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Autodidact at the Suite - Page 3

© Sandra Linville

I e-mailed an editor at a new web site and sold my first article. She was exceptionally wonderful and encouraging. I received several other assignments from her and was excited. Unfortunately, the site folded soon after and I was left with articles with no home.

However, I was linked. I joined e-mail discussion lists. I began to notice familiar names. I spent a lot of time “lurking” because that is what I do in any new situation, especially at cocktail parties. Lurking is not my favorite term for it, as it seems a little sinister to me. I prefer to think of it as getting the lay of the land, scoping things out, doing early reconnaissance, you know, hugging the wall trying to look intelligent and resisting the urge to talk and lift the mysterious veil. Anyway, I listened (or read) and learned.

I applied to Suite101.com and was accepted. I now had an online column about “words.” which I knew a little about, but I knew nothing about anything else. No html. I didn’t know .jpg files from jigs or .gif files from gaffes. But I learned. I learned from an exceptional community online. I learned from people who took the time to put together tutorials about almost everything and put it online for no charge. I learned from people who took the time to answer my silly questions in the most gracious way. People from all over the world, each at his or her computer, took the time to help me with my new journey.

I then took it a step further and decided to start my own business as a freelance writer. I researched companies in my local community online and then solicited work by using e-mail. It worked. I started getting assignments and soon had a good client base. I do a considerable amount of Internet research for these projects, also. The Internet allows me to do my job with much more ease and efficiency.

I developed a web site for my business and continued to build my column at Suite101.com. In the mean time, real life demanded attention. I used the Internet to find out more about appendicitis, back surgery, diabetes, parenting, college planning, cat health, septic tank problems, gardening, and on and on.

I’m a bit of a worrier and with the Internet I don’t have to wait for the doctor’s office or the library to open. I don’t have to regret my out-of-date medical guide. I don’t have to play phone tag tracking down an expert. I go online. Yes, I know not all information on the Web is necessarily trustworthy. My answer is all information has never been totally trustworthy. Advice from neighbors or from so-called experts has never been entirely accurate. I say forearmed is forewarned, or whatever other cliché you want to use.

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