Chapter 1: Embracing Authenticity

A crucial element of my writing journey is to remain genuine and true to my voice. If my work does not represent who I am, then I have not succeeded as a writer. I will not allow that to happen.

On New Year's Eve, a seemingly random Twitter message caught my attention. A woman reached out, expressing her need for "clean writing." She had come across my profile and was curious if I would be interested.

"Clean writing" felt incredibly dull.

Not only would it require a sanitized style, but it was for a Christian streaming platform. This meant I'd have to revisit my church-going days from 30 years ago, reliving the hypocrisy and fear-based beliefs I had endured throughout my upbringing.

No, thank you. That sounded as appealing as a root canal from a giant.

Despite my initial thoughts, I remained courteous. My skepticism about her inquiry lingered, as it seemed unlikely that she found my profile engaging enough to discuss a $4,000-a-month writing job without having seen my actual work or recognizing my stance against organized religion. After she provided a vague response to my first question, I was still polite. When she didn’t answer my second question, I was fine with that.

Many of you might have picked up on this theme in my articles: I have no affinity for hypocritical, oppressive religious ideologies. While I could write clean, faith-based material, I questioned why I would choose to do so.

To me, it felt akin to accepting a mundane middle-management HR position at a company that holds no interest for me. I have no desire to emulate Lumbergh from Office Space, idly asking about TPS reports for a meager salary.

I have more pressing matters to attend to.

If I wanted someone dictating my writing style and content, I could easily return to full-time content writing, which often pays better than platforms like Medium. However, the joy of my own writing far surpasses that experience, which is why I left it behind.

Blog writing allows me to express my thoughts freely. I don’t look over my shoulder after publishing, waiting for a supervisor to critique my choices. I am unfazed by anyone who may take issue with my work.

I am the CEO of Bouncin' and Behavin' Publishing Company. My name graces the building, and I hold the leather chair in the corner office. I own this venture and everything associated with my writing. For me to consider leaving Medium, the offer would have to be significantly better than writing for a Christian streaming service.

I have faith in my abilities and believe that my financial success as a writer will come to fruition. I will not sacrifice the progress I’ve made over the past two years for a random opportunity to write clean content.

While the monetary compensation may exceed what I earn on Medium right now, I would dread creating content about faith-based subjects that I don’t believe in.

If that woman had responded, I would have asked if she could provide a referral within her network. To tempt me away from Medium, the compensation would need to exceed $4,000 a month, alongside a chance to work with a client who aligns with my comedic style and interests.

So, Ashley, if you’re reading this: Do you happen to have Seth Rogen’s contact information? Could you arrange a meeting with Saturday Night Live? I’d even be open to writing a weekly column for Penthouse or Hustler.

Help a brother out. After all, that would be the Christian thing to do. &:^)

© 2024 Jason Provencio. All rights reserved. If you found this article enjoyable, tips are always welcomed. Thank you for taking the time to read!