Introduce yourself!

I know what you mean. I did the cubicle thing in my younger days. Been freelancing for many moons and love it. I do SEO web content, articles, celebrity interviews, ads, brochures, mailers and lots more, even optioned a screenplay. Freelancing is the only way to go, especially in this crazy economy.

Hello, fellow writers...

I used to write for an ad agency--and still do as a freelancer--doing SEO web content and tons of SEO articles. But I also enjoy interviewing celebrities on video. I recently interviewed the cast of Warehouse 13 (Saul Rubinek--"Artie" was really a well-read, interesting guy).

Best of luck to you all.

-Alex

Hello, all. I’m new to Biznik, and by joining and writing this introduction, am doing my best to run interference on my Luddite tendencies. So, before meeting any of you, and all, let me, well, introduce myself . . . sort of. I’m finally mature, at least in years (60); have lived in Seattle, WA longer than any previous place ever (30 years); enjoyed, over the years, making my livelihood, albeit modest, and reputation (ditto) as a writer/teacher; love to edit; live to make tidy in all manner of things (kitchen sink to prose); would sometimes just as soon work with animals over humans (shhhh); am more convinced in the importance of a life well lived, ethically and spiritually, than in conventional Success. I could go on, and hope to.

Here are some of my formative experiences:

The Wilma Theater. In 1972, I founded this “experimental” theater in Philadelphia, PA, one which hosted young, ‘though already buzz-worthy, dance and theater companies from N.Y., D.C., Baltimore, Boston.   Even now, as we speak, it is a thriving, well-established theatre that graduated from its small, dusty beginnings in the upstairs of Trinity Episcopalian Church, to “theater row” on Walnut Street.  My reign lasted five years; my roles ran from publicity to play writing.   
“Vogue” magazine.  In 1979, I fled Philly and the east coast for The West, happening to end my search in Seattle.  Soon thereafter, “Vogue” published an essay I wrote on this adventure and subsequent relocation.  With that publication, I began to entertain hope for a vocation in magazine writing.  I wager that, over the years, my annual income from this endeavor averaged . . . well, I’ll disclose this over a martini.
Nonplussed by the ever-flagging hope, I began to flirt with fiction, and garnered a NEA grant (pre Jessie Jackson’s remarkable vitriol leveled at this fine institution), in 1993.  I lived off this quite happily and became arrogant, and started teaching writing.
Amazon.com.  I had to face facts --  making a living writing fact or fiction was . . . so exhausting.  I got hired at Amazon.com in its second year, when it lived on Second Avenue, across from the needle exchange program and Wigland.  I was hired ‘cause I had a good resume and presented well.  This meant that my interviewers, at least half a dozen, believed I was capable of “hitting the ground running.”  I always thought that this was a particularly stupid image, unless, of course, one is a parachuter, and insulting to those believing in the old fashioned craft of learning on the job.  Anyway, I was hired to create a contest, as I had a sense of humor, and the Marketing Department was desperate to create unique on-line Fun.  I had experience neither as a contest thinker-upper, or, for that matter, in the miasmic, manic culture of computers.  Back in the day, Amazon was chest thumping with such boasts as:  “We want to provide the deepest content regarding books in the whole, wide world,” and so forth.  The Editorial Department, of which I was a part, was expected to provide the kinds of enlightening copy and reviewership on a moment-to-moment basis as if we were the staff of the “New Yorker.” However, the Marketing Department thought we were all snobs, and besides, it was “reasoned,” if Editorial were given carte blanche to be objectively, learnedly critical, well, could Amazon manage to sell books in the millions?  Thus, a classic rift ensued.  I lasted a year, and then collected some unemployment, which subsidized my return to . . . The Writing Life.

