Postcard from the Field

Recently, I was browsing in some back issues of Winning Ways newsletter and found myself rereading letters I’d published over the years. I decided to share some of my favorites this month.

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In January 2000, I left my career as a senior systems analyst to homeschool my son. He has medical needs and is flourishing in our relaxed home environment.

During this process, I started exploring being a self-bosser. I did six months of technical writing on a part-time basis from my home. It sounds ideal and I got paid well, yet I found that my heart wasn’t in it.

However, that got me on the track of writing. I started writing nonfiction articles for a local newspaper. Then I picked up assignments for another newspaper. I focus on people in my community that have a passion for their businesses or hobbys.

Every time I interview one of these interesting people, I’m inspired all over again.

Today, I really had a thrill. I had done an article over a year ago about a woman who has opened a boutique every year for three weeks in November. This is her nineteenth year in operation.

She holds her store in an antique barn on her property and it’s filled with creations from over fifty area artisans, from wood furniture to quilts, holiday decorations and much more.

In trying to work smarter, not harder, I wrote another article about her boutique for a regional magazine, Wisconsin Trails. They bought it and her gallery made their “Top 10 Picks for Holiday Shopping.”

I brought the article out to her today and her excitement makes what I do even more worthwhile. As soon as her store opened today, she showed the article to everyone there, remarking, “We’re famous!”

I often get thank you cards from the people I interview. I have come to realize that what I do is a service. These small business owners get the recognition they deserve and free publicity.

I get paid for my writing, but I get so much more. I get the special honor of telling their story.

Donna Karis, River Falls, WI