Why do I write? (A brief employment history of the author)
March 24, 2011 Leave a Comment
I’ve always been a late bloomer.
When I was a kid, I was always the skinniest and lightest for my age. I had average athleticism, an above average brain and a knack for under achieving. But I always day dreamed. I always imagined. I always played pretend. I was always creating stories either with my friends, my action figures or with a piece of paper and a pencil. I was born to do what I do yet somehow it took me 32 years to figure it out.
Recently, I’ve been trying to find the positive in my delayed rise to being a full-time writer because most of the time I feel like I wasted a lot of my years trying to figure out that writing and acting was what I really wanted to do more than anything else in the world.
I’ve had a lot of jobs along the way. It wasn’t until recently that I began to think of how they helped me to get to where I am today, even if it took a while. Here they are:
1. Grocery Bagger – Your first job is a big deal. Why do we take it so seriously? I mean, yes, you need to be mature and professional but I was so nervous to start. Why?! It was only groceries! I was 16 and awkward and shy. The cashiers were all “older” women who were the sweetest ladies on earth and I learned that talking to people who weren’t my friends was possible. How it prepared me to write: It was my first step into the “world” and I quickly realized that I could relate to people even if they didn’t look like me, talk like me, dress like me or believe what I did. As a writer, you need to be able to communicate a story to anyone and the only way to do that is to get to know (and appreciate) a lot of different types of people.
2. Fast Food Worker – Dairy Queen to be specific. I worked mostly in the back, dropping fries and making burgers but eventually I was promoted to treat maker where I acquired the skill of putting the trademark swirl on top of cones. How it prepared me to write: This job was all about speed while keeping the food fresh and high quality at the same time. As a writer, you have to be able to meet deadlines and work under pressure without sacrificing creativity or quality. If you can do this, readers (and clients) will keep coming.
3. Order Picker - The only thing I remember about this job is that I listened to Primus the whole day on my headphones. It was my job to take an order slip and walk around with a bin and put the products from the slip into my bin and send it down the line to be packaged. I worked with one of my best friends and it was truly just one way to make some cash as an 18 year-old that didn’t include oil and ketchup. How it prepared me to write: As a writer, sometimes you just have to write to pay the bills. In those cases, it helps to have good friends with whom you can blow off steam or a good mentor who can guide you through it.
4. Product Fulfillment – I held this job a few different times at a few different companies. One place I worked paid me according to how fast I could label a box of 100 video tapes. Each box was worth $1 to me. If I worked fast, I got a nice check. If I chatted and took a lot of Coke breaks, my check sucked. Not only did this help me to develop a better work ethic, the lesson stuck with me through my hourly and salary jobs. How it prepared me to write: As a freelance writer, your effort is directly tied to your paycheck. Also: just write and go fast.
5. Phone Sales – My job was to call people during dinner and ask them to activate their credit card. It was one of the worst work experiences of my life. How it prepared me to write: I learned a lot about tone and recognizing when people were open to the pitch and when they wanted to murder me. As a writer, being able to recognize and then use different tones in your work will help you be more versatile and produce interesting content.
6. Warehouse Worker - I worked in various warehouses for various companies. The worst experience was when I managed a crew whose primary job was to unload and stack truckloads of insulation. It was knuckle-damaging, back-breaking work. But the worst part of the job was my supervisor. He was rude, blunt, inconsistent and forgetful. How it prepared me to write: As a writer, it helps to be likable even when you’re working on a tough project. I believe that, all things being equal, people will choose a nice person to write for them over a jerk.
7. Quality Control – If it passed through my station, it was ready to ship. I only made one mistake the entire time I held the position. How it prepared me to write: Attention to detail is crucial. Also, if you are following the advice from job 4, it’s great to have an editor who can catch your mistakes. If you’re lucky enough to have an editor or proofreader, thank them often.
8. Mailroom worker – The main thing I remember about this one is that it was up to us to make sure the bulk mail shipments made it to the Post Office before the cut-off time. If we missed it, we could lose our jobs. (Side note: we took the mail in an old, green, no-windowed, creepy van.) How it prepared me to write: Write with urgency and don’t ever miss a deadline.
9. Video Store Employee – Once upon a time there were these stores where, for a fee, you could walk in and rent a physical copy of a movie to watch at home. People would watch these movies on players known as VCRs. There were also clerks who had to physically be there for you to check the movie out. I was one of those clerks. How it prepared me to write: I got free rentals. That’s a great way to research the great stories of our time. I decided I want to try acting which then inspired me to write my first short play which a local college later produced. If you’re a writer, you should be reading books, watching movies and getting your hands on anything you can that will help show you how good storytelling looks.
10. Customer Service Rep – I always felt good when I got off the phone with someone and knew I helped her or him. How it prepared me to write: In a job like this you learn how to develop a relationship with a person fast. In writing, you have to do that with your reader early on as well or they won’t stay with you long enough for you to “help” them.
11. Tech Support Rep – Same as Customer Service Rep but with angrier people on the phone. How it prepared me to write: Made me realize that I never wanted to take phone calls as a job again. Do what you love.
12. Journalist – Once upon a time … OK, obviously this job was writing, editing and interviewing all day long, everyday. Often it was on topics I thought were lame or boring but I had to find a way to make it interesting to read. I think I did OK at it. The long hours and low pay were discouraging. How it prepared me to write: I became able to write about anything and get it done on a deadline. Even if you don’t plan on making a career out of it, all aspiring writers should try to work for a newspaper or online publication at least once in their lives. The experience is invaluable.
13. Support Manager - My first true management position, I learned a lot about myself and how I work with people. How it prepared me to write: If you’re going to work as a freelancer or for a creative agency/department, you have to learn how to work well with others. You have to be able to articulate and share ideas, get along and get things done together.
There they are. I may have missed a couple but you don’t need to know I picked corn for a summer.
The point: I think I learned a lot by trying out a lot of things while I put myself through school. I started college in 1993. Then started again in 1995. Then started for good in 1998 and graduated (in English) in 2003. At that time I was almost 32 years old. Most college grads are 22-24 years old. I may be a chronic late bloomer but, when I graduated, I knew exactly who I was:
A writer.
