Illustration by author

Who is this weirdo?

An introduction of sorts

Hi there! My name is Sarah. I’ve been writing on Medium for a few years. In 2018 I quit my job and began freelancing. At the same time I started writing here, because the internet told me it was The Thing To Do. My plan was to create helpful content about writing, marketing and freelancing, but early on I lost the script. Things got… silly.

(Inexplicably, I have signed a few clients because of my writing on Medium. I wonder which piece won them over - if it was the one about clown sharks or the one where I ponder the circumstances in which I’d be willing to turn to cannibalism.) I’ve transitioned out of the freelance life and am currently working at a Seattle marketing agency, but Medium is one of those things that kinda sticks around. BTW, if you wanna see some of my more professional (ish) work, here’s my slightly outdated website.

I tend to write exactly what I want to write here, which means a fair number of comedy pieces, but also some short stories and ponderings on creativity. I like the inexplicable, the mysterious and especially the absurd. Credit to my husband for the turn of phrase, but my “brand” can be summed up as “whimsy gilded in darkness.” If that sounds good to you, hi. Happy to meet you.

Other things I do: I have a pretty hearty illustration hobby. I draw animals doing human stuff and you can check out my work on Instagram if you want. (You don’t have to.) I also have a Redbubble store. One of my most popular drawings is this image of an otter swimming in a bowl of ramen:

illustration by author

I’m on twitter too much if you’d like to connect there. I also have a newsletter that I send out each month. It’s free and I’d never sell your info or do anything predatory, because the guilt would be too intense for me.

There’s also the dance thing. We probably don’t have space to get into the dance thing.

Mostly I love telling stories. I love language and figuring out how to make sentences flow and pop. I like how phrases and ideas can bounce around from brain to brain, gaining meaning and momentum. When life’s tricky, I find reassurance in knowing there’s a laugh nestled in every situation, if only I can find it. I’ve written a number of sci-fi and fantasy novels and one day I’ll publish something.

It’s fashionable to like or dislike Medium, depending on the time of year or the whims of the algorithm. Personally, I appreciate having a place to refine my voice and connect with other writers. The focus on long form content, on encouraging deep reads that go beyond soundbites and click bait is something that’s desperately needed. You don’t find many trolls here (at least I don’t). Instead, comments tend to express appreciation or engage with the ideas in an article.

I‘m aware writing fiction and humor leads me away from ever becoming the ideal Medium content creator. A lot of my stuff gets buried and I’ve made peace with that. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s the algorithm. I just keep writing. To be fair, I’ve written some incredibly bizarre stuff on this platform and instead of chastising me, they actually promoted it. So who knows? I’ll be around as long as I’ve got the time. If you’re not a member and you’d like to be able to read all my stories whenever you like, this link will lead you to a place where you can sign up for Medium (full disclosure, I get paid, too!).

I’m also in the early stages of building a list where you can access books by other writers on Medium. If you’re looking for something new to sink your teeth into, I’m sure they’d be thrilled if you checked out their work.

Here are a few of my top/favorite pieces:

I’m really proud of this short story, because it’s the first time I was successful in marrying my tendency toward the absurd with writing that’s more literary in nature:

She Soars

Pettiness in the face of overwhelming horror is one of my favorite devices:

The World is on Fire and Also Your Dog Pooped on My Lawn

I had a traumatic, clown-based experience when I was five and writing this article helped me take my power back:

I’m Not A Murder Clown I’m Just Really Into Knives

I keep trying to express one specific idea from different angles and this short story might be the closest I’ve gotten:

Visit From a Stranger

Yay! If you’ve followed me for a while, you probably knew all of this, but for anyone else who might stumble onto this page and wonder what the heck is going on around here: Hiiiiiiiii. It’s a weird, but nice place.

Thanks for reading. I appreciate you. 😊