Branching out

I can't work legally in the States because of my visa status. A few months ago, though, I decided to try my hand at online freelancing, and I managed to get myself a few odd jobs here and there. Honestly, they don't pay much for the amount of time I put in, but it's a nice feeling to be contributing to a real project that is worth money to a client. It makes me feel like my skills are actually marketable, yannoe?

By the way, I'm talking about copy-editing and proofreading jobs. Back when I was a student, I used to proofread assignments pro bono for my friends. =P And I really enjoyed it. I wonder why I never considered making a career out of this "hobby" of mine. Perhaps it was because I didn't know there was such a career option, given that it doesn't fall under the regular categories of 'doctor/lawyer/engineer/teacher'. I know, I grew up really sheltered. =P Getting steady paychecks was also a huge consideration in my career selection, so any career which had 'freelance' and 'be your own boss' in the description probably didn't appeal to me. 

I've always liked writing, but I know that I'm not creative enough to write fiction. I enjoy reading immensely, but am also fully aware of my limitations and know that I'll never be able to conjure up an engaging, original plot that others would want to read. And I'm totally fine with that. Different people have different gifts, and mine just isn't creativity. If I ever do write a book, it'll probably be a memoir of some sort, because that genre wouldn't tax my very limited reserves of an imagination. =P Back in college, my lecturers had suggested that perhaps I could go into textbook writing and editing. It's still an option, but in my opinion, writing texts for ESL young learners isn't very...mentally stimulating.

Anyway, I've been doing a few copy-editing jobs here and there over the past few months, and I really like it. It involves all the parts of writing that I am reasonably good at, and just enough to stretch me so that I'm constantly learning, but not feeling like a complete failure. And you don't really need an imagination for that! 

I guess what I'm trying to say is, maybe I won't stay in the field of education forever. I used to think teaching was the only thing that combined my passion and gifts, but I'm slowly experiencing more of the world and alternative career options. I love the feeling of being a small, yet integral part of a bigger project. I love the rush that comes with a job well done, that benefits not just my clients, but also their clients. Knowing that my writing/editing/proofreading is reaching an audience that is wider than I ever imagined is also pretty mind-blowing, even if people don't exactly know who did it. I guess writing novels and journalism aren't the only ways to get your writing out to the general public.

Isn't life interesting?

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