Announcement

It’s Time To Stop Hiding Behind a Pen Name

When I first joined Medium two years ago, I wanted to try out writing outside the work setting. I gravitated towards writing for years but never thought I could do it. I had been writing grant proposals full-time for seven years but never considered myself a writer.

I decided to give Medium a try. Writing about whatever I wanted — writing for the sake of writing.

The idea of writing for the public was intimidating at the time. I wanted to write without revealing my identity, so I used a pen name, “The Dozen.”

And then I wrote.

I was consistent sometimes. But disappeared for weeks, sometimes months, because of Resistance.

I found a fantastic community of writers on Medium. They’ve been a source of inspiration ... Dr Mehmet Yildiz, Niru, Kim Zuch, Boateng Sekyere, Terry L. Cooper, Maria Rattray, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)… to name a few. Thank you for reading, writing, and being there!

Two years on and my love for writing continues to grow. There’s never a dull moment. There’s so much to learn and do.

Two years on and I can finally stop hiding behind a pen name.

Hi, my name is Aql, and you can now read my articles on aqlnotes.com, connect with me on Instagram, and join my newsletter. I write about self-improvement, motivation, and notes to my kids.

I will continue to post on Medium but will prioritize my site, so I hope you will visit and get in touch. I’d love to connect on all platforms.

Thank you for reading!