The Happy Middle
A peak inside my thoughts while I drive
I was thinking about happy endings while I was driving the other day.
That’s what we look for in the stories we read or the shows we watch. We hope that the main character gets the girl or the guy or the job or their moment in the sun.
Everything in the story is leading up to the final moments when we have a resolution.
All of the struggles, missteps, failed relationships, job firings, and wrong paths lead to that final moment where we can take a deep breath and know they made it.
We think of everything in between as the “messy middle” where all the chaos lives.
And obviously, when we’re reading a book or watching a movie, that’s what we want. When they don’t have a satisfying ending, we get mad. I’ve literally thrown books that didn’t end the way I thought they should.
After I finish a book or movie or a show ends, I often find myself thinking of where the characters went after the final chapter or closing credits. For us, it’s the end, but for them, it’s the beginning of something new. A new relationship or job or adventure.
Rachael got off the plane and Lizzy and Mr. Darcy ended up together, but what happened the next day? What did they talk about over coffee? How did they handle a broken dishwasher?
Anyway, in our real lives, we don’t necessarily get a “happy ending” because there aren’t any credits that need to run after I close the contract or launch the platform.
That’s why I’ve started thinking about everything, all of this, as the happy middle.
It’s super messy and chaotic, but there’s no end to it really, and isn’t that great? Certain seasons will end, clients will come and go, the kids will get bigger, my husband and I will have porch coffee in the mornings, our van will break down or I’ll almost run out of gas (I had 4 miles to empty and it was 3 miles to the gas station!!!)
If birth is the beginning and death is the end, why not enjoy everything else and make it the happy middle? What’s happening in your middle right now? I want to hear all about it!
🗞️Big News!
Placed is LIVE! This has been incredibly exciting, and there are already lots of writers who have joined (you can join at www.get-placed.com). The next step is showing editors how useful this platform can be to streamline the pitching process on both sides.
Getting people to try something new always comes with some hurdles, is I’ll be creating some material that shows editors the benefits of using the platform, and I’ll make them as shareable as possible, so you can help get the word out!
Right now, writers can sign up for the free Writer Basic plan that allows you to respond to calls for pitches and share commissioned stories on the Placed Article feed once they’re live. You can also choose the Writer Plus plan ($10/month) that lets you join the Freelance Chat, Freelance Resources, and Open Chat spaces. I’m working on putting together more benefits for the Plus plan — I’m thinking Editor Office Hours and Editor Q&As to help bridge the gap between the two sides of the process. If you have any suggestions for what I could offer in the paid section, let me know!
📖Reading
Still reading Money: The True Story of a Made Up Thing, and it’s really interesting so far! I’ve been working at night to keep up with things while the kids are home for summer vacation, so I haven’t been reading as much.
🎧Listening
I’ve been back on The Office Ladies kick. When my brain is filled to the brim, this offers a great way to shut things off for a bit. Still this, I love it so much.
🤍Loving
I did trivia night with some friends last night. We started out well and then fell to 8th, but the middle was very happy :)
🧠 Thinking
The year started out very slow, but that allowed me to lean into The Simple Freelancer and Placed. Now, I’m finally slammed and am loving all of the words that I get to write!