I recently had new business cards made.

I’ve had my old ones for 15 years or so. A friend designed them in a very clever way: all they say is (in a font reminiscent of a manual typewriter): Nancy Beverly writes for a living and then my phone number.

I justified changing them because a) I was almost out of them b) they don’t have my cell phone number c) they don’t have my email and d) they don’t have my street address. I did love the simplicity of them, though, and they always got a smile from people whenever I handed them out. But it was time to let people know they can get in touch with me via the other modern ways of communication.

Overriding all of those justifications, though, was e) the fact that that simple sentence on there – Nancy Beverly writes for a living – has been eating at me for 15 years.

My graphic artist friend must’ve been inspired by my spirit guides to write that sentence because that’s why I moved out to L.A.

To make a living at writing.

I’ve actually “made a living” at it for only a couple of years. The rest of the time I’ve worked a number of show biz jobs, while continuing to write.

Part of me felt I was lying on my business cards by saying I write for a living.

It doesn’t mean I’m not a writer. I live to write. Since I was a kid.

My new business cards list the space-age ways of getting a hold of me… along with a beautiful lake and mountain landscape background… and these words:

Explorer/Writer/Photographer

They feel like a better fit.

And yet, I feel as if I failed the big goal I set for myself.

And yet, I’m still pursuing my other big goal, which is to be a good writer, and I practice that daily.

And that feels good.