I’m not a writer.

I mean, of course I’m a writer, I’ve written dozens of short stories, blogs, articles, poems, a script for a short film that I directed, and more.

But none of those ever really made me feel like a writer.

Eventually, I gave up on writing stories and started writing campaigns, becoming a Dungeon Master. I didn’t realize it, but I was transforming my medium into an omni-channel interactive experience, taking the content directly to my audience, giving my writing legs, capitalizing off of a popular trend, and finally writing in a unique and interesting way. I started feeling like a writer, but I soon learned that Dungeon Masters get paid about the same as unpublished writers… zilch.

When I wasn’t writing, I was playing basketball. I played, refereed, trained, and coached basketball almost every day for about 10 years. I prided myself on my keen eye for strategy. I could draw up plays, understood the intricacies of zones, and was constantly thinking of outside-the-box ways to beat defences. Coaches would tell me that I had a great strategic mind, but just like most other guys who are barely cracking 6”0, that may have been it for me.

Before graduating with Honours and on the Dean’s List from Queen’s University’s Commerce program, I discovered a love for Marketing Strategy. I knew how, why, and which campaigns worked, but I never had any say in how they were made. That frustrated me. As I got shoved into a million boring conversations without any creative input or opportunity to challenge strategies, I realized that it wasn’t enough. It was mind-numbing. I needed the creative and the strategy.

So here I am, trying to be a copywriter because I hear it’ll finally be the place where I can unite my talents for creative writing and problem-sovling. If not, the Toronto Raptors will need a new Head Coach eventually.