Here lies the first installment of what I’m naming Write Club; where I will write one essay every week in 2023. This week’s essay will lay the groundwork for the future essays and cover the why aspect of this whole shenanigan. Let’s get into it, shall we?

First, I suck at goals. It is the year of our lord 2023, and I suck at setting, planning, and fulfilling goals. Hence, me setting a huge, monumental, consistent goal such as writing a whole essay every week. Makes sense, yeah?

I pride myself on being a person of action and living out my ideals, so this year I decided to get my shit together and act. I’ve always wanted to write in some capacity, but my (undiagnosed) brain has problems with ambiguous, nebulous goals, so I’ve never actually put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

What’s different about this year? I’m still the same person, with the same challenges and skills. But I’ve also gained life experience from moving abroad and opening up my mind. I’ve let go of the notion that I need to have everything figured out before I leap. I have zero expectations of this blog right now. It’s just me writing, and whatever unlucky losers who stumble across my page. Hah, welcome loser.

Second, I teach children how to write and I’ve been feeling pretty hollow about my own skill recently. Granted, I teach elementary students, so they aren’t turning in critical analyses of literature or anything, but I want to be assured that I am teaching from a place of experience and not half-forgotten memories from my AP English Lit. class a decade (plus) ago. This blog is my way to practice what I preach, so to speak.

Third, I crave a creative outlet. My time is taken up and I am pulled in many different ways these days (who isn’t?), and writing is an easy creative outlet. With no expectations, this space is here for me however I need it, and I find that freeing and inspiring. I’ve set no goals or rules for Write Club beyond one essay a week, and I’m planning to get wacky with it. My (undiagnosed) brain requires whimsy at every turn to stay interested, and this is my space to feed that part of myself.

So begins Write Club, blessed be everyone who takes that first, frightening step into the unknown.

See you next week my flowers.