I can’t believe I’m doing this

Michele Truex via Flickr

This gig is pretty awesome. I can’t believe I get to do this.

Imagine for a moment.

People pay me to read what they wrote and tell the what’s wrong with it. They actually take my advice, and thank me for it. And then, after they change it, people read what they wrote and it makes them smarter.

People pay me to research awesome new stuff and write stories about it. I get to collaborate with amazing people and learn about stuff nobody else knows yet. Then they put out a book I helped write and put my name on the cover the book along with theirs. I can’t believe that’s my job every day.

I stand up in front of people and crack jokes about silly, poorly written blobs of prose . . . and then actually teach people to communicate better. And then they do. And they invite me back once a year to teach the new people. That’s a real job. My job.

People read whatever I have to say every day — thousands of them — and they’re actually grateful. They say it helped them. They even make suggestions.

I even get to do all of this my home office, looking out over leafy trees and people walking by. Sometimes I even do it in my pajamas.

Who gets to do that?

This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful to all my clients and readers. Without you I’m nothing. Without you I’d have to do a real job. This is way better.

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4 Comments

  1. Josh, I think you absolutely have a real job. So what if you can do it in your pajamas? You’re not contributing to the demise of the planet by getting in a vehicle and driving somewhere every day to do the work you love to do.
    Keep on keeping on. And enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday (I’m in Canada and we already had ours, in October).

  2. Happy Thanksgiving! I love reading your blogs … have your book … and look to always improve my writing skills.

  3. A very happy Thanksgiving to you. Blessed, indeed! I have shared many of your posts with my editing colleagues.