Freelance Isn’t All About the Writing

Freelance writing can be a grind when there are looming deadlines to hit but it doesn’t have to be all about pounding out words. I’ve been lucky to be assigned a few features on local businesses and one of the surprising perks are the people I have met. I’ve met a widowed innkeeper, a myofascial release therapist, and recently a furniture/design boutique owner. From your perspective, this may not seem very glamourous and really, it’s not.

What I really love about these experiences is how I’m enriched by meeting these people. No, they aren’t curing cancer or Nobel Prize winners, but they are people I probably would never had met if it wasn’t for these assignments. This has been the other side of freelancing, the side I never expected. I get to hear other people’s stories. I learn about their families, how they arrived at owning their business, and their ties to Kansas City.

I make sure to send a thank-you card to each one to let them know I was thankful for their time. I’m sure many of them forgot my name as soon as I left our interview and hopefully, that thank-you note reminded them of who I was. Even if they toss my business card in the trash, I figure it’s bound to do me some good somewhere down the line.

Even though you are more into writing personal essays and how-to articles, don’t shy away from editorials or feature stories. There are some wonderful people out there with a story to tell. Why not help them along?