Friday, September 5, 2008

Future and present goals

Some things I would like to accomplish in the near, but probably not so near future:

  • Do some freelancing
  • Work for a newspaper or magazine
  • Start my own local magazine
  • Start my own company

They're pretty ambitious for someone right out of college with no experience. I know I'm a bit delusional, I just don't see why I can't do these things if I have the skills and capabilities. Why do I have to have years of writing experience before I can have a freelancing career if I write perfectly fine? I'm not saying I do, but it's the principle of the matter.

My friend from school started a magazine this summer. I contributed a bit, but wanted to do more, and got the itch to just do it all. The first issue comes out next week, and I am very anxious to see what it looks like. He got interviews with some pretty big bands, and had journalism graduates, students do all the writing, so I don't see why it can't succeed. And why can't I do the same thing?

I'd also like to eventually start a business, possibly with my boyfriend. I think with our combined skills: writing, editing, photography, graphic design and, with a little refresher training, web design and video, we must be able to do something with it all.

I'll be doing a lot of research in the coming weeks. Hopefully with some good results.

1 comment:

kristend228 said...

Allison, I saw your post on freelancewritinggigs.com and wanted to encourage you and your "future and present goals."

I should tell you that I am 32, a mom of 2 little ones, and am a medical writer/editor/medical education consultant. But there was a time...a long long time ago...when I was 22, just out of college, and didn't know what to do with myself.

I sent out a bunch of resumes and landed a job at a medical trade publication. At that time, I had no medical background and I had no interest in medical publishing. I wanted to work for Cosmo, Us, etc. But here I was writing up little blurbs on over-the-counter products and organizing writer databases and filing author payments.

10 years later I am a successful freelancer who gets to spend much of her day doing what she most loves---enjoying the outdoors, exploring life with my girls, and just enjoying myself.

I still want to start my own magazine and write a novel for children...but I'm content for now.

Point is: keep at it. Send out as many resumes as you can and realize that you will be getting the "grunt" jobs. It's okay. Because, I promise, you won't be there forever and you never know where it may lead.

Best wishes, Kristen