Despite the skeptical comments and upraised eyebrows of various family members I decided years ago to steer my career off the main path of corporate communications employment and support myself with, in those days, my trusty pen and a dreamy but awfully expensive IBM XT. (Yes, I am really that old).

Freelance writing was at the time – and maybe still is – a bit of a radical gig but I absolutely love what I do and it’s fun watching people’s reactions when they learn about my job. At business networking events, when I’m asked what I do for a living, the conversation might go something like this:

Me (as nonchalantly as possible): “Oh, I’m a writer.”

Other Person (OP): “Really – what do you write???!”

Me: “I specialize in business writing. My job is to make my clients look great on paper and online and studies have shown that one of the most powerful tools at our disposal – despite the revolution going on right now in communication – is the written word.”

OP: “So what kinds of things do you write?”

Me: “My strength is in writing company newsletters, corporate reports, executive speeches and web content but I’ve been called upon to do everything from fundraising documentation to product manuals and just about everything in between. I have a wonderful job!”

OP: “So you’re a freelancer?”

Me: “Yes I am!”

OP: “That is so neat – have you been doing that for long?”

Me (trying to remember): “Well, I started writing for pay in 1982 but I opened Crossman Communications about 10 years later after getting some terrific experience in journalism, government communications, corporate communications, PR and marketing.”

This is a lot for most people to absorb and given that we had a turn of both a century and a millennium in there, the math starts to get a little complicated. It means I’ve been a professional writer for a fairly long time. There can often be a slight pause in the conversation as my companion processes the numbers. But very often, the next line is one I am always honored to hear:

OP: “I write too.”

This is not something people tell just anybody and whether their writing is for work or pleasure, there is a therapeutic value in speaking the words to someone who can be trusted with the information. For some of us, the writer’s soul is buried below the surface of our daily lives, out of sight of prying eyes, and we guard its existence carefully.

While I make a living freelancing, if you’re a communicator of any sort whose career actually seems logical to friends and family, keep up the great job! There’s room for all of us out in this great big world and as we go on our merry way to the next deadline or major meeting, I’ll be happy to meet you, chat with you and share moments of enjoyment around the idea of the written word. The technology will continue to change as the years pass – but I’m betting that the importance of clarity in writing will endure.

Interested in finding out more about what I do? Shoot me an email at susan@crossmancommunications.com. I’m on Twitter as @CrossmanCom – let’s connect there as well!