An Act of Ego

I try to start every day with 20 sacred minutes. I brew my coffee and do my puppy duties, then settle into the couch with a book. Whether weekend or weekday, no matter how calm or chaotic, I guard these quiet me-moments ruthlessly.

I don’t know what strange force drives me to select my next read, but this morning something compelled me to William Zinsser’s “On Writing Well”. And I couldn’t imagine a better-composed companion with which to round out the year.

Words are where it all began for me.

As girl I spent countless hours weaving ridiculous stories. Later I discovered the practice of journaling and how writing could be a tool to learn parts of me I didn’t know. In my twenties I realized that using words skillfully could help me find jobs, and eventually to build a business. But on this quiet Sunday morning it dawned on me that over the last few years I lost my words.

Amidst the hubbub of moving countries, getting married, starting a business, and life, I’d layered on excuse after excuse for why not to write. The nagging to spew my insights dulled.

And then my eyes fell upon this quote:

“Writing is an act of ego, and you might as well admit it. Use its energy to keep yourself going.”

Thank you, Zinsser. I needed this.

Writing is both intensely solitary and brazenly vulnerable. “Why should my words matter?” Now I realize that’s not the point. They matter to me, and that’s reason enough. In fact, it’s the only reason that’s worth anything.

So I’m inaugurating the Marketing by Emma blog with a post for myself. Because none of this would be here if I didn’t put my love for writing first.

They say if you want to stick with something make it public, so I’m making a promise to myself in a very un-businesswoman-like-way. Then again, I’m also not one for rules and tradition.

I’m committing to bringing you fantastic content that will help you grow your business, but I’m also promising to make this a space for me to share my insights about life, about being a writer, and whatever else I want to write about.

After all, this is my business, and I’ll write what want I to.