Can You State What You Do in Under 10 Words? (or why I think my identity crisis may be ending)

Kristen King

www.inkthinkerblog.com — Startling realization: Every time I try to explain what I do to others, I realize that I don’t actually know. Note to self: work on that. – kristenking 12:12 PM May 03, 2008

This weekend at SOBCon, every time someone asked me what I do, I gave a slightly different answer. (It would be interesting to gather up everyone who met me and ask them all to tell me what they think I do. If you’re game, leave a comment to that effect.) I finally got to the point where I said, “You know, I actually have no idea. What do you do?” And we laughed at how totally clueless we were (and, at least on my end, what a relief it was to finally admit that to someone and find out they were in the same boat).

During one session on Saturday, Lorelle VanFossen challenged attendees to say what their blog or their business does — what their purpose is — in no more than 10 words. It was like pulling teeth. I have to hand it to my tablemate Anita Bruzzese, who rapid-fired questions at me and wouldn’t let me stop until I came up with at least some kind of answer. It was amazing and difficult and I loved/hated every second of it. I needed someone to say, “Wake up, girl! What are you going to do for me? How can you do it? Why should I believe you? Why should I pick you?”

I didn’t figure it out until I was at the airport waiting for my delayed plane on Sunday night, but I think I finally came up with my purpose:

I help people figure out what they want to say — and them I help them say it better.

A slightly more formal version might be:

I help individuals, companies, and organizations identify their message and express it brilliantly.

I want to tweak the language a little, but I’m comfortable with the idea. From resumes to Web copy to proposals, I’m helping people figure out what they want the world to know about them, and then I’m giving them the language they need to share it with their audience. Hiring managers, customers, grantors — they’re all audiences, and it’s all marketing.

This, my friends, where my big ideas for my business and for this blog are coming from: the realization that I’m spending a LOT of time on topics and activities that don’t have anything to do with my purpose. No wonder I’m feeling burned out.

So there are some changes coming, but I don’t know what they are for sure yet. I do know that there will be some major revisioning of the Query Challenge. It takes up a huge amount of my time with zero tangible return on the investment (and yes, there is that warm fuzzy feeling I get from your success stories, but I haven’t been able to feel that or much of anything else lately because I’m so numb from being spread too thin all the time). I do know that I will also be making changes to my freelance writing website, and, of course, to this blog. I welcome your input and your suggestions.

While I come up with my next steps, I want leave you with this question: Are you being true to yourself with your writing career? Are you really spending your time the way you want to be? And what do you need to change to be able to answer both of those questions with a resounding YES?

Tags: freelance writing blog, freelance writing, freelance, writing, personal branding, life purpose, career purpose, burnout, avoiding burnout, figuring out your career path, professional goals, what do you want to be when you grow up, what do i want to be when i grow up, sobcon, sobcon08, anita bruzzese, lorelle vanfossen, kristen king, inkthinker