Let’s get this thing started.
First post blank page syndrome.
It’s tricky to start off a blog, what do you even say? I have no real idea of how this site will develop, whether this ‘first post’ will eventually disappear from view when it’s no longer considered on-brand.
I suppose what I can talk about is the who, what and why.
Who are you, anyway? What is this blog about? Why start a blog now?
Who are you?
Well, I helpfully made an ‘About’ page. But to go in a little more detail, I’m Jen, I’m from the UK but live in Spain, and I love writing and creating. As a person that’s curious about all sorts of things, I have, over the years, got completely absorbed in all sorts of things. I studied art history, and for the longest time thought I would be an academic professor. I thought I would end up in Paris. Instead I became an event manager in a museum and learnt Spanish. Then I ended up in Madrid teaching English, but decided it wasn’t for me and went travelling. Back in the UK I worked as a chef while building up a cake business on the side. (I got really into sugar crafting and decorating cakes with elaborate sculptures.) But then, I met someone who I ended up marrying and we moved to Barcelona where I fell into the translation industry. At some point I taught myself how to crochet. At another I got really into watching wrestling. I got good at video games. Obsessed with skincare ingredients.
You get the idea. It’s pretty varied.
But the overarching theme is that I love trying new things, and put my whole heart into it. And the one thing that has always been there throughout is a passion for artistic pursuits and writing. It’s how I express myself.
Now, finally, I am a professional writer. It’s what I do for a living, and it feels like me.
So what is this blog about?
Good question. This is the start. I have a few ideas, but let’s see what themes emerge. As a person with varied interests, no doubt there will be a variety of topics up for discussion, but that’s where I would like it to go. Explore topics that are interesting, that I am passionate about and hopefully you, the audience, can join in my passion and maybe find something useful in what I have to say.
Why now?
Indeed. It’s hard to keep up with a blog. It would be so much easier to make this site a glorified CV, a professional page for my writing and VO* and to take on freelance projects, make connections.
But if there’s one thing you need to take away from all this, it’s that I don’t always do things the easy way.
I need challenges to keep me from getting bored. And this is a challenge. Plus it’s fun to have a space where I can write for myself without worrying too much about deadlines and SEO optimisation. Though I suppose we will keep that comment for posterity.
So, thank you for reading. I hope you will read on.
*VO = voice over. Did I mention that? I am also a trained VO artist.
