[happysobercrafter]

My dream is to earn my living with my writing about my background and how I overcame it. Of course, speaking engagements are not out of bounds.

I contacted a radio station and spoke to a nice young man who told me I would get a call back today or tomorrow about them interviewing me.

I am searching news outlets to send in an email with the highlights hoping they will interview me or do an article.

I am sharing on my social media accounts and have set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe to raise money to advertise my writing. Bullying and mental health are huge problems and I think I can help!

[seesaw]

Good for you! My "advice" (being a writer and starting/running my own business, which is what you're doing as being a writer/speaker) is that I found success not by luck but by working my butt off and networking and being in the right place at the right time (by making sure I was in those places). Stay on the follow-up of all those inquiries, don't let them slip away, keep reaching out and meeting people who can connect you or work with you. While having something unique to say is important, the people who make it are the people who push, push, push, do their follow-up and the hard work of making relationships. People often don't want to hear this. They want to believe their talent or hard work on their trade/skill should be enough, but success is built on relationships.

I think words from a former bully would be especially interesting because one thing none of us want to admit is that we ALL have bullied someone, often unintentionally, at one point or another. There is someone in this world who see "you" as their bully, even if it's not even something you are paying any attention to. If we all had more attention to how we affect others, and how we are sometimes even the unintentional bully, our relationships would all be so much better.

I also think that we don't often realize when we are "bullying" someone. A good discussion would be, to me, how can you know when you've crossed the line and now bullying someone? I think we want to vilify bullies so often just as terrible people, but everyone has been a bully at some point, and we're not ALL terrible people. So how can we be more aware when we are inadvertently bullying? I think you have the ability to bring light to this with your work.

Fingers crossed for you!

Seesaw

[sarahsweets]

What about seeing if you can speak at one of the high schools?

[happysobercrafter]

@Ptak
@seesaw
@sarahsweets

Thank you for your encouragement! Hard work is right! I spent half of my day today calling radio stations and leaving messages about my bullying and what I am doing. I need to look up more numbers to call tomorrow. I called my local paper, too. I am trying to keep good notes about who I called, whether I talked to the person or left a message, and the date and time I called.

Gofundme has oodles of articles with lots of advice and ideas, so I am reading and following those.

sarahsweets, yes, the high school is an excellent idea. I am thinking about calling local businesses to see if I can come and do a speaking engagement there. Good thing I am not bashful. LOL

I thank you all for your encouragement!

xoxoxoxoxoxox

[downandlonely]

@seesaw has a good point about how we can all be bullies sometimes without realizing it. I tend to be very blunt and say things other people find offensive. My intent isn't to hurt people, but sometimes my words have that effect.

I think this is a good goal to work towards.

[Mopey]

Best of luck in your endeavors, Happy. I'm certain you'd have a great deal of value to say, being one of the rare few who just through sheer grit managed to fight your way through indescribable abuse and its aftermath, to the positive, loving person you are today. Many people with lesser strikes against them don't make it at all.

[happysobercrafter]

@downandlonely
@Mopey

I thank you both for your feedback and encouragement! I hope I can encourage or inspire people to get the help they need so they can get better. Or feel like they aren't the only ones who feel that way. My family isolated me and I remember being shocked when I found out I was being abused. I had no idea other families were different than mine was.

[divine1966]

I am in total support of you becoming a writer as well as you speaking at schools and colleges. It’s awesome!

I do have a question if we are allowed to use PC to collect money (although you go through administration in time of financial struggle), you have a link to your go fund me page on this thread. Is it within guidelines?

[happysobercrafter]

@divine1966

Good question and I didn't check, which I should have. I deleted it and am rethinking that. I will ask before I post it to my signature again to find that out. Thank you for bringing that up!

[divine1966]

Originally Posted by HappyCrafter

@divine1966

Good question and I didn't check, which I should have. I deleted it and am rethinking that. I will ask before I post it to my signature again to find that out. Thank you for bringing that up!

I wonder if you have a link to it on one of your blogs that aren’t affiliated with PC it could be different, I don’t know, just a thought. Moderators could answer it. Hugs

[happysobercrafter]

Originally Posted by seesaw

Good for you! My "advice" (being a writer and starting/running my own business, which is what you're doing as being a writer/speaker) is that I found success not by luck but by working my butt off and networking and being in the right place at the right time (by making sure I was in those places). Stay on the follow-up of all those inquiries, don't let them slip away, keep reaching out and meeting people who can connect you or work with you. While having something unique to say is important, the people who make it are the people who push, push, push, do their follow-up and the hard work of making relationships. People often don't want to hear this. They want to believe their talent or hard work on their trade/skill should be enough, but success is built on relationships.

I think words from a former bully would be especially interesting because one thing none of us want to admit is that we ALL have bullied someone, often unintentionally, at one point or another. There is someone in this world who see "you" as their bully, even if it's not even something you are paying any attention to. If we all had more attention to how we affect others, and how we are sometimes even the unintentional bully, our relationships would all be so much better.

I also think that we don't often realize when we are "bullying" someone. A good discussion would be, to me, how can you know when you've crossed the line and now bullying someone? I think we want to vilify bullies so often just as terrible people, but everyone has been a bully at some point, and we're not ALL terrible people. So how can we be more aware when we are inadvertently bullying? I think you have the ability to bring light to this with your work.

Fingers crossed for you!

Seesaw

@seesaw

I am willing to do the work; I am not clear on the steps and how to present myself. I have called around telling people I am a recovering alcoholic bully, which is true but I think they think I still bully people. I do get frustrated at times but I do not bully people. I try to understand and help, if I can.

I have to include having overcome the bullying since it is such a huge problem today and always will be. I am playing around with the working to figure that out.

honestly I think the "bullying" part will put people off....there has to be a better way to word it or put your message out there. people here that and think, once a bully always a bully, and no one cares. exactly how do you recover from that? how do you refrain from bullying and keep it from happening subconsciously? people are going to want to know....just saying you are "recovered" ...did you join a self help group, what?

not trying to burst a bubble but self help is good but bullying is a touchy subject and you have to be very careful about how you put stuff out. too strong, too pushy a tone...you are bullying..i have had that with people here who have supported me until I made a post and then they changed and turned on me ..like a light switch and led the charge with others to demean me....you have to be careful with what you put out there.