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Who You Know; How One Ballsy Move Got Me Just About Everything I Have Today
The following story is specifically for new freelancers, to demonstrate the power of taking that one first step.
After finishing my BA at Michigan State University, I was working quite happily as an editor at Lansing Community College. I edited all publications that came out of one office in particular, wrote some copy and managed the 4 student staff. I also curated a special library collection that was housed in that office.
While at LCC, I happened upon a Latino-oriented magazine that one of the staff had picked up in the lobby. Due to my family makeup, I ran in primarily Latino circles, so I borrowed it. Flipping through it, I noticed the publisher was my former Spanish professor at MSU. Many of my friends were mentioned in the magazine, as it was of a regional slant.
But I noticed some of the English was not great. I debated contacting my former professor to offer my services. He didn’t know me all that well, although we did have some mutual friends. But I could tell he needed my services.
I finally volunteered to edit the English articles (it was bilingual). To my surprise, he agreed. I worked on the magazine in a volunteer capacity for about a year. I proved myself by attending every meeting, making every deadline, and being very available to the publisher.
By the time I left LCC (I also worked on editorial projects at MSU), the magazine began paying me. First, it was a stipend. Then, a little more. Finally, three years alter, I am charging by the hour at the hourly rate I named. I am now “second in charge” and the magazine provides about 25% of my freelance writing income.
However, other things have happened. My professor happens to be well-known in the community. He worked on my behalf to get me a teaching position at the same community college. These classes now account for another 25% of my income. He allowed me to write for the magazine, in addition to the editorial work. I leveraged these clips and now work for other Latino magazines, ones with larger, nationwide circulations. Non-writing benefits have come to me, too. Today I found out I was named to the Sister Cities Commission in my city, to work on ties with my fave metropolis–Guadalajara! An international “job”!
All these benefits can be traced to this one well-known community member and publisher. And all because I sucked it up and volunteered to edit a new magazine.
