Get to know Katie, the lady behind the words!
My name is Katie, and I am a content writer who has a deep love for reading and writing. Through my skills, I help people express and convey their values in written form.
Before the business, there was a passion for reading and writing.
I’ve enjoyed writing for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I wrote songs, poems, and book ideas in my journal. In 5th grade, I dreamed of being in a band with my BFF. We planned to move to New York or California and start at the bottom, working our way up until we became famous. I wrote two songs, and then she told me I couldn’t be a singer. I cried. It seemed so serious at the time, like these were life-changing decisions. I ended up moving. Plus, my parents didn’t like her, even though the love of Green Day she instilled in me remains to this day. Don’t want to be an American Idiot!
In 6th grade, I had a composition notebook that I took everywhere with me. I was writing my first book. A sci-fi action adventure about a princess who lives on a faraway planet: she is ultimately rescued by a news reporter from Earth and taken to his massive mansion in California. They fell in love and lived together. I even tried to draw some of the characters.
I also attempted to write poetry. It could have been better, but my friends seemed to like it. This is where my creativity started to shine through.
Of course, I read A LOT too. I got my first Stephen King book, Insomnia, and then picked up Carrie, followed by Christine. Now, I own over 20 Stephen King books! And in 8th grade, I was voted “most likely to read myself into a coma!” I also learned my first bad words, which my parents were unhappy about. But, oh well, I was reading.
In high school, I read the Dark Tower series, The Stand, IT, Duma Key, and Pet Sematary. At Least, those are the ones that I remember. Unfortunately, I no longer get to write for myself. We were forced to learn to write for college and essays. I hated it and didn’t do so well. I wish I had Grammarly in high school! However, I managed to get through it and pass my college composition classes. It wasn’t until I started taking psychology classes that my writing began to improve academically.
Writing found me again in college, as I pursued my degree in Psychology. So naturally, papers were a part of every class. Still, I met the brightest and scariest professor I’ve ever had during my senior year. He would purposefully try to scare away students he deemed unworthy of his class. Students who dared to put their heads down or leave to use the restroom without asking. There were no cell phones, and if you didn’t arrive on time, you’d better not come at all. After the first couple of weeks, he relaxed a bit, and I learned a lot.
And he asked me if I wanted to lead my first-ever research project. Stunned, I of course said yes, as I wanted to attend grad school, and I started the process late. I both wanted and needed this. It made for a much more fun senior year! I gained complete control of the lab and wrote most of the manuscript, including all 10 versions. And we published my first paper together. I learned more than I anticipated and was accepted into grad school!
Where I discovered three signs I was meant to be a writer:
- When given the option of completing a thesis or an internship, I chose the thesis, hands down! My passion for research was too great to be stifled by long hours in an office without my pajamas and cat. Thus, thesis Thursdays began! (Thankfully, after a brief stint in the workforce, I have returned to working in my at-home office in my pajamas and with three cats.)
- I failed an oral exam. Yup, it turns out that when you take an oral exam, you are also being graded on your speaking abilities, not just your knowledge (I’ve got to be the only person in the world who did not know that). Writing down your answers before you say them is grounds for points off. My depth of content knowledge was great, though!
- Co-authoring and publishing a second research paper with my outstanding professors!
As you can see, reading and writing have been a constant in my life. Writing is the only thing I’ve been sure of. I fell in love with it when I was young and struggled a bit in high school, but I eventually learned enough to get published. Twice!
I graduated with a whole new level of writing experience under my belt, and (to briefly summarize the last four years of my life). After toiling in my new full-time job, I decided it was time to pursue my next adventure. Freelance writing.
Starting my business.
I started my freelance writing journey into a new world of content writing. And marketing, lifestyle business, copywriting, and social media, where I learned it was time to put myself out there.
You see, writing is only a small part of it.
Yes, you get to write, but you must also market yourself and build an online presence.
If I am really going to do this, I need to take a deep breath, close my eyes, and take that big step forward into the unknown.
I plunged headfirst into web design, building my brand, and refining my social media strategy. Much of this I didn’t even know about six months ago, but I’ve just gotten started.
Now, six months later, I am putting myself out there, creating an online presence, and writing! Not only for my fantastic future clients but for myself.
Throughout all my experiences, I’ve been digging deep and trying to find the value I can offer others. What can I create and share that benefits others? Writing has helped me weave that narrative.
I have many stories to tell, and I want to find a way to share my experiences with the world that both teach and inspire. My lifelong goal is to write my memoir. I want to write a book about my life. It’s the most profound story I have to offer. I’ve carried this story with me every day since I was a little girl. My other dream is to start a wine blog, but right now, the only thing I know about wine is that I enjoy drinking it!
I want to use what I learn about myself to help my clients. It’s essential to tell a story that educates and inspires your audience, enabling them to understand and engage with your message.
Showcasing the best qualities of your brand or business in a way that resonates with others. I know that can be difficult, like my cake-baking analogy.
It’s like being surrounded by a kitchen full of delicious ingredients. So, how do you best pair them together to bake the tastiest cake and find the right audience to share it with?
You may have a large fantastic skill set and many great products or services.
Still, to stand out in this day and age, you have to know what you have and how to blend it together in a way that speaks to your ideal customers (The people eating your sweet cake!)
To quote Sahndra Fon Dufe, “Whatever you are looking for is also looking for you. You see, don’t only look. Be available and ready when it shows up.”
Head over to my about page to get to know me more or read about why I started Katie’s Content Writing!
