A writer's (deep and desperate) covering letter

Covering Letter
Wannabe A. Writer

              Dear Sir/Madam,

          Every teacher should know exactly what "wants and needs" means. I’ve been a teacher for 15 years and all I always had to think about, even before going into my classes, was about my students’ wants and needs. But lately I’ve been wondering how many times I have considered my own wants and needs. And the answer is: not many! As I’m looking for changes in my life, it’s time to give my wants and needs a little more attention, I think. What is it that I truly want in my life???

            As I've said, I’m a teacher. I love being a teacher, but not because of the teaching part. I like it because I can be creative, because of the contact I have with the students; all the things I learn from different people. I’m not so sure about teaching though. And you have to focus on lesson plans, inspections, loads of paper work... where is the creativity? Unfortunately, that is what we not always have time for in the classroom... creativity! Oh, if they only knew how much the students  would learn if they had more opportunities to let their thoughts fly...

            Anyway, Hubby and I were talking at breakfast the other day and I asked him an interesting, though difficult question (difficult because even I couldn’t choose only one answer): If you could wake up tomorrow morning and have a TOTALLY different life, what would it be like? What would you be doing? He answered "I’d be a footballer". Immediately. Just like that. Well, I couldn’t decide between a published author (that’s why I did my MA and am writing this letter to you), the editor chief of a great magazine (something like Marie Claire, Elle, Cosmopolitan) or a reporter (though Hubby discarded it straight away, saying I’m not cheeky enough to interview a politician, for example. Great!).

         It’s so difficult to find your place in the world, to find your true vocation; to find something you will do that will help people, really make a difference in their lives, make you happy and at the same time be something that you can make a decent living of.

        I love the place I’m working at the moment! Everyone there is great, the atmosphere couldn’t be better, I love my students. But would I prefer to be doing something else if I could? That’s an interesting question, because the answer is YES! I would love to work at reception, for example. Ha! From teacher to receptionist. What a dream! My dad would be so proud of me! Please, don’t think I have anything against being a secretary/receptionist. That’s exactly my point: why do some people think that having a job as receptionist is ‘less’ than being a teacher, for example? Status. I guess that’s what it is. Status.

           Funny word, status. And still so strong. Do I think that being a writer, or a chief editor would give me more status than being a teacher? Maybe. I could even be on TV, magazines, etc. Hmmm... Not a bad idea, I guess. Eureka! I’ve just got an insight!

           Why do I want to be a writer? I know it! Ha. Listen to this now. I am in my at my top floor city centre flat, lazily sipping some cold mixed fruit Kopparberg, stretched on my sofa, looking at our newly raspberry-painted wall (Hubby and I moved not long ago), writing. I absolutely love it! I feel like Carry Bradshaw in ‘Sex and the city’, except that I couldn't write about sex. I’m a very happily married woman and talking about the sex I have with my husband would make me incredibly embarrassed, not to mention that his mum and dad, and grandparents and brothers and sisters (and sisters/brothers-in-laws.. oh, my God...) might read it... No way!

         What could I write about? What do women like to read about? What do men like to read about? (although I don’t think I could write for men... Hmmm.. that’s something to think about.) Write for teenagers? Children’s books? I don’t think so. I like to write about ‘moving’ things; about things that change. I lost count of how many blogs I have started: weight loss blog; teachers’ blog; my own personal blog (which I haven’t updated since last October, I guess), beauty blog (during my go at being a beauty consultant). I just wish someone very important and intelligent would read my texts somewhere (where, if I never publish them?) and email me and offer me a permanent very well-paid full-time job as a columnist! Yay!!! Can it get any better? Oh, and I would have my own desk with a last model red laptop AND I could work from home if I wanted AND I would have to wonder around to find inspiration to write my column. All expenses paid, of course. Ha. That’s definitely THE dream job! 

       So, I’m sending you this covering letter to you, this very intelligent person. And assuming that the moment you read this letter you’ll like it so much, you will think it’s so intelligently written and so witty and that’s all you were looking for. If this is the case, please don’t hesitate to email me. I will be waiting (not sitting at home doing nothing. I will be out there, teaching somewhere.). Oh, and I am very open to criticism, and very flexible and I will be ok with a temporary position at first, even as a secretary/receptionist ;) . I’m sure you will find out I was born to be your new permanent writer or the next best selling author! You'd have a great headline to market:

                            Brazilian writer publishes her first chick lit novel in English!

           I look forward to hearing from you in the near future (well, preferably very soon).

           Yours sincerely,

          Wannabe A. Writer

             Wannabe A. Writer

p.s. oops! I said you can email me, but forgot to give you my email address....  wannabeawriter@dreamland.com. There you are. You don’t have any excuses now...