Audience of One

I’ve wanted to be a writer for most of my life.

It started in sixth grade when I wrote a story about Eddy, my dog, who had died. My teacher, Mrs. Haase said it made her cry.

I thought, Wow! Writing is powerful, and maybe I’m decent at it.

Throughout my teens, I had the unfortunate, misguided belief that being a criminal was cool. I smoked and drank a lot and got into trouble. I’m lucky I made it out relatively unscathed. Most of my friends from back then weren’t so fortunate, but that’s a story for another day.

In my early twenties, as I slowly started to ease into adulthood, I never seriously considered writing. Until one day, a good friend I’d met in Mrs. Haase’s class no less said, “Sam, someday you’ll write a great American novel.”

Around this time, I met a girl who would later become my wife. I told her, “I want to be a writer someday.”

She asked me how much I write.

I told her, “Not at all.”

She said, “Writers need to write Sam.”

And she bought me my first journal.

This was the beginning of my writing practice. I made journaling a part of my life. Wherever I went, my journal went with me. I kept my dream alive. I was writing. For an audience of one, but I was writing.

This practice has changed my life in a positive way more than anything else I’ve done. It’s a gift that keeps giving.

At the end of each year, I reread old journal entries, trying to learn from my past.

How can I be a better husband, father, son, friend?

What inspires me?

What makes me happy?

Who are the people that impacted me the most?

My journal is there to remind me. To teach me.

This year and in years past, I’ve noticed patterns emerge. There’s a lot of:

What will be my life's work?

One constant is that I want to tell my story. I want to build things. I want to meet interesting people and do cool shit and write about it.

At the end of 2023, I had the valuable insight that I’d done nothing but consume.

I needed to create.

Over the previous decade, I’d read hundreds of books, listened to countless podcasts, and finished college. I was finally ready to share—to take action instead of thinking about taking action and cheering on others from the sideline.

I decided it was time to shit or get off the pot. I was ready to share my writing with the world.

With some help from

Newsletter Launchpad

, my writing career began. Last year, I wrote and published an essay every week. This year, I’ve switched from posting once a week to once a month. This will give me time to write better, go deeper, and explore new endeavors.

Beginning this publication last year was my first step toward becoming more like the person I want to be. I’ve wanted to be a writer for most of my life, and I finally said fuck it and did it.

I stepped way out of my comfort zone last year.

And I’m doing it again this year.

I will be starting a podcast: The Sam Jamieson Show.

I’m not joking.

Like writing, podcasting is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It feels like a natural progression to me. It will be symbiotic to this blog.

My mom likes to joke that my first words were:

“Wassa (What’s that)?” and “Why?”

She says to me:

“Once you started talking, we could never get you to stop.” (Meaning until this day).

I like to ask questions, and I like to talk. So I’m going to double down on my creative endeavors and keep this thing going. It won’t be easy, but I’m excited for the challenge.

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Artist of the Month

I’ve been listening to a lot of the Hill Country Devil lately. Here’s a great live performance by him.

Thank you for reading!

I hope your year is off to a great start and that you step out of your comfort zone and follow your dreams.

-Sam