partnership is forcing me to rewrite with a clear head and purpose. (This is the suspense part …. you’ll have to stay tuned on the title.)  I will tell you that the goal is to have it published before September. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted on all the details as it gets closer to completion. 

Wait, there’s more. In conjunction with the plumbing business and book writing, I have also been trying to decide who my target audience will be for my writing business.  Although I do not have that nailed down completely yet- I will soon. What I have nailed down is that my main service area will be grant writing. I have been working with my sister Patsy (the oldest of 4) who is showing me the ropes, resources, strategies, etc. It has been encouraging, but I was teetering on the fence a bit about my ability to do this as an independent contractor. Then guess what? I got a newsletter from our local business development corporation, and lo and behold, the New England chapter of the Grant Professionals Association was holding their annual conference right around the corner from me. A sign? Of course it was! On Tuesday I attended this conference. I was one of a few that had never written a grant before and were not yet a member of this organization. Needless to say, it did not take me long to figure out that I was in the right place. By the end of the day, I felt like I already was a professional grant writer. It was definitely where I needed to be for so many reasons. I shall become a member of this group and utilize all the resources and people I can to make myself a sought after grant professional. 

The last thing that I did this week, as if the above wasn’t enough, was to do something that has always been my favorite thing to do each year as a teacher. I wrote a graduation speech for the 6th graders of Wardsboro Elementary. Even though I did not end up teaching this year, I was compelled to attend the graduation because I taught these kids in 5th grade and would have had them again this school year. This is the speech in which I torture the children with funny anecdotes about their personalities or behaviors in addition to a few compliments. Since it had been an annual tradition, the students were worried that they would not get the usual treatment with their new teacher. Well, they didn’t have to worry, because their current teacher and Principal were gracious enough to allow me to participate. So, I did it and am grateful, because it was our opportunity for closure. I never really did get to have that with the school community and was what all of us have needed since I am not going back to teaching next year. If you are wondering how it went- it was awesome! If I do say so myself 🙂

Needless to say, I am now motivated and more confident in my writing abilities and open to new opportunities.  My wish is out there in the universe now, so I suspect that it will provide me with what I need to achieve my personal and professional goals. Thanks to those of you who have been encouraging me to keep writing and sharing my journey. There’s lots more to come from this writing fool.