Hello one and all! I am alive, I am returned to the bloggy airwaves, and I am happy to “see” all of you lovely readers.

Why oh why was I gone so long? Let me count the ways:

1. Burnout. I had a pretty crazy May and June for work, and combined with the ridiculous schedule I made for myself here, I was reduced to a shell of a writer. Rather than post some horribly short pieces here reduced to “writing hard, fire pretty,” I decided to take a break.

2. Holidays and Birthdays. The Fourth of Ju-ly was a hectic and indulgent time, followed fairly quickly by my 31st birthday. I went back to Des Moines last week to celebrate and returned with some new clothes, a bit of sunburn, and some hearty vats of wine. Ah, moms.

3. Reboot. In the midst of burnout and vacation, I had lost my drive. When you get caught up in the day to day of work, and suddenly the most glorious thing you can desire to do is veg in front of the TV at all hours, it’s time for a break. The goal is to find that lost ambition. On the long drive back from Des Moines, with nothing to do but zone out, I think I finally found it.

And so here I am. The mojo is back, you could say. To keep it that way, there’s going to be a few changes around here.

You know what I think is missing from the copious blogs on writing and creativity out there? Specifics. There’s plenty of articles on big ideas and general topics, looking at freelancing and publishing at a macro level. But what about the down and dirty, the actual excitement and frustration and suicidal tendencies and triumphant results of writing projects? What about when you’re looking for how another writer handled a brochure project from start to finish, or a client from an industry new to them, or a major league fuck up? What about when you’re looking for how another writer specifically goes about plotting a new novel or story, and sits down each day to write about it?

This blog is about writing and creativity, and it’s about looking at these endeavors in a different way, a quietly rebellious way that breaks some rules and creates success in the process. Maybe to demonstrate how this is possible, this blog needs to talk specifics.

So here’s what I envision:

1. Case Studies. Each week, we’ll take a look at specific freelance writing projects. I’ll offer my major successes and big eff ups to you, telling you what I learned in the process. I’ll examine projects by type (reports, articles, brochures, ads, etc), describe the situation and client (with scintillating pseudonyms for these folks), then talk about my thoughts, my anxieties, my approaches, and results. And then you come in - I’ll ask for your opinions on things I did right and wrong, and for your own case studies in return.

2. Q&As. What about creative writing, you say? Each week I’ll pose a specific creative writing question, one that comes from readers or from my own demented skull. And we’ll look at an answer, using my efforts at writing and publishing novels, and your own opinions and experiences.

3. Word Porn. Ah yes. The word porn stays! Yes, word porn is a nifty and fun diversion at the end of the week. But it is also a boost to the other writing efforts discussed during the week through the adult version of the vocab lesson.

So that there’s my thoughts. And here’s my invitation:

Do you have specific questions about writing creatively? Have you been wondering anxiously about a specific type of freelancing project, and curious how other writers tackle similar projects? Want to let the QRW have a crack at your queries? Post your thoughts and questions in the comments below, and it just may end up as a post.

A final note. Thank you to all my dedicated readers. I know a few weeks is a lifetime in the blogging world, and I thank you for your patience and continued readership. And to you new readers - hope you’ll stick around for the ride!