A Day In The Life Of A Self-Employed Independent Writer And Editor
Kathryn's work as a self-employed writer and editor is incredibly varied, with "no two days alike," juggling tasks like assigning stories, liaising with photographers and advertisers, and intensely focused production weeks involving "emailing back and forth with the graphic artists." This multifaceted role, encompassing work for health and food magazines and prior involvement with a non-profit online news magazine, allows Kathryn to utilize their skills in diverse ways, keeping their "mind flexible and ready for whatever."
Communication, Project Management, Problem-Solving, Overcoming Challenges, Work-Life Integration
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Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kathryn McKenzie (Kathy to my friends)
Independent writer/editor
Self-Employed
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
No graduate programs
Creative Writing, Journalism
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Creative
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. The day-to-day tasks of a self-employed writer and editor are varied and dynamic, involving tasks such as assigning stories, checking on writers, coordinating with photographers and advertisers, and ensuring clear communication among team members.
2. Working as a freelance writer and editor often requires long hours and meeting deadlines, and involves juggling multiple projects simultaneously for different clients or publications.
3. The ability to adapt to changing situations, such as unexpected issues during the layout process or using different communication methods (e.g., Zoom interviews versus in-person meetings), is essential for success in this field. Proficiency in using tools like MailChimp for newsletters is also a valuable skill to develop.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a self-employed writer and editor look like?
No two of my days are really alike, and I do have a lot of freedom during the week. Often I'll be doing things during the day and then I'll work on writing or editing at night. Sometimes I'll be up until 11 or 12 doing stuff that I need to get done before the deadline.
In general, I have a list of things that I need to do. On a typical day, I might be assigning stories for the health magazine or reaching out to writers to check on their progress. I also check on the status of the cover photo, which I have to set up with the photographer. If we don't get the cover photo, we have nothing to put on the cover.
Often, I am checking in with the ad folks about sources they want included in the article or ideas for people to interview. In general, I try to be available to all the other people working on the project. If we don't communicate as a group, things slow down, don't get done, or get misconstrued.
One day out of the month is production week, and that's a little more intense. I'm emailing back and forth with the graphic artists. He sends me pages, I send him corrections, or I might say we need to move a story or take it out because there's not room for it. There are a whole variety of other issues that can come up in the layout process.
I am sending him the completed stories and editing things that are coming in. I turn them around and get them to the graphic artist, write captions, and write headlines. I also double-check facts in the article that sometimes jump out at me. I'm a one-man band, but I like it.
If I am working on articles for the food magazine, I'm setting up interviews, interviewing people, or going out to interview somewhere. Because of the pandemic, there was a long period where I didn't interview anyone in person. I got really good at Zoom. These days, more often than not, I am going out and actually interviewing real people. That's fun; I usually get to taste things and talk to interesting people about food and how they create it.
Until last November, I was involved in a nonprofit that was an online news magazine focusing on underserved communities of color in our area. Unfortunately, I had to give that up due to family circumstances, like my mother being very ill. I probably won't go back to that, as it was pretty involved. The best thing I learned was how to use MailChimp and do an online newsletter.
That doesn't really figure into my typical day anymore, but that was what I was doing until not too long ago. It was a big mix of stuff, and I was always juggling things. Again, it's kind of what I like to do; it keeps me moving and going and using my brain in a variety of ways. All of that is really good, especially as you get older. It helps you keep your mind flexible and ready for whatever.
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