I won a district-wide writing contest in the fifth grade, was the high school reporter for the local newspaper, the classes I aced in college were in journalism, and my B.A. is in communications. Instead of pursuing writing after college, I worked in various industries including music, two of the "Big Three" automakers, printing, higher education, retail, and for a worldwide nonprofit organization. It didn't dawn on me to pursue writing until a regional magazine editor and synchronized skating teammate asked, "Can you write?" I sent her a writing sample, was hired on-the-spot, and I have been writing and publishing articles while working full-time since the late 90s.
My experience working in a wide variety of organizations allows me to understand subjects faster. I can quickly figure out who to talk to, what to ask, when to dig deeper, where to find information, how to put it all together in an easy-to-read piece, and why the subject is important. By day, I'm the "face" of a university extension office and after hours, I'm writing. It's what keeps me balanced and sane.
If you are an editor, communications director, or business owner and you need well-researched, clean, and on-time writing, I'd love to hear from you.