Longtime freelance writer and editor, Momfari founder, former Huffington Post blogger and contributing editor for Outdoor Families Magazine. Passionate traveler.
What led you to start working in digital/media publishing?
I finished a master’s in journalism in 2002, before the rise of digital/social media. Then in 2006, I took several years off from writing to focus on editing while my boys were little. By the time I got back into writing around 2012, I’d returned to a digital world I didn’t understand. It’s been like starting over these last five years!
What does a typical day look like for you?
As the main caregiver for two boys, ages 9 and 11, my schedule revolves around their time at school.
What’s your work setup look like?
I work from a laptop at home, in a coffee shop or at the local library, depending on how much I need to focus. If I’m at the library, it typically means I’m on deadline and desperate to minimize potential distractions, which are many for a freelancer!
What do you do or go to get inspired?
I’ve always loved writing feature stories because every person has a story to tell, so I’m inspired by others’ triumphs and life lessons. And that’s so much a part of why I love writing travel pieces: I’m always inspired by the people I meet, whether it’s in Key West, Fla., or Cape Town, South Africa.
What’s your favorite piece of writing or quote?
One of my favorite writers is Erik Larson, particularly his book “Devil in the White City,” because he’s so good at crafting compelling non-fiction stories as if they’re the stuff of fiction.
What is the passionate problem you are tackling at the moment?
As a freelancer, I struggle with productivity. Ironically, although I’m a professional writer, I hate writing lists and setting my own goals (i.e., not an outside deadline from an editor or client). So I bought a journal that focuses on this very concept. I still need to open it! (Cue frustrated sigh.)
Is there a product, solution, or tool that you think is a good match for your digital publishing efforts?
See above. I bought a “Best Self” journal that will likely be a good start to being accountable for my own projects, like the two books I’ve had in the works for three years. Again, opening it would be a fantastic start!
Content from our partners
Any advice for ambitious digital publishing and media professionals just starting out?
As an editor, I appreciate writers who’ve gone out of their way to really learn the basics of writing, even if they don’t have a traditional writing background. Learn your craft, especially from others more successful than you, the advice I’m constantly trying to follow some 15 years into this business!
