Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Dave Matthews Band: There when I need them

There isn’t much I can write about this song or Dave Matthews Band. Well, not a specific personal backstory type of piece anyway. Dave has been part of my musical catalogue for so long now I barely remember a time the songs weren’t playing on a device of mine. Every Dave song seems to have some kind of meaning, deep connection to most of the people in (and out of) my life, work, jobs, houses, everything.

DMB is just part of the soundtrack of my life. And “Lie in Our Graves” is one of those songs that always seems to play at the very moment I need to remind myself of the lyrics. In a nutshell – don’t die without living first, enjoy life and everything it has to offer so your mind, body and soul are satisfied.

For me right now the thing that’s unsatisfying is the financial aspect of my job. Which has really been taking a toll on the mind/body/soul if I’m being completely honest. So I finally came to the conclusion that I’m just a person who needs to have an income associated with the work I do all day to feel fulfilled. I don’t want to be a starving artist stereotype anymore. I’m over it. Luckily there’s a way to garner the income I’d like to earn from the work that I love to do.

Over the past week or so I’ve been reviving my desire to be a Freelance Writer, something I’d started researching last fall before I was sidelined. I really love writing in my own voice. And I’ve been writing direct response sales letters since as far back as I can remember. Since way back in my selling Tupperware days. Maybe even earlier than that.

I know everything I need to do to get this going so I can make some money as a Freelance Writer. And the very first thing to do is learn how to become a Freelance Writer.

I know you’re saying – wait, what? If you have to learn how to become a Freelancer how is it you know everything you need to start doing it?

What I mean by I know it all is that I put an outline together for studying every facet of the business in becoming a professional Freelance Writer. And there’s a lot to learn.

I figure once I break it all out into subjects, reading, and practice time it’s going to be like going back to school. So I guess I’m designing my own Freelance Copywriting study program, something I can use to learn the industry from the start. I figure it’ll take about four weeks to get through all the information that I have on my lesson plan.

Books are on order, websites bookmarked, and time during the day earmarked for research and studying (this is a part time thing for me, going back to “school”, I’m still working on my personal projects as well). Just thinking about learning more about this industry has me really excited about the prospect and possibility that lies ahead for selling my words regularly enough to garner a stable income.

So thanks for your reaffirming lyrics today Dave. I’m definitely not going to be lying in my grave wishing I’d gotten out there to start living the life I really want, I’m just going to take life by the balls and live it so that when I do die it’ll be with a big smile on my face for having followed my own path to being “ok, ok, ok”.

May’s Month of Music
Lie In Our Graves – Dave Matthews Band (iTunes first track)

10 comments:

Judi FitzPatrick said...

That's how life usually works - what we need shows up when we need it, if we believe it will!
Love you, Mum

Kathe W. said...

good for you! You will be successful as you are taking the right path-
have a wonderful week!

Launna said...

Wow Jenn, fabulous idea, I would love to do something like this if I could actually make money at it:)

Almost Precious said...

If anybody can rise, like cream on top of milk, in the world of freelance writing, it would be you Jenn. This sounds like the perfect fit for you, a means to earn an income doing what you have a passion for doing - and in the mean while you can still work on your books and dream up your wonderful stories.
Yes, life is far to short and precious to squander on could-haves, would-haves and should-haves. Go out there and embrace it, live it, love it and savor every moment of it.

Jak said...

This intrigues me... I've always wondered about freelance writing. I've heard people use the term and/or describe themselves as such, but never fully understood the scope it encompassed. Nor did I know how much would actually have to go into it; researching and all.

Looking forward to reading some updates with all of this. 3-4 weeks isn't too time intensive, but I think I would fall behind on reading what I should be... I can barely keep up with blogs lol

So your office is now a "classroom" too... sheesh you should just start a business from your office... teaching, and charging club entry fees... maybe a gym membership fee... You wouldn't even have to write! lol

I like DMB, but they seem to catch a lot of flack nowadays from people (who once upon a time liked them, I swear!) much like Nickleback.


Jak at The Cryton Chronicles & Dreams in the Shade of Ink

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

True dat ♥

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

Thanks so much Kathe! You too!

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

I'm going to figure this baby out and share the experiences on my website as I unearth the good from the bad from the ugly scams. I'll let you know what shakes out!

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

Thanks so very much my friend! It's been a fun adventure so far and I don't see any signs of that stopping :-)

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

There's a LOT of reading & research involved to do it the right way and not be taken in by the countless scams that are all over the place. Just have to feel it out and if it feels right then it probably is...vice versa as well.

I SHOULD charge for admission, great idea for a side business! Cha-ching!

Still a die hard Dave fan, probably will be for life. Their music evolves just like life but to me he can still capture the essence of human emotion in all his work. I don't think they've ever phoned it in.