A Return Of Sorts

I vacated Medium 2 months ago. Now I’m back…sort of.

Image by Michał Kubalczyk

I vacated Medium 2 months ago. Now I’m back…sort of.

I started writing here on Medium on Feb 11th this year. The first article I published was The Dishwasher: A Metaphor For Life and the folks over at Art & Marketing picked it up.

No big deal really as publications here on Medium are always looking for material to add to their publication schedule. I reckon there was something in it or David Smooke wouldn’t have chosen to publish it. So I’m grateful for that.

Subsequent articles for A+M have done ok for me too. In general it’s better to publish on publications in your own niches here on Medium because you’ll get better traction. Obvious one that, right?

Anyway, I was encouraged by that and so I decided to give it a lash for a while. I decided to take Ray Bradbury’s advice and write every day and see what happens.

As a result my readership here escalated to over 11k in that 8 months to October 2016 and subsequent subscriptions to Sunday Letters increased too.

Subscribe To Sunday Letters from Larry G. Maguire
Every week I write & podcast about creativity, art and work. Get on board with fellow creatives for Sunday Letters here…larrygmaguire.com

So Why Stop?

I got tired.

Tired of reading the same old shite here on Medium so I did what I do best when I get pissed off with something…

I threw my shoe at it.

I didn’t tire of writing per se, I just got tired of trying too hard to build my audience.

I launched a publication called Storymaker and I attempted to build that out, but attracting writers was difficult and exhausting. I guess with hindsight that was a bad move.

I should have just stuck with writing my stuff under my own name and for other publications.

No matter.

I have continued to write though - for my subscribers!

Every Sunday with the exception of one since I started back writing last March/April I’ve produced a Sunday Letters article and circulated to my readers.

I’ve also started recording them too so you can listen while you’re on the road or whatever. Here’s last week’s effort;

Sunday Letters Audio Sunday 26th Nov

TDL033 Sunday Letters 26th Nov
I visited a local shopkeeper this morning. It's a a fruit and veg place called Justin's in Blanchardstown village on…www.spreaker.com

Not For Other People

I tried it and it’s not for me.

I offered my services as a copywriter and content advisor but it just didn’t fit. Creating content for other people just doesn’t float my boat so I’ve quit that road.

I’m making content, mostly audio these days, primarily for me, and for you if it happens to be a fit.

In that sense I’m being totally selfish about what I record, what I write and where I do it just like every good internalised and self motivated artist should be.

I’m following my own advice and making stuff for the sake of it. The numbers still interest me to a certain extent such as podcast downloads and website visitors, but I working hard not to let that drive my actions.

To me that’s important.

To be otherwise primarily focused on metrics is to put the cart before the horse. Now it’s all about the Purposeful Accident.

Podcast: The Purposeful Accident | Larry G. Maguire
This week on The Larb I'm taking with Ray Heffernan about the purposeful accident, a concept that encourages us to…larrygmaguire.com

Back At The Old Graft

I’m an electrician by trade but I left the business a couple years ago. I hated it and needed to get out. Since that late 2014 decision I’ve basically been fucking about doing whatever I could for cash and avoiding getting back into sparking.

Then I changed my mind.

I decided that, you know what? this game had been good to me for a very long time. Why not get back in.

So I have.

It’s paying the bills and helping me through college. As soon as I can get a decent psychology/philosophy based role somewhere I’ll pull the pin. For now it’s putting dollars in my bin so what’s there not to love?

My mot is happier too.

Thanks be to fuck!

It’s All About The Content

Bottom line is I’m still creating content. Content that I enjoy creating.

There’s no ulterior motive you see.

Just like in The Artist’s Manifesto I’ve remove the need for it to be something it’s not ready to be. My income is derived from other activities as I’ve said so now I can make what I want for no other reason that the sake of it.

Audio

I’m recording daily these days on Anchor, the iPhone and Android app made for people who like to create and share over the medium of audio. It’s a micropodcasting app you could say.

I create audio segments here and compile them into a podcast episode that goes out on several other platforms. This show is a bit slap-stick insofar as I record it on the fly so there’s nothing pretty here.

You can also check out The Daily Larb on these platforms;

Spreaker

The Daily Larb
The daily podcast for creative thinkers and doers by writer Larry G. Maguire going out Thursdays on iTunes, Stitcher…www.spreaker.com

iTunes

The Daily Larb by Larry G. Maguire / Anchor on Apple Podcasts
Download past episodes or subscribe to future episodes of The Daily Larb by Larry G. Maguire / Anchor for free.itunes.apple.com

Google Play

The Daily Larb - Larry G. Maguire / Anchor
The daily podcast for creative thinkers and doers by writer Larry G. Maguire going out Thursdays on iTunes, Stitcher…playmusic.app.goo.gl

The Larb Weekly Show

It’s distinct from my regular podcast called The Larb which you can check out here;

The Larb: A Podcast For Creatives From Larry G. Maguire
My intent is to make The Larb an advertisement free zone and I can only do that with your support. Producing a podcast…larrygmaguire.com

Writing

Every week my writing continues with Sunday Letters and like I mentioned above, I’m recording that now on audio too for you to listen to also.

I’ll be writing here on Medium too. How often I’m not certain but it will be at least once per week if not more. I’ll possibly see if I can get an article out on another publication once or twice per month.

That’s all I’m going to commit to for now.

See how goes it ya know…

If you’d like to catch some of the Sunday Letters Archive you can do so here;

Welcome To The Sunday Letters Archive | Larry G. Maguire
Welcome to the Sunday Letters archive where you can read all past issues of the weekly Sunday Letters publication here…larrygmaguire.com

Anyway, it’s good to be writing here again and I hope you guys didn’t miss me too much. I doubt it given that there’s way too much content on here to keep you busy.

The only problem I’ve had is that most of it is the same. If you’re not careful it’s likely you can be guru’ed to death by it. Far too many people are looking to save your fucking life.

It’s all a bit tiring don’t you think?

There’s not enough personality.

There’s not enough real people. People who, when they say fuck, actually mean it. Or, who have a real story or opinion they want to share.

Tons of what’s available here on Medium, and it has to be said, across the board with all content online and offline, is designed to evoke a response. That’s its purpose.

Very little of what is written is done so with a true sense of purpose, to relay a message or express something real.

Truth and honesty is a finite resource these days. Everybody seems to have an ulterior motive. I believe it’s not vindictive, but rather it’s comes about from an inability to step aside from the noise of it all.

Most writers on here want to show you the way to salvation. They want to save you from yourself.

Personally I couldn’t give a fuck if you’re depressed. That’s your own business and you’re welcome to check out if you feel it’s appropriate.

It’s not my business to stop you or convince you of your worth, and I mean that with the utmost of sincerity.

I mean it in just the same way that I’m not meant to pity the guy begging on the street that I spoke about today on The Daily Larb Episode 036.

Now if you’re all caught up with saving the world you’ll surely form the opinion that I’m a soulless, unsympathetic bastard.

Well, my answer to that is that I am not. I am merely happy to live and let live. Or die and let die if that’s what you want to do. That doesn’t mean I don’t care for people. I do.

I just don’t think that I need to jump on the internet and tell you all how you can make your life better, principally because I’m still figuring shit out for myself.

I’m in no position to advise anyone, not least someone who is depressed or suicidal.

Even when the day comes I’ve bagged my Phd I won’t be so pretentious or self righteous. In fact it's likely I’ll be even less so.

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