Starting a blog is something that I’ve thought about doing for years. Wanting isn’t the right word- I approached in my head with a combination of curiosity and unease. Starting a blog would give me total and complete control over my writing, published what I wanted, when I wanted to.
But starting a blog also meant putting my writing out into the world, with little to no control over who saw it. And that was a terrifying prospect. I have long been afraid to share my writing, resting uncomfortably in the grips of total imposter syndrome.
I think at its core, becoming a writer requires a little bit of hubris. You have to be comfortable with the fact that there are literally thousands of other writers at any given time, each vying for attention and recognition. You have to feel secure in your writing, secure in your voice, and in the necessity of sharing it. To say that I lacked this would be an understatement.
But when I decided to niche down from general copywriting to cannabis, it quickly became apparent my current portfolio wouldn’t do. I had to create a hub of information that showcased both my writing ability, my research prowess, and my cannabis knowledge. So I started a blog.
I started simply- by getting high and writing about the way cannabis had affected me. From there, I expanded into research articles, looking into the history of cannabis and its spread across the world. This combination of articles carried me through the next several months, until mid-summer when I had the opportunity to interview the owner of a dispensary.
A lightbulb went off in my head. The cannabis industry, particularly the smaller businesses struggle with marketing and promotion. There’s strict limits on what these businesses can and can’t do, and the list of cant’s is longer than the list of cans. And, to be frank, interviewing cannabis industry professionals was a win/win for me and them.
So here we are, 9 months and 69 blogs later. This is #70 and my last for the year.
This blog has evolved and changed and will continue to do so. 2022 is bringing a host of changes, including a new job and a wedding. I’ll still be posting interviews with cannabis industry professionals, but I’ll also return to personal blogs- musings, deep dives, and the like.
All of this is really to say thank you. To every single person who has read a blog of mine, to the people keeping up with my weekly interviews, and to everyone who has enjoyed even a single piece of my writing- thank you. I started this blog resolved to post whether or not anyone read it, but I am still humbled that people do.
Thank you. Have a wonderful holiday season and I’ll see you in the New Year!