Kate W. - Every Word Matters
Head Writer, Founder, at Kate Wallace Writing + Story Strategies
DID: 2016
Sometimes life forces you to make a change you’ve hesitated to initiate on your own.
That's how I became a freelance writer and digital independent.
I'd had a good career as a print journalist, from my first job, as a staff writer for a weekly independent paper to roles as editor and arts reporter at a provincial daily. As much as I loved the camaraderie and buzz of the newsroom, I always figured eventually I'd go out on my own. But, like so many dreams, it was a vague, “someday” plan.
“Like many writers, I wanted the freedom to write my own stories, to blend paying work with personal projects. But I also knew the freelance route was competitive, risky and lonely. ”
I had planned to start a freelance practice when I left my last reporting gig. But the day after I gave my notice, I got an offer too tempting to pass up. I became executive director of ArtsLink NB, an association for professional artists. I was working, happily and hard, at this role, when my family life went to shit.
My four-year-old son got kicked out of school. He was a month into a junior kindergarten program at a local private school that found him too unmanageable.
For a few months afterwards, my husband and I tag-teamed to be home, using sick time, vacation days and lots of family help as we assessed our options. But adequate childcare was not to be found. So I quit my job and made my son my full-time job. I figured I'd get to the bottom of things, and be back at work, in a few months.
That was wildly optimistic.
Appropriate treatment and support were scarce. None were a quick fix. And the challenging behaviours and concerns just increased.
A year later, with an ADHD diagnosis and a much better understanding of my son's ongoing challenges and needs, he started kindergarten.
My year at home had made it clear a 9-to-5 was not going to work. I needed the flexibility to be available for after-school conferences and multiple appointments. To meet my son off the bus at the end of draining, often tumultuous school day. Kindergarten wrapped at 1:35 pm.
So, freelancing.
It was a dream, dressed up as a necessity.
I started pitching stories to magazines, writing scripts for film and TV, and picking up copywriting gigs, parlaying my journalism chops into other writing forms.
As my son grew (and flourished), I've been able to expand my business goals to fill the space he used to occupy. The chaos of the early days has been replaced by a profoundly satisfying work-life balance, the elusive unicorn of our age.
It's not conventional – and I like it like that. My autonomy is empowering. It's been good for my career and right for my family. I can't imagine having to go to the same office, at the same time, Monday to Friday, and work for someone else. I am basically unemployable now. I wouldn't have it any other way.
“It’s not conventional – and I like it like that. My autonomy is empowering. It’s been good for my career and right for my family. I can’t imagine having to go to the same office, at the same time, Monday to Friday, and work for someone else. I am basically unemployable now. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”