Finding a Job You Love-Writing for AC

Like so many others, I was hit in early 2008 by the growing recession. I was causally informed that because business was down and it didn't look like it would be recovering anytime soon, my job was being eliminated. A year and five months later, I'm still searching for a job where none seem to be. Millions of people are walking in my shoes. Trying to find any job will do, but it sure would be nice to find a job you love to do.

I've loved writing as long as I can remember, but always pushed that love to the back burner in order to put food on the table and keep a roof over my head. Making money from writing was the farthest from my mind until I was forced to rethink my situation and try to find other options that might be available to a small town girl who was starting to become desperate.

I began searching online for anything that might give me the possibility of generating at least a little income; anything. Writing opportunities, blogging, selling my soul to the devil; anything. Heck, I even checked out paid surveys and emails. Boy was that a big mistake and a waste of time. I finally started running across sites that would pay you to submit articles to them. My first thought was, "Yeah right." Except, these places kept coming up in Google searches so I decided to start checking them out.

I was hesitant to give any of them a try. Even though I had been writing forever, how did I know my writing would be good enough. My only published work were a few poems, nothing like a book or short story. Plus, I wasn't sure I liked the idea of moving from fiction into the world of article writing. Didn't sound really exciting or glamorous to me. Still, writing is writing and it is something I've always loved to do.

Then came a notice in the mail that the small amount of unemployment I had been receiving was gone. Finished, that's it, zero balance, zip. Suddenly, Associated Content looked rather interesting. Why not give it a shot? I signed up in early December of 2008 and my account sat there staring at me like I was an idiot. Now what are you going to do? I had no idea what to write let alone understanding how to write web content. Three weeks later and an incentive to write five articles before the end of the month in order to receive an additional $10, I finally started a writing career on AC.

Writing career is exactly how I view AC. Sure, it'll take some time to develop as any job does, but AC has also opened up doors for me that would never have been there had I not felt desperate enough to consider options online. Because of AC, I am also writing pet related articles for the Responsible Pet Ownership blog. To be able to write and follow my passion about animals is something I never thought would have been possible. Is there more to come? I don't know, but I know now that whatever may be on the horizon will appear because I accepted a challenge to prove something to myself. The confidence I've gained is more valuable to me than anything else.

I do consider writing for AC as a career change and I am perfectly willing to downsize my lifestyle in order to pursue my dream of working at a job I love which is writing. I wrote an article for AC called Discover Your Hidden Talent. The message was more for me than anyone else. Not to be afraid to take a chance and do something you've always dreamed of doing to make money. In the long run, we are the only one who can decide which road to follow. Most follow their heads to jobs that only provide an income while others follow their heart and passion. Working at a job they love

I have found some really great friends since joining AC. People I would never have met as well as those who have become mentors. A group of writers willing to give support and share their knowledge to help others along. Thank you AC and Angie, Michy, Tammy, Rose, Jcorn, Agnes, Vincent, Nina, Randy, Fabletoo, Tsu Dho Nimh, Carol, Sandra and everyone else who I can't think of right now but who answer our questions and give us high fives when we've been successful.

I'm happy being one of many who are doing what they love to do and for the first time in my life, I am actually doing something I've always dreamed of, but never thought possible. Getting paid to write. What a blast.