The Hocus-Pocus of Focus - Bruce Atchison

 I can't help but notice that my story-telling desire has been focused on the things I loved. That makes sense as we all love to talk, or write, about what we love.

I was unpopular in school. To gain some favour from my peers, I often told jokes or funny stories. The boys were busy playing sports so it was the girls whom I entertained.

Once I had a computer with a synthetic voice to read what I wrote, I began writing about my long-time love: electronic music. Two fan magazine published my reviews of CDs and cassettes of musicians who weren't popular except with my friends. I also had a few articles published in underground "zines" before I decided to go professional.

Since my freelance writing teacher said to write what I know, I tried querying magazines about what I knew. But most publications weren't interested in electronic music, radio listening, or house rabbits.

Undaunted, I quit freelance writing and wrote 3 memoirs. The one about my house rabbits sold moderately well but the books about my time at a school for the blind and how a cult-like house church messed me up didn't sell at all.

While all that happened, I blogged on the topics I was writing in my articles and books. My hope was that people would read my posts and decide to buy my books. That only helped me sell a few copies.

So I retired from writing in November of 2021. Because Canada Pension Plan kept a watchful eye on me, presuming me guilty until proven innocent, I felt compelled to promote my books and blogs. Now I'm free of the pressure and enjoying life. I do plan on writing and perhaps publishing two books I was working on but I'm in no hurry