For my Community Connections project I decided to email Joe Middleton, a writer. I choose to interview him because I am passionate about writing.

Why are you passionate about your job? 

It’s almost always fun. It is a hobby that I have turned into a job. I enjoy writing and producing content for people, so why not make money doing it?

I meet a lot of different and unique people, and it is rewarding to see my work when it appears somewhere.

Depending on what kind of writer you want to be, it can give you flexibility. If you are setting your own hours you can spend more time with your family. 

What obstacles have you faced to get you where you are today? 

Writers must be self-motivated and that is not always easy. I work very hard at that because it doesn’t come naturally to me. If you are a self-employed writer you need to have a lot of discipline and you are responsible for your own goals and deadlines. 

Writers also face a lot of rejection. You will hear “No” a lot. In business, “No” sometimes just means “Not Right Now” or “Not Yet”. Sometimes I’ll get 10 “No’s” before I get a “Yes”. I have learned that simply means that when I get to the 9th No, I am really close to hearing “Yes”!

What advice would you pass on to someone interested in what you are doing? 

Write (or think about writing) all the time. I am constantly writing notes in my cellphone or taking quick photos of things I want to remember later. You never know when you will have a good idea, and you don’t want to forget it. This applies to any kind of writer, whether you are writing fiction or writing for advertising. 

It’s OK to not finish your writing. I have more unfinished pieces of writing than finished ones.  

Would you be open to further contact from Riverside students, and if so, how can someone contact you? 

Yes.  

joe@25bikes.ca 

416-728-2081 

 

What is the worst part about your job?

Editing my own work is not my favourite thing. Often I know in my head how I want something to “feel”, but I can’t quite get it look right once I write it. It can be very time-consuming. 

Also, it’s difficult to stay unattached to your work. You need to be willing to change it to get it “just right” and you need to accept constructive criticism from other people. It’s hard not to be offended when someone is critiquing you! 

What is the biggest factor that has lead you to where you are today? 

If a person works until they are 65 years old, they will have spent approximately 45 years of their life working. I realized that if I was going to have to work for that many years, I deserved to be doing something that I enjoyed. It was important to me to not think of my job as a job, but as a hobby that paid me money. 

Beyond that, I have worked hard to be a versatile writer. I have accepted jobs and assignments in a wide variety of styles.  

visit Joe’s website http://www.25bikes.ca