** Here are some of my awards:

• National Endowment for the Arts, literary fellowship for The People of Good Bye (a novel), (1993) • Cottages at Hedgebrook, two-month writing residency (fall 1991) • Environmental Writing Institute (University of Montana), Peter Matthiessen, Director, acceptance into the pilot program (1990) • PEN/Jerard Fund Award honoring “a distinguished nonfiction work-in-progress for an emerging woman writer” for On The Line: Memoir of a Peace Walk (1988)

Here are few publications:

Prairie Schooner, "The Perfidy of Things," excerpt and title piece from my literary memoir, Everybody Flinching,” (Fall, 2004). Adoption Anthology, Eds., Susan Ita and Tina Cervin (San Francisco, CA), excerpt from The People of Good Bye. Forthcoming Art Access, “From Where I Stand,” a critical review of an art exhibit by Seattle artist, Leah Kosh, 1999 Radical Street Performance: an international anthology, Ed., Jan Cohen-Cruz (New York: Routledge, 1998), excerpt from On The Line: Memoir of a Peace Walk Left Bank: Secrets, “The Confusion of Learning” (short story), and January 1996 Left Bank#5: Borders and Boundaries, “We Stand on Delicate Bridges” (excerpt from On The Line), December, 1993

Here are some of my hopes

. to find and sustain a community of writers
. to use Biznik as a work and a social network. I am resurrecting my writing/editing service, and would appreciate the support of a writers’ community, both in terms of referrals and business related issues.  I do not want to dress formally or appear “corporate.”  I still harbor the hope that one can make a good living while looking like; indeed, being a mensch.  
. to learn more about Annika’s brainstorming and support group for writers, and to join Write Write Write.  Now, how?

Thanks for “listening.”

Hollis

I just joined Biznik today and found this group the most interesting (albeit somewhat intimidating) of the bunch! I come from a totally different background than most of you, as I was trained and worked as a clinical microbiologist, then joined FDA and worked as a drug investigator. As such, I inspected pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities all over the world to make sure the drugs they manufactured were safe. I left FDA in 1999 and then worked for 2 of the larger pharmaceutical companies - one in NJ and one in CA, where I managed the internal audit groups that prepare for FDA inspections. Basically, I did the same thing as I did when in FDA, but from the inside!

I "retired" at a young age by cashing in my stock options in 2007, but was quickly bored. So I started consulting, offering my background, knowledge and expertise to multiple companies all over the world. And, I've been really busy ever since. Unfortunately, I don't find this work as fulfilling or interesting as I did previously. Since I've always been a huge reader and an excellent writer of reports and other corporate communications, I've tossed around the idea of writing fictional novels. I already have ideas for 3 incredibly different books and started the groundwork for all of them! But I quickly ran into roadblocks. I'm hoping experienced writers like yourselves can help coach me as I'm clearly outside of my area of expertise. I look forward to sharing experiences and learning from all of you.

As a microbiologist, you have an advantage over most fiction writers. You could write the next "Andromeda Strain." Just write down 10 "what if" scenarios in your field and expand the most provocative one into an outline for a story. The rest, as they say, is just 90 percent perspiration.

Thanks Alex! That's a great idea. I was looking to combine my knowledge of microbiology AND drug manufacturing (the prescription kind of drugs, of course) to develop into one storyline. I just haven't tapped into my creative side for so long that I keep running dry. Creativity is frowned upon in my world!! All of my writing, up to now, has been all about facts and observations.

Hello everyone,

I have recently joined Biznik and thought this group sounded a good one to join. I'm a copywriter based in London (UK) and I've been freelance for 18 years.

I went freelance after being made redundant from the Financial Times back in 1991. I work mainly with web design and graphic design agencies here in London but I also have some direct clients as well.

Projects I've been working on recently include email marketing campaigns for Citibank, information leaflets for Transport for London (they're the people who run all the mass transit systems here in the capital), and an annual report for an NHS hospital. Next week, I'll be writing a press advert for HSBC and a case study for a software client.

I also write children's stories for fun but haven't got to the stage of approaching agents/publishers yet...

So that's a bit about me. I look forward to contributing to future discussion threads with you.