Every once in a while, I find myself looking back at my life just a little over two years ago. The early part of 2007 found me very bored and more than just a little bit sad. The years that passed me by saw me neither happy nor unhappy, but mostly empty with the knowledge that I absolutely had no idea where my life was going and what I wanted to accomplish.

For 3 years, I went through thankless jobs that barely gave me enough to make ends meet, let alone the chance to indulge in a simple luxury or two. More than anything else, I wanted to travel. Instead, I ended up with nothing but resentment for the things that made this desire unattainable.

I found an outlet in writing and bore no illusions about my skills. Not for one moment did I see it as a talent. It was just something that I did because I could, something that felt as natural as breathing. It never really occurred to me that this was something that I could do for a living. After all, I haven’t a modicum of formal training to speak of. I had too much respect for the written word to presume that I can make money off writing when there are others far more skilled and better trained than I was.

Maybe it was kismet, or perhaps it was just sheer luck, but of all the people that I’ve met online at this time, I found a friend in Chin, whose blogs I used to stalk senseless until I eventually found the courage to make my presence known to her. By then, she was already writing freelance, and not only did she point me in the right direction, she encouraged me when no one else would.

My first paid writing gig was for a local couple who ran a writing team. This was my first introduction to the world of keywords and keyword densities and sub-headers. They paid me P8,000 ($160) a month to write 8 (!!!) 500-word articles a day, 5 days a week. That worked out about a dollar per article, and without knowing any better, I thought that was perfectly reasonable.

The first few assignments were absolutely maddening, especially since I was still working as a Quality Assurance Analyst for my old company. I wrote articles between (and sometimes, while) rating calls. Instead of crawling straight to bed after working 14-hour shifts, I wrote and wrote and wrote some more.

I had a dream, and I was determined to reach it. It was nothing as lofty as buying a car – with auto accessories to boot! – or going on frivolous shopping sprees. I simply needed enough to be able to travel, even if it was just somewhere local. Never mind that I was beginning to look like something out of the Evil Dead.

And travel, I did. In May of 2007, I visited Boracay for the first time – a trip that became not just a vacation, but the second step towards the major life-change that I desperately needed.

To be continued…