The other day, someone asked me what I was qualified to write about. I thought and came up with a very long list. Sure, I have my favorites, but, because I’ve had various careers and come from a long line of do-it-yourselfers, I have a colorful array of experience upon which to draw. I have…changed the oil in cars, shingled a roof, taught elementary school, read plumbing plans, done presentations, built websites, made hand cream, studied gardening, used social media marketing, done taxes, changed spark plugs, made play dough, taught fitness classes, bought and sold houses and potty trained over 30 children. I even know a little about fashion and finances.
This is part of what makes me such a good freelance writer. Business owners don’t want blog posts full of technical jargon your average person has no desire to wade through. They want articles written with the general public in mind. So the fact that I have a base knowledge of a lot of things and I’m a good researcher, means I can craft a piece that educates on a level that interests the average person. I have the advantage of having a little pro-knowledge while maintaining the perspective of the consumer.
The last piece to the puzzle is my writing talent. All that knowledge, perspective and research is no good if I can’t communicate it effectively, efficiently and eloquently. I’m naturally good at it, and I continuously study and practice to improve.
The bottom line, though, is this: I love it. I love writing, and I love doing it with purpose. When I craft a piece for a business, I don’t just take the facts and put them on the page. I look for glimpses of personality. What’s important to this business owner? How does she see herself? What’s his demeanor? That’s the really fun part – putting personality on the page and bringing it to life.
