Monday, March 23, 2009

TODAY!!!

Today, I am a freelance writer.


I became a writer at the tender age of thirteen when, as a seventh grade student in junior high, my English teacher began a segment of lessons on poetry. I never knew I could write before this time although I had been told I saw things differently then the rest of the world. My writing evolved from poetry to songs (music is still in my head for them) and even had friends ask me to write things for them to present to boyfriends.

In college I enjoyed writing papers in Eng 101 and 102. My favorite style there became "Argument and Persuasion". No, I am not an argumentative type of person, however I have tested and proved that in my writing I can lead my readers to my way of thinking. I just forgot about that over the years and went in other directions with my writing.

I never dreamt of being a writer. I just loved writing. It became the voice for this painfully shy girl. I found that in my written words I could say things I would never have the courage to audibly say. Prior to writing my first novel, my friends had to 'convince' me to write it. I did not consider myself a novelist. A poet perhaps, but a novelist, no. So my wonderful friends worked at pushing me to take up pen and pad to write my first novel. I was relaxing one evening in mid June 2001 and took a pen a pad near me and started jotting down the characters. By mid March 2002, I was finished writing. There would still be a lot of editing and refining to be done, but the manuscript was completed.

Last year, pretty much as a joke I submitted an on-line query to a publisher for this manuscript. I was dumbfounded when they said they wanted to publish it. I thought, due to a stupid mistake I made, that this was never going to happen. So last week, I began making plans to self-publish a book of my poetry. While doing this I got the confirmation that my novel will be on shelves shortly. I will go forward with both books now.

Why the history lesson, you ask? To show you that a dream I never had is coming true. After losing my job in October and considering the evil dragon called Meniere's that has entered my life, I knew that my writing must become my career. I began talking to people in the business and reading. One of the first pieces of advice I received was that to be a good writer I must read and read, and do more reading. This I am doing.

I began seeing ideas for writing articles everywhere I looked. I started reading up on them and trying my hand at writing some. I subscribed to The Writer and started learning more. A recent article I read told how the author became a freelancer. My thought was "I can do something like that too". About a month ago I took an on-line career test to see what it suggested I do with my life. The main choice was writing. A tie for tops was working in a museum.

I love museums of all kinds. I began thinking about how to tie the two together. I can write about museums and special exhibits in museums. I started looking for publications where I can publish these articles. I found the American Association of Museums (AAM) and didn't think I could get into it as I do not work for or own a museum.

Today, I filled out the form and was granted membership to the AAM. On the application I put "I am a freelance writer writing about museums and special exhibits". I didn't think I would be accepted, but low and behold, I WAS. I called myself a Freelance Writer and was granted admittance to one of the most prestigious organizations within the community I desire to write in.


Today, I AM a FREELANCE WRITER!!!!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Craving Something Sweet??

I received a notice regarding the on-line poetry reading I attend every Wednesday. It stated that it was Oreo Cookie Day in the UK. They were looking for poems about/inspired by Oreo Cookies. The two who host this reading are both in London and both LOVE Oreo cookies. Apparently they do not taste as good in the UK as they do in the US.


I am not a fan of Oreo's and cookies in general but my mind started swirling. I went to the drug store and was going to buy a package for further inspiration. However, the only ones I could find were Weight Watcher's and they are not the same. I returned home with the tornadoes raging in my mind wanting to spew out the words I was seeing.

"Ode To Your Pleasure" was written as I chatted in MSN with a UK friend who loves Oreo's. Later I logged in for the reading and sat listening as others read their works, but none were about Oreo cookies. My name was called to the mic and I had three pieces to read. I read a little one liner that I wrote in response to a friends photo he had taken and asked me to write what came to me from viewing that photo. Then I read the piece I last posted "I Wanted You". Then I asked Jilly to load the last one and went on to explain that it was written in response to the call for Oreo cookie poems. I brought the house down and prompted others to find pieces about the sweet little crumb maker.

Ode To Your Pleasure
With a package of blue
anticipation grows
a glass of milk by your side
small chocolate discs
glued with the sweetest cream
then separating the two
only to enjoy the sugary creamy goo
then together they fit
but the milk you bypass
to your lips a smile begins
crumbs find their wayto the table below
your eyes close lightly
your smile widens
the visions in your mind bloom
I breathe a sigh
as I watch in silence
you offer me your last
glancing down from your face to your pleasure
a grin slips to my mouth
reaching slowly you realizeyou have but one Oreo left
horror I hear in your gasp
then I take your milk instead.

March 4, 2009

Upon concluding my piece, another passed over to be read directly while I had the mic a haiku she had written in response to my reading mine.

The last Oreo
Is offered to us all by
The last Southern Belle
© Tidd Kidd 2009

So for all those who love Oreo cookies or just like sweets. Enjoy "Ode To Your Pleasure" , I'll take the milk.