Mixed Metaphors

This morning I filled out a www.buzzfeed.com survey, “What Career Should You Actually Have?” I was pleased with the answer, Writer. I also took the survey, “What Kind of Dog Are You? and discovered I’m a Great Dane, and lastly, according to buzzfeed.com, I should live in Portland, Oregon. Overall, it’s pretty accurate, I write, I’m a big gal (though short in stature compared to a Great Dane) and my personality commands attention when I enter a room. Lastly, I live in Madison, Wisconsin which shares many similarities to Portland.

Why am I telling you all of this? As often in happens in a person’s life a series of seemingly unrelated events occurred, that when looked at together were very informative.

I’ve just recently been able to call myself a writer, though I’ve been writing for over 30 years, both in my vocational and avocational lives. Writing for this blog has given me a lot of pleasure and is helping me hone my skills. It’s practice. Like any artist, whether a musician, actor, or painter, one gets better at their craft by doing it. I’ve also embraced the mantle of storyteller.

I’ve been telling stories since before I could write. Some stories were based on lived experience; others imagined or passed on from family or friends, part gossip, part reporting, part oral traditions.

Linda Lenzke, Storyteller. Photo Credit: Eric Baillies for Our Lives Magazine

Here’s what transpired this week: This past Sunday I attended a fundraiser, Camp Bingo for the AIDS Network. A photographer from the magazine, Our Lives, for which I edit a poetry and prose feature entitled, Our Storytellers, surreptitiously photographed me talking with friends. I talk with my hands, so the next day friends commented about my photo and the hand gestures, inquiring just what was I saying with my hands. I was sure that I was telling some kind of story. I liked the photo and thought I should post it on my blog. I gave the photographer a credit and myself a caption Storyteller.

A couple of days later, I stumbled upon an ad which kept popping up online for cheap premium business cards (I think that’s an oxymoron). I scanned the available templates, found one I liked, plugged in my contact info, including the address for this blog and the name of my production company, Full of Myself Productions. I playfully use the name as an umbrella for my creative endeavors and self-publishing. When the option to print the back side of the card was offered, I added that to my order. The graphics on the backside of the card were cartoon-like bubbles for words. There were just two lines available for copy. I wrote, Full of Myself Productions, and then in a moment of inspiration asked the question, “Do you have a story to tell?”

That night when I slept for some reason I dreamed about the business cards and the question I had asked. In the morning and throughout the day, I began thinking about how it might be fun, yes work too, but fun, to help others tell their story, whether writing content for websites which have gone dormant for two years, or help coach others who want to record the story about their life or their brand. One of my mentors, Sarah White, who I’ve studied reminiscence writing with, came to mind. She has an established writing career. My skill set and talents are different than Sarah’s. She helps writers bring their books to publication. She’s also an author, teacher and an editor.

I’m not quite any of those things, but what I do have is over 30 years of experience writing for the printing, sales and marketing, account management, business development, public relations, graphic design and publishing worlds. Over the years I’ve established and nurtured a network of collaborative relationships with service providers and partners including printers and creative service bureaus, advertising agencies, designers, copywriters, editors, photographers, radio and video producers, and web and social media designers and consultants. I have a lot of “go to people” who do what I can’t.

What I am besides being an experienced business writer and project manager is a poet and memoirist, and founding member of the LGBTQ Narratives Activist-Writers group; I’ve written and performed stand-up comedy, spoken-word monologues, and authored and produced plays. I edit a poetry and prose feature for Our Lives magazine and have self-published poetry chapbooks. For the University of Wisconsin – Madison, I conducted and recorded oral history interviews. Current projects include a memoir entitled, Perfectly Flawed and writing for my blog www.mixedmetaphorsohmy.com. I tell stories, and I think I can help others do the same.

I’m aware too as I live this sixth decade of my life, at some point in the future, I will retire from my current full-time job as a business development manager. I also know that I will need to augment my income after retirement. I’m ready to be self-employed, combining my avocations with my vocation. So begins my shameless self-promotion. I’ve added a new section to my website under the About header, entitled Full of Myself Productions. My business plan is simple. Do you have a story to tell? Let me help you tell it.

I have some details to work out yet and people to talk to about logistics, bookkeeping, and self-employment taxes, and how to freelance in the world of creative services. I’ll confer with my sister Tami who is a successful entrepreneur and friends who freelance or are self-employed. Soon, the business cards will arrive in my mailbox and hopefully end up in the hands of potential clients. Until then, I’ll bang my own drum and hopefully drum up some business.

I’m Full of Myself, Linda Lenzke, Writer & Storyteller. Please visit my newest page: Full of Myself Productions to learn more or to contact me.

“Do you have a story to tell? Let me help you tell it.”