The use of being a selfish prick

I'm a selfish prick.

I quit work over two years ago, left my girlfriend, friends and family and went on a bike ride. A 16 month, 25'000km bike ride from London to Sydney. I moved back home, taking up space and eating all the food in my parents' house.

I've started this blog for selfish reasons but I think all blogs are started for selfish reasons, to solve the author's problem.

What problem does this blog aim to solve? I'm searching for my voice and building my skills at writing through the stuff I like to do.

This is inherently selfish. 

But what if I become a great writer? Perhaps then the path I walk will be wide enough for the two of us and you can keep me company. Perhaps I can entertain you and I might just be able to help you to become a better writer or whatever. Does that make me a little less of a prick?

I'm not alone in using this oxygen mask approach to writing. Here are some wise words from some more popular selfish pricks:

Write in recollection and amazement for yourself - Jack Kerouac

You write about what you know - Larry David

Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self - Cyrill Connolly

I don't know who Cyrill Connolly is but he is God-damned right!

So that's the lesson, start with yourself, do what makes you happy and avoid the bitter resentment of doing the things that you think you should. In the end everyone else will thank you for it.