Welcome!

I hope you stay.

My love,

I want this to be profound. I want this to have the kind of emotional depth that hits the core of your soul and has you shed a tear while you hit the subscribe button. But it won’t. There are levels to this writing thing, and I’m not at that level yet. I wish to be able to build worlds and tell stories that will be told over generations, but I can't. Not yet – this is the level that I’m at. This is the level they call the creativity gap. A gap that can only be bridged with time, grit and experience.

You’re wondering what this post is. I am too. I call it post because I don’t know the correct literary name to call it. Is this an article, blog post, op-ed or essay? Is there a name for these kind of pieces? It's meant to be a letter.

What I do know is that I take offense whenever a reader calls my work a write-up. I am not the only writer who feels this way. It shows a lack of depth and concern for the pieces we work hard to create. Think of it like calling an architect's design a drawing or saying all a tailor does is to join cloth – it makes all the calculation, patience and precision they put into the work look simple. It is not. If you think otherwise, do am if e easy.

Another thing I do know is this is my first and introductory letter in a series of newsletters. I do not know what the letters will be about yet. I do not know if they will be good or bad. I do not have a target audience. I do not have a niche. I do not have a collection of stories to tell, or wisdom to dispel. What I have is my soul, and it knows that time will not stop. Whether I do something or nothing, it will move. I don't want to do nothing. I want this, all of this to matter.

If you’re new, allow me introduce myself.

I am David of the house Favored, First of his name, Heir to the throne, The Gentleman Monster, the Big Bad Boss, Teller of stories, Creator of worlds, Young Copywriter, student at the University of Nigeria, Student of life, Lord of my apartment and Husband to...

But you can call me Dave.

What’s funny is I didn’t even watch game of thrones, never finished a full season. I had to do web research to make sure my introduction was near perfect as possible. And that’s the thing about me: whenever I do things, I try to do them as well as possible, to the best of my ability. This want for perfectionism has slowed me down in my decision making and has induced anxiety in other aspects of my life. Learning to let go of that need for perfection has taught me to forgive myself more and move forward. This does not mean that I don’t give care to my work anymore, no. If something is bad, it is bad. Understanding that it is bad and trying to do better next time is the best way to grow and perfect your craft.

If you prefer normal English:

My name is David Favored, you can call me Dave - please, call me Dave. I am 21. By day I am a student of Medical Radiography and Radiological Sciences at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. By night I try my best to sleep. But, for the majority of my life, I am a writer. An expressionist. I put my thoughts and imaginations into words and I share them with an audience of interested readers. Professionally and intentionally, I've been doing this since August 2019. But apparently, according to my sister and a few close friends, I've been doing this all my life. I didn’t know till they mentioned it. It goes to show that all roads were meant to lead here – life has its plans and it will execute them in little focused steps, better than anyone ever could. I guess what I’m saying is trust the process – trust life, and trust God.

Today is the 5th day of the 5th Month of 2021 and I haven’t achieved any of my goals. Or resolutions. I haven't achieved discipline. I don't have a fit body. My bank account is almost empty. I don't have any savings. My financial planning is zero. I don't budget, and when I do, I don't use it. I have no financial discipline. This is my first newsletter/blog post – I'm meant to have written at least 15.

What else have I failed at?

At the end of last year I paid for a copywriting course, but I haven't given it any attention since this year started. This goes to show that the bias that paying for a course will make you take it more seriously because you used your own money is false. Didn’t your parents pay your school fees?

If you want to pay for a course, first ensure you’re mentally willing and prepared to go all the way. If not, don't do it.

Anyway, why do I talk about my failures publicly? Because I’m young. I have no reputation. I have nobody to cancel me. And even if I wasn’t young, so what? This is the first time I’m doing any of this, I’m not meant to be good at it at the first try. That’s what you should learn about failing: it’s a learning process, nobody was good the first time they did something, they only got better. You can get better.

What I’m attempting to do here is what’s called building in public. I’ve said I don’t know what my posts will be about. Successful newsletters create niches by solving problems and answering questions. There is no problem I know I’m solving; no target audience.

I am not a professional. I am a novice. This is my first time. This is Day One.

But I know with time and consistency that will change. Because that’s the thing with learning and repetition, the more you do it, the better you become. And I will become better. And you will watch me become better. I will learn from my experiences and teach them to you. I will learn about a skill and teach it to you. I will make mistakes and show you how to not make those mistakes. I will learn and teach. I will tell stories. I don’t know what I’ll do yet, but I’ll do it. Sho get?

Now, if there's anything you should take from this selfish rambling of an introduction is that you can join me in taking the first step. It’s scary. It’s new. But it’s better than doing nothing and watching as time passes you by.

Time isn't going, you are. It was here before you came, it’ll be here after you’re gone. – Ajulu.

If you want to join me on my journey, to see how far I’ll go, to see how much I’ll do, then please, hit the subscribe button. Become the first in my new found community, and Keep Up With Dave every week or two for the rest of the year. Let’s grow together.

Stay easy,

Dave.

P.S: one aim of this newsletter is to build consistency in public, so every week or two I’ll send out a letter on something. If I don’t I’ll serve some punishment – you my readers will decide.

P.P.S: on some weeks I’ll even send out more than one letter depending on how much I have to tell you, but until then, Ciao.