I recently interviewed Leslie Fulton for a guest post about the conflicts between being both a business and a creative writer. Since she sent me a good deal of interesting information about her approach to writing, I said I’d like to share it here, as a guest post. You can read it below.
- Lynette
Writer Leslie Fulton
I have been a freelance writer for more than 20 years—after working in print and broadcast journalism, as well as public relations. I’m lucky to have reached a point where I don’t have to cold call people looking for writing assignments. Most of my client base now comes via word of mouth.
My degree is in journalism and I also took creative writing courses while working on a Masters at Stanford University (which I didn’t finish, but that’s another story).
For a long time, I put aside creative writing as I focused on my career. After a long day writing magazine articles, speeches, white papers—you name it—the last thing I felt like doing was writing fiction for pleasure.
However, I soon realized I was missing something. Writing wasn’t fun. I was getting stale and bored. That’s when I understood that I needed to write creatively, otherwise my career would suffer. I needed that outlet and that sense of fun and joy that creative writing can bring. But, mixing the two can be precarious. How to balance?
My number one rule is that paid writing comes first.
Other freelance rules? Never miss a deadline. Never take on too many projects. Being greedy won’t pay off; you’re bound to drop the ball on one of the projects. Take the job that interests you the most; you’re more likely to write a better piece for your client. Never take on something you can’t complete. And there’s nothing wrong with accepting an assignment you don’t fully understand—I have a number of high tech clients—but make sure you do your research, learn all you can, and get it right.
Freelance writing can be lonely, especially if you work by yourself out of your home. I talk to the dog a lot. Sometimes he answers back.
If I’m stuck on a particular issue, I’ll go work out. Doing something physical gives your brain a chance to process the problem. I’ll come home sweaty and refreshed. Then, after a shower and maybe a coffee, I’ll sit down at the computer and—voila!—the block has disappeared. This little trick has never failed me.
I have often cursed my journalism degree and my business writing, thinking they hampered my creative side. Now, I don’t feel that way as much. Like anything, you have to practice. The more you write, the better you’ll be. Long flights of fanciful prose still aren’t my thing but I’m okay with that. In fact, I dislike reading them in other people’s writing. So, the clean and spare style I was taught in school and honed in my professional life is how I write creatively.
You can contact Leslie at fultonjohnsonassociates@gmail.com.
Follow tweets by Leslie’s fascinating persona @LizziePepys.
To see the original post about the tensions between business and creative writing, click on When Business and Creative Writing Clash. And here’s another first person perspective on the subject. Michele Chiappetta: Balancing Business and Creative Writing.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like What to Expect From Your Copywriter.
Lynette,
I read a few of your blogs and enjoyed them. I remember when just getting published was such a high, but that soon grew stale when getting paid was so much better. Plus it made me feel like the professional I am. Marketing a book is even harder, especially in an economy like this and it’s easy to get discouraged–until someone writes and says your book changed their life. Money somehow doesn’t matter so much then.
Micki Peluso, author of. . .AND THE WHIPPOORWILL SANG, a humorous, poignant family story.
Thank you, Mike, for your comment.