Masters Program Intro Letter [version 2.0]

Personal Introduction-- By Cory Freeman

I have always thought I wanted to be a writer. In high school, I was highly involved in my journalism class as assistant editor on the school newspaper. For extracurricular fun, I was also involved with the yearbook and served as the editor for my school’s annual literary publication, The Verbatim. When I started college at the University of Nevada, Reno, I majored in journalism, had my own weekly column in the campus newspaper, The Sagebrush, and had one of my short stories published in the English Department’s annual ‘New Voices’ publication.
That was 1989. That was the year I shelved the dream of being a writer and opted for a more practical career (by that, I mean one that paid the bills). So, in 1994, I graduated from nursing school and have been working as a registered nurse (mostly) since then. Along the way, in 2001, I earned by BA in Psychology from the University of Washington. I had planned to pursue a PhD in Psychology and become a psychologist, but discovered I didn’t really want to listen to people’s problems all the time and was disinterested in conducting extensive research as well. So, I went back to nursing.
Nursing has been a good profession for me. I enjoy working with people, helping others, and being part of a strong team. It pays pretty well, is more or less portable, and offers a flexible schedule. I currently work in the ICU at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland. The problem with nursing, as it pertains to me, is that at nearly 40 years of age, I find it monotonous, somewhat unfulfilling, and void of creativity—which I long for. I have been working as a nurse for over 13 years and I am finally ready for a real change.
That’s where my application to P.S.U. comes in. I recently searched online for writing programs in the Pacific Northwest and came across the program at P.S.U. I just moved to Portland two years ago, and plan to stay. I must admit, I was happy to find a program in Portland, but I became nearly giddy when I came across the Book Publishing track of the program. I have always been interested in publishing, and have dreamed of being one of the great self-published American authors like Mark Twain or Walt Whitman. When I researched further and discovered Ooligan Press, I decided, without a doubt, that the program was a good fit for me.
In 2001, I developed a concept I call Sidewalk Stories after running into an old friend (who I used to write with) at my 15-year high school reunion. We spent a lot of time together that summer talking about writing, publishing and the business of both. Sidewalk Stories was borne from one of those conversations. Initially, I envisioned Sidewalk Stories being a compilation of self-written short fiction in which the first line of every story would be a quote from an overheard conversation at a café, bar, or simply on the sidewalk (where I got the idea). Since then, Sidewalk Stories has evolved into an idea that is much larger than I ever imagined it could be. It is now my goal to start my own publishing company, Sidewalk Publishing—Extraordinary Stories for Every Day People. I envision Sidewalk Stories as an annual publication showcasing undiscovered writing talent. Some day, I see the series being as popular as the “Best American Short Stories…” books published by Houghton Mifflin. Sidewalk Stories will be contest driven and the best entries will be published. I have also developed ideas for similar publications for young writers called Sandbox Stories and Playground Poetry that will also be contest driven, but the winners will be awarded scholarships instead of prizes. Then, as Sidewalk Publishing grows, perhaps we will be able to enter into contracts with some of these newly discovered authors. And, although not developed at this time, I foresee Sidewalk Media eventually producing movies from our library of material. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
I just want to say that I think the writing program at P.S.U. along with the hands-on, collaborative experiences offered at Ooligan Press seem like the perfect fit for me. I have an entrepreneurial spirit. I am ready to head down this path, and I promise to bring my passion and enthusiasm with me on the journey. I am dedicated to the process of learning, writing, and now publishing. Ooligan seems like the kind of place where the reward for my hard work and dedication will be a solid foundation in the practical and business sides of publishing industry.
I am excited beyond words, and I want to be a part of the program in every facet.

Thank you,

Cory Freeman