During my recent foray for freelance writing opportunities, the quote below jumped out from somewhere and glared me in the eyes.

The freelance writer is a man who is paid per piece, or per word or perhaps. Robert Benchley.

The ‘perhaps’ part got stuck in my head, drumming away at my thoughts and I knew that it’s my quote for Writer’s quote Wednesday.

I mulled over it nursing a mug of tea and toast and not willing to accept the perhaps part of these things.

I continued ruminating over it even as I later nursed this yogurt and granola beside me, still questioning the perhaps part of things.

My dull mind refused to acknowledge the fact that perhaps meant you may go for months and months as a writer, waxing brilliant and intelligent words and all, yet pauperized.

Perhaps meant, queries that may never get answered and yet you continue swallowing the bitter pill of your writers pride and keep sending the queries until your name is emblazoned on the medulla oblongata of the editor, until he/she decides to save himself a thriving headache and gives you a space to submit your write up on the different species of Cactus.

I ruminated further, taking off my rose-coloured spectacles and the truth of the matter is that we are all freelancing on our blogs, labouring lovingly over our words with the word ‘perhaps’ hanging in the balance of our thoughts.

‘Perhaps,’ in the long run, every single word would be worth the trouble and your medal as a writer, well worn with pride.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha