Nate Collins @natewrites
Is my consciousness a curse only writing can cure?
My name is Nathan, but you can call me Nate. And if you’ve been following me around, you might’ve noticed that I don’t like using quotes from others, I want my Medium profile to be a place where I can honestly share my thoughts, stories, and experiences without any external influence.
However, I might do just that if the situation calls for it.
So, I guess my story started as a copywriter, then I got a job as an Assistant Brand Manager, and finally, I reached the top-most rung of the ladder; as a Brand Manager at an established marketing firm.
Life was good. But something was amiss.
I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but all my successes and achievements brought me nothing more than anguish and suffering.
I tried to pinpoint it, and this March I actually did. Turns out somewhere along the journey, I had lost sight of who I really was.
I’ve been a writer all my life.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been conjuring up stories out of thin air, it didn’t matter how wild they were, because, for me, they were all as real as the sun.
The Death Of My Writing Spirit
It was in high school that my mother and my brother realized my aptitude for writing. I showed them an excerpt from a story that I had been working on and it blew them away. As a matter of fact, they encouraged me to pursue a career in writing.
That’s what I wanted too! I wanted to become an author. Someone who could blur the lines between imagination and reality on a whim.
But alas, life’s not always a bed of roses. Somewhere down the line, maybe in college, I lost track of this dream.
I put a price on my gift of writing, and oh boy, was that a mistake.
Now that I think about it, I had a lot of drafts ready, just waiting to be published. Drafts that would never see the light of day.
Sometimes I ponder over what I would tell my characters if I were to ever come face to face with them.
Would I apologize?
Would I try to explain myself?
Would I accept my mistake?
I guess I’ll never know.
My Journey On Medium
As a means to compensate for my lost time, I started writing on Medium. I promised myself at the very beginning that though I couldn’t be an author, I would become a Medium writer.
So, I’ve been writing every day on Medium for the past 13 days, and so far, the entire M community has been really supportive. I met some new people, learned a few things, joked about the past, and — I’ll be honest — checked that stats page day in and day out.
I have a goal to reach 1,000 followers on Medium and if I can achieve that, I’ll take it as a sign that my future is tied to Medium.
I also want to keep my stories open for all, so I haven’t paywalled any of them.
Instead, I have a Ko-fi profile, where you can show your support. Here’s the link:
If you want more stories, be sure to follow me. And don’t forget to show your support if you like this one!
See ya tomorrow!
