Most Important Skills for a Self-Employed Independent Writer and Editor
Kathryn, an independent writer/editor, emphasizes the importance of strong "people skills," enjoying "talking to them, finding out about what makes them tick," and meticulous accuracy, noting that "mistakes…creep in" requiring thorough fact-checking and source verification. The self-employed aspect necessitates financial management skills, including tracking income and expenses.
Communication, Writing Skills, Time Management, Accuracy, Financial Literacy
Advizer Information
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. Develop strong people skills: Enjoy interacting with people, actively listen to understand their perspectives, and build rapport to gather information effectively.
2. Maintain accuracy and meet deadlines: Pay close attention to detail, fact-check information meticulously, and consistently meet deadlines to build trust and credibility.
3. Manage finances responsibly: Track income and expenses diligently, ensuring timely payments and responsible financial management, especially as a freelancer.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
You have to enjoy people and talking to them, finding out what makes them tick. That's always what has attracted me to journalism. I also always liked to write, which surprises me because some people really dislike it or are even scared of it. Growing up, I never thought it was anything remarkable, but now I know it's not something everybody can do.
Other important things include being on time for interviews, phone calls, and Zoom calls. If you're going to be late, you should let people know and say you'll call back in 10 minutes. It's about not being a flake, getting things in on time, and doing what you say you're going to do.
As a freelancer, this is very important because many freelance writers miss deadlines, don't get stories right, or misspell things. Accuracy is really, really important, and it's something I'm always working to improve. Mistakes do creep in, so you have to look for all the ways you might be fallible.
I double and triple-check everything and make sure I have sources for everything; I don't make things up. I don't rely on my memory anymore and actually look things up to make sure I'm recalling them correctly. I also take good notes and have gotten into the habit of recording most of my interviews so I can go back and get quotes absolutely right. It's a big help.
As a self-employed person, I also have to keep track of the money coming in. Luckily, as a writer, you don't have a lot of expenses, but I do have to track the few expenses I have and my income, making sure checks arrive and don't get lost in the mail. I think those are the most important things.
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