© 2004, Kim Davis
This article originally appeared in
the Extraordinary Jobs for Ordinary People online newsletter.
For several years now, I’ve been writing about the magic and beauty of working aboard yachts for a living. I’ve told my readers how to get started, where to train, and where to look for work. I’ve explained all the different jobs in detail and shared inside info about pay scales. I’ve even gone so far as to explain some very private aspects one needs to know when living aboard a yacht. Up to now, however, I have not really said much about the scary stuff. I don’t want to frighten anyone away from this beautiful lifestyle, but I don’t want you to think that yachts never get into trouble either.
I belong to a local writers guild, which over the past few years has grown from a tiny fledgeling group. We met once a month and read stories to five or six fellow writers. Now it has become a dynamic organization with goals and resources. Our very busy and innovative president has us working through Ursula K. Le Guin’s “Steering the Craft” this year. Wow! It’s fun!
Here’s a part of the last exercise we did.
by Kim Davis
A freelance writer interested in adventure travel wrote me to ask:
“Is there any room for professionals with these adventure jobs? Like you, I am a desktop publisher with an MA in Creative Writing and a BA in Technical Writing. Do these adventure jobs have openings for people who want to use their education while working and traveling instead of shifting gears to lead tours or bartend? Those jobs sound great, but I would feel guilty abandoning my years of education and experience.”
Part 1: Two Voices: Person #1
It was 5:59 a.m. as Larry made his way from the back storeroom up the big center aisle past the heaped sales tables to the glass doors. He could feel the tension in the air as the press of women bore down on the plate glass. He hoped it didn’t break before he could get the door open. He couldn’t stand Early Bird sales. Usually he tried to hide out in the stock room for the first fifteen or twenty minutes till the blood lust had calmed down a little on the sales floor.
