Hiatus & Motivation

I recently graduated with my master’s in history, and I have been thinking a lot about what writing means to me. In particular, I am pondering what kind of audience I want to reach.

My last semester was a dumpster fire in many ways, but the worst part of that semester was when I had to spend more money and time whittling down my paper with an extension, all while not knowing if I’ll get the damn thing I worked hard at getting for the past two years. I got there eventually. Yay. But the feelings afterward made me realize I do not want to be an academic.

My hiatus on this blog is due mostly to a crazy last semester, but also due to this weird place I find myself as I rekindle the meaning of “artist” for myself. Archives, historical interpretation (and arguments), and most importantly, storytelling, are my medium of choice. So, who is the audience?

It is clear that the primary audience isn’t other academics. Good historical work should require solid testing and prodding by other historians. Any good artist, any good person, really, is tested by their peers to make the best possible work. But what about who I want to reach with the writing? I cannot answer right now as I am running a few experiments to try and figure that out.

The motivation right now? To make more friends and know more about myself. I should take more time to define what the identity of this blog is, but—ah, how could I forget? This blog is about my tomatoes, the little curiosities that I grow.

I should see to it that they grow ripe.