This week, meet writer Lori W from Lexington, KY! Check out our blog every Wednesday for a new interview with our super talented and very interesting WriterAccess writers. For more featured writers, visit our Writer Wednesday category.
According to your profile, you studied journalism in college, so you’ve been writing for awhile. What prompted you to pursue writing in the first place?
Up until I was a freshman in high school, I wanted to be an artist because I had a talent for it. But when I hit high school, we did a lot of creative writing in the first semester of freshman English and my teacher, Mrs. Tews, greatly encouraged me to be a writer. I got the feeling my parents kind of preferred that career route to that of a an artist, so they were also influencers. I got a job as a newspaper reporter for the small weekly while still in high school, then moved onto work for its publisher covering four communities. When I got to college, I got a spot on the University press corp, so I was published throughout the state at a very young age. Throughout my career, I have held other positions besides that of a journalist, but I have always been in the communications field.
What’s your favorite niche to write in, and why?
I really don’t think I have a favorite niche, though there are some subjects I probably prefer writing about over others. That isn’t always how the workflow goes, though. I have fallen into a few areas simply by accident or due to personal interest. Once I learned about them, I became sought after in that area. In all but a few cases, I actually didn’t have a background in a particular niche that ended up becoming something I now write on regularly. I became a syndicated writer in finance with zero finance background at the time, for example. It is unconventional and against the advice of pretty much every expert out there to be as diverse as I am, but it has worked for me. Plus, I think that every client within a certain niche believes their subject area is my primary area of expertise. In fact, if they don’t walk away thinking that, I’ve not done my job.
You’ve got a lot of very diverse interests, from real estate to web design to prison reform, all fields you’ve been pretty active in. Tell us the time management secrets that enable you to do all that while keeping up a freelance writing career!
I’ve always been involved in social issues, so things like sustainable living and fair sentencing are naturals for me. I’ve been told I’m a bleeding heart liberal by more than one person in life and I am passionate about a lot of issues affecting humanity. Other topics, like healthcare or real estate, there were just life events that led me to those areas. Most people have busy lives; it’s just a matter of making some tough decisions when it comes to prioritizing. I don’t always get it right, believe me.
Do you have a favorite thing about freelance writing that keeps you in this line of work, even with all your other interests and commitments?
I like this career path because I have more freedom, not just in my day to day schedule because frankly, I easily put in more hours than I did working for someone else. But I like the freedom of having some control over my income and what I choose to do with my time. I like that I have more job security. The latter is kind of ironic because people often tell me they would never freelance or work for themselves because they want that definite paycheck. To that, I say nothing is definite if you are working somewhere else, no matter how talented you are or how important you are to the company. Anything can happen. I have more control over my income. I can earn more if I need to, take time away if I really have to, etc. Plus, I am never bored.
Any words of advice for your fellow writers?
Sure…
- Stay humble.
- The client isn’t always right, but he or she is your next meal, so proceed accordingly.
- If it ever gets to be a burden, it’s time to find something else to do. Life is too short not to enjoy what you do day to day. I am blessed to say I do.
Lori W is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
Louis Roe is a content marketing intern at WriterAccess. Contact Louis on Twitter @lojoroe or by email Louis.Roe (at) WriterAccess.com.
