How I started writing again

Here’s my story. If you used to write a lot and stopped, or are having writer’s block, maybe you can resonate with this. I hope my story can help some of you!

I wrote a lot growing up. My peak moment was getting published in my favorite online magazine, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, in college.

Then I started a full-time job in advertising and I stopped writing cold turkey. Writing felt like too much with the new demands of the job, and I lost interest. I was saddened by the loss of my passion and couldn’t figure out what went wrong.

I researched my “Ikigai,” a Japanese concept measured in four quadrants that relates to your life purpose. My advertising job checked 3 out of 4 boxes, but I was still missing “What you love.”

Then along came my hedgehog, Poppa. He was shy, grumpy, and adorable, and he inspired me to write a children’s book called Hedgehog Leaves Home about feeling different than others and how to overcome that.

Writing for adults felt hard and boring, but then when I discovered children’s literature, something just CLICKED.

I urge all of you to keep going, to continue seeking out your purpose or “ikigai”, because it may be slightly different than what you imaged it to be! (for me - children’s writing > writing for adults)!

What’s your story?

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