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Abstract

https://readmedium.com/the-visitors-guide-to-prison-f24e830cb60b">prison visits</a> and <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-prison-of-addiction-6ada1cb9d00c">family addiction</a> at work. Why would I? Work is my vacation from all that. So “coworker,” if you’re reading this — don’t bother asking about it when I see you. Let’s just keep work as light-hearted as it always is.As writers, we have to realize that a simple Google search can bring up anything we make public, which is fine with me. When I Google myself the first result that comes up is some other Kristi who’s a senior business developer. The second result is my own LinkedIn profile. I haven’t used LinkedIn since I was a travel writer so there’s nothing to see.If I’m opposed to the idea of my coworkers uncovering my personal life, why would I share it on the internet? Because, that’s what writers do. We’re here to connect.To truly blossom as a writer of all things, I also occasionally write under a <a href="https://readmedium.com/my-alter-ego-wears-an-ankle-monitor-8dd35455ec7b">pen name</a>. She allows me to write freely about the darker, more controversial sides of my past and present. Writing is one of the most cathartic releases available to me so I’ve chosen to lay it all on the line…but not all in my own name.I would literally die, rise from the dead, and then move away if those stories surfaced in the real world. But I still write them because they help me. I don’t write them for anyone else.One might ask why I wouldn’t just write about the dark side in a personal diary and tuck it away. The answer is because then they couldn’t potentially resonate with or help anyone else.And why should I tuck myself away in a corner?Those stories also wouldn’t pa

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y me if they were in a diary — there, I said it. My pen name articles are a nice little third income stream, on top of my full-time job and my main profile income.One of the most important things I’ve learned through this duty of being human, is that we all have our shit. You will never come across anyone who lives a perfectly clean and unscathed life.Go ahead, try to find that person….I’ll sit here and wait. But I suspect I’ll be waiting about this long:<figure id="1c35"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*eCfxsgc76Dr2dDPsjf7spg.jpeg"><figcaption>Image courtesy of <a href="https://restlessjo.me/2015/10/26/jos-monday-walk-thorp-perrow/img_9784/">RestlessJo.com</a></figcaption></figure>*My apologies for letting one of my skeletons out of its closet.By sharing our business all over the internet we’re creating and becoming part of communities. These little pods of other writers help us blossom into better writers and discover who we are and who we’re meant to become.Heck, 6 months ago I would have never thought I’d earn top writer status in humor and satire, yet here I am. I even lost my “travel” writer badge the other day, and it didn’t bother me one bit.So to all the coworkers and personal contacts who end up finding our writing, I say this:Either judge us and be done with it, or become a full member and make your following skills useful. It’s the curious folk like you who help pay our bills and make this all worthwhile.If you enjoyed this story, here’s my non-intrusive way of ushering you <a href="https://writtenbykristi.substack.com/">toward my newsletter</a>. When you subscribe, I’ll know you’re cool with hearing from me once in a while.</article></body>

When Your Coworkers Find Your Stories

Do You Keep Your Writing Life Separate From Your Real Life?

When I was a career travel writer I never gave a second thought to who might be reading my content because I didn’t care. Aside from business sponsorships, it didn’t matter what anyone thought about my travel experiences.

I was an expert at travel, but I’m certainly no expert at life, which is what I write about now. I’m just sort of fumbling through my time here on earth, but having a hell of a lot of fun while doing it.

I recently shared a link to one of my humor articles on my personal Facebook page so I suppose I gave my contacts the ability to follow me if they choose to. I’ve been writing personal content for years and no one from my real life engages, except for my mom. Why would they start now?

Today, I clicked into my notifications and saw that a coworker had started following my profile. I was a little mortified.

I immediately clicked into my own profile and scrolled through the twenty or so most recent stories I’ve published. I figure anyone who’s looking might only scroll that far.

Although I’m not ashamed of anything I’ve written, there are certain aspects of my personal life that my professional colleagues don’t know about. I haven’t kept it hidden on purpose, there’s just no need for coworkers to know.

I don’t want to talk about prison visits and family addiction at work. Why would I? Work is my vacation from all that. So “coworker,” if you’re reading this — don’t bother asking about it when I see you. Let’s just keep work as light-hearted as it always is.

As writers, we have to realize that a simple Google search can bring up anything we make public, which is fine with me. When I Google myself the first result that comes up is some other Kristi who’s a senior business developer. The second result is my own LinkedIn profile. I haven’t used LinkedIn since I was a travel writer so there’s nothing to see.

If I’m opposed to the idea of my coworkers uncovering my personal life, why would I share it on the internet? Because, that’s what writers do. We’re here to connect.

To truly blossom as a writer of all things, I also occasionally write under a pen name. She allows me to write freely about the darker, more controversial sides of my past and present. Writing is one of the most cathartic releases available to me so I’ve chosen to lay it all on the line…but not all in my own name.

I would literally die, rise from the dead, and then move away if those stories surfaced in the real world. But I still write them because they help me. I don’t write them for anyone else.

One might ask why I wouldn’t just write about the dark side in a personal diary and tuck it away. The answer is because then they couldn’t potentially resonate with or help anyone else.

And why should I tuck myself away in a corner?

Those stories also wouldn’t pay me if they were in a diary — there, I said it. My pen name articles are a nice little third income stream, on top of my full-time job and my main profile income.

One of the most important things I’ve learned through this duty of being human, is that we all have our shit. You will never come across anyone who lives a perfectly clean and unscathed life.

Go ahead, try to find that person….I’ll sit here and wait. But I suspect I’ll be waiting about this long:

*My apologies for letting one of my skeletons out of its closet.

By sharing our business all over the internet we’re creating and becoming part of communities. These little pods of other writers help us blossom into better writers and discover who we are and who we’re meant to become.

Heck, 6 months ago I would have never thought I’d earn top writer status in humor and satire, yet here I am. I even lost my “travel” writer badge the other day, and it didn’t bother me one bit.

So to all the coworkers and personal contacts who end up finding our writing, I say this:

Either judge us and be done with it, or become a full member and make your following skills useful. It’s the curious folk like you who help pay our bills and make this all worthwhile.

If you enjoyed this story, here’s my non-intrusive way of ushering you toward my newsletter. When you subscribe, I’ll know you’re cool with hearing from me once in a while.