Survey Says?

A few years ago, I was on my way to a dinner party, when I stopped into a cake shop that was called Transylvanian Treats. The cakes were unusual, layered and spongy, with creamy toppings in a rainbow of neutral colours. I didn’t want to show up empty-handed so I asked the man behind the counter to fill up a box with his favourite cakes.

I asked the man, who was broad and hairy, how long his cake shop had been around. He said three years. Since I was living off a business grant at the time, and taking an intensive business course, I was curious to know what his challenges were.

“The first two years are tough,” he said. “But it’s important not to give up. After that, it falls into place.”

The man behind the counter said he believed in his product and knew there was a niche for it. He admitted that after the first year he was ready to give up, but kept going and was glad he did.

What he said seemed valuable enough. I’d been taught in the business program that it took three years for a business to be profitable. I suppose Transylvania Treats were lucky enough to succeed.

I thanked the man for his insight and told him I looked forward to trying out his goods.

“You won’t be disappointed!” he said.

I was. The cakes were super gross. Barely anyone at the dinner party touched them. Total waste of $20.

But that’s beside the point.

What I’m getting at here is that I’m going into my second year of posting a weekly blog on this website and I don’t know what the point is anymore.

When I started this blog, I had a lot on my mind. I so desperately wanted to be a columnist and I thought doing a weekly blog would help discipline me to write every week, while giving me an outlet air my thoughts.

My life inspired me and there was always something going on to write about. People related to me and I got a lot of great feedback and it felt like the right thing to do.

But something’s happened between now and then. Well, a lot has happened. I’ve grown up and stopped being naïve. My drive to become a columnist has died down a bit. (Although I’m going to be temporarily writing a column in the Metro, yah for me). I’m not as inspired and I’ve become complacent. I don’t know what to write about anymore. As a result, my voice has changed, along with my tone, and my format. I don’t know where I’m taking this. And it’s stressing me out.

I’m in a jam. I don’t want to give up after two years, but I’m not really sure what to do next. I’m not putting an expiry date on I’m a Good Story, I just don’t know where to take it. I’ve committed to writing once a week, but I feel like this lack of direction is leading to a decline in quality writing and storytelling.

This is where you come in, Internet. I need a pep talk like the guy in the gross cake shop. Or failing that, please take this survey.

Feel free to answer one or all of the questions, or leave a comment in the comment section of this blog or in an email, write@eliannalev.com, or on Facebook.

Because I don’t want to end up like Transylvania Treats: Kicking around for years, only to be producing a shitty product that barely anyone likes.

I strive for more than that.

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