This post is going to suck. Truly. I haven’t written anything this long in a while. And I don’t mean to be hard on myself, but it’s going to be far from my best work. And that’s the point of writing it.
Academic writing was always too formulaic, boring, and forced. Research papers were tedious and analyzing assigned English readings wasn’t particularly fun. High school and college writing assignments certainly didn’t create someone who would want to write more in their free time.
But at the same time, I love putting together an argument. My Mom always thought I’d be a lawyer. Piecing together an idea and trying to educate and persuade others can be fun. That’s basically all that writing is. Writing about ideas and topics you’re passionate about is far more engaging than scrutinizing Holden Caulfield’s behavior.
Nowadays I mostly write texts and emails. But I want to improve my written communication, and the only way to do that is by actually writing consistently. I want to be able to articulate my opinions and ideas beyond just emails and Powerpoint decks. Long-form writing is still incredibly powerful. It shapes ideas and opinions and can survive time. The internet has enabled greater distribution than any time in the history of humanity, allowing anyone to be heard. Written content is still one of the best ways to persuade, connect, and learn from others.
My hope for this post is to springboard my writing skills and launch me into the next year, decade, and chapter of my life. The end of the 2010’s brought a lot of reflection. After finishing high school, college, and nearly two years of full time work I think I’ve finally reached “adulthood”. And with it comes the ever-present question of “what do you want to do with your life?”
That brings me to the other point of starting this website. I’m just beginning my career and want to explore topics that interest me. A common refrain at graduation speeches is something along the lines of “find work that feels like play to you”. I’ve felt this before. I lose time when I’m engaged reading or working on something interesting. This site will be a place for me to share what I’ve learned and to dive deeper into the topics that interest me most.
Am I a master of any of the things I’ll write about? Far from it. Am I a polished writer? Absolutely not. But progress has to start somewhere. And today, I’m taking the first step.
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