Reading log is a weekly series of recommended reading. The list will be eclectic, but will generally include longreads, media criticism and freelancing advice.

Since I’m just starting to blog and log my reading, a lot of this might be motivational and just me talking to myself. I hope those reads help you as well.

• Heather Havrilesky tweets about working as a freelancer

This series of tweets from Havrilesky, who writes New York Magazine’s Ask Polly column, is a pep talk I think everyone needs to hear once in a while. Her recent podcast with Longform was great too and I definitely want to read more of her work.

• Austin Kleon’s three reasons why you should show your work

• Carl Richards on learning how to deal with haters

And that’s the important thing — move forward. I know too many people who have gone out on a limb and said to the world, “Here, I made this thing” and then gotten really negative feedback and just quit.

• Sports Illustrated profile of San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard

“He wants the greatness badly. He doesn’t give a damn about the stardom.”

And there has been a lot of good writing about sex work floating around lately. I’ve read more than this, but here are two great pieces.

• Is Prostitution Just Another Job? by Mac McClelland in NYMag
• I thought sex work would be empowering and feminist. I was dead wrong. by Emily Eveland on Narratively.