Why going undercover is the only way to break free

As a writer, I used to love seeing my name under pieces I had written. I used to love the exchange with my readers, and luckily, I have mainly been spared the trolling and vitriol that seems to be a harsh reality for so many who work in one or another field of publishing.

I started out writing as a magazine editor in 2000. Work was fun, but commissioned articles can become somewhat of a restrictive chore. Especially if your target group hasn’t even had their first bout of acne, and all you want to write about are your disastrous dating adventures as a single woman in her early 20s.

Craving an outlet for my deepest, darkest thoughts, I soon discovered the beauty of writing anonymously. Sadly, I got found out when one of my articles made it into a national newspaper. When my otherwise not-so-clever ex put one and one together, I felt so guilty and exposed, I went into full-on writer’s shock.

My career took me away from writing for about half a decade, but thanks to blogging, I quickly rekindled my love for the written word and writing soon became compulsive again. Again, I started out anonymously, but craving real life contact and connection, especially as a then new mom, I let my cover blow. Funnily, I ended up in a similar situation compared to the one above: paid magazine gigs that had little to do with what I wanted to write, commissioned blog content I didn’t really care about, and a lot of people watching my every word. Literally.

Some people need to run (who ARE these people?!), I need to write. Limiting myself because I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes is like telling a free diver to skip the breath in before they go deep.

So, here we are. Let the fun begin!