On Saturday, June 18, I jotted down the following, as if conjugating a part of my soul: I am a writer. I am writing. I will write.
I’ve been journaling for decades, starting with the daily high school entries I promise to read out loud one day for some serious chuckles and surprisingly relevant advice, continuing to the present with the cathartic, exploratory, raw pages I’ve committed to writing as a student in New Ventures West’s integral coach training program.
I’ve written out loud for years, from my ancient Danyaneering blog (part wannabe thought leader, part wannabe music journalist) to my bi-weekly newsletter The Ish (a digest of all things Jew-ish) and the in-depth content on Arq (the very niche media company — let’s call it Joop a.k.a. Goop for Jews — that I founded and ran for 3 years).
Most recently, my husband Andrew and I took turns writing travel missives from the restorative, transformational 4-month family sabbatical that shocked us out of a multi-year new parent/NICU journey/startup burnout/global pandemic slump we were desperate and determined to shake (success!). It only bruised my ego the tiniest bit when some of my closest relatives mistook Andrew’s writing for my own and responded to an issue of our Shultsbattical newsletter with glowing praise (epilogue coming soon, subscribe now!).
Since then, my fingers have been twitching, and it’s not just the carpal tunnel my “ergonomic” mouse is giving me. Writer’s gotta write, and this writer loves an audience. I’m craving the connection, challenge, creativity, and opportunity that writing in public offers. I’m also emerging from an in-between place personally and professionally, and writing is how I process and learn what’s next; maybe my own experience will help you with yours.
I’m just gonna roll with it and see how it feels for me and what I hear from you. I might write every week for a while, then not again for months. I might write in the present or from the past. I might publish snippets from notes on my phone, try my hand at more poetic essays, post recommendations of things/people I’m enjoying and encourage you to enjoy too, ask questions you might be able to answer, or get business-y or coach-y or organizer-y and share thoughts I’ve got in those realms. No branding, no target audience, no growth strategy.
If you’re curious about what’ll show up here (I sure am!), I’ll see you soon.
P.S. — I take requests. Got any?
Oh HELL YES. I'm in.
Very similar to why I decided to start writing again. Can’t wait to read more of your words (=