Write. Write. Write, Left, Write.

Say what? It's 2018 already?

I'm sure I'm not alone in this, but the last couple of months have been a blur. Here's a quick rundown of my story...

Back in early November, I was a panelist on the "Not of This World" panel at the 2017 California Library Association's annual conference. It was great to meet so many librarians (and not get shushed, not even once) as well as the other panelists, including SF author Daniel Suarez and librarian JJ Jacobsen, who manages the Eaton Collection of Science Fiction at UC Riverside.

I also participated in NaNoWriMo in November, and while I didn't make a big splash with my word count, I made some crucial revisions to the first several chapters of The Beasts of Qaza that needed to happen before moving forward.


December brought on not only holiday madness but also a job hunt. For the last two plus years, I've been making a living as a freelance writer and editor, with most of my work coming from one main client. It was wonderful in many ways. Most importantly, I was able to work from home and be there for the first 8 months of my daughter's life. I can't overstate how valuable an opportunity that was.

Instagram selfie from first day at the new job in SF.

Freelancing comes with a lot of uncertainty, though, particularly financially, and it's no fun fretting over how to pay for health insurance each month or cursing at the cost of baby formula. Long story short, it was time for me to move into a position with more security and better pay. Thankfully, the job search went well and I ended up getting two great offers. After a tough choice between the two, I opted for a writing position in downtown San Francisco that lets me work on a variety of creative copy and comes with the opportunity to grow as a professional copywriter.

My first day was Tuesday and things are off to a great start. It's going to be a big transition for me and my family now that I have to commute, but at the same time it will make our lives easier in so many ways.

I'm also hoping it'll open up more time for my own writing, since while freelancing I was often working nights and weekends to complete paid freelance work. Time will tell. I've promised to get my agent my new manuscript by spring, so we'll see if I keep my promise!

-Garrett Calcaterra