Reclaiming your voice in writing

It's been the wild west for writers lately.?

You have to be scrappy and have a strong foundation of contacts to navigate the murky waters of employment and freelance gigs in media.

It's been that way for a few years, and it's why the pivot to content marketing and copywriting has been a path of choice for many of us.?

The lure of a stable job (as stable as the economy allows it to be), better pay (especially if you land a content role at a tech company), healthcare benefits and a possibility of peace of mind (because it's not easy to be creative when bills are due.)?

I was happy to make that pivot with the benefit of continuing my editorial pursuits on the side.?

But in doing so I started to run into a challenge. I was slowly loosing my voice.

For the last four years, I've lived in all those worlds, and most of the time, I write two styles in one day.?

When you want to get back in your editorial or creative writing bag, you've got to shake that brand voice out of you and reclaim your own again. Turning it off is sometimes challenging after writing in a brand's voice all day. In the past, I've had editors always remind me when I have lost my voice in my work in the editing process. Lately, I've been working on catching it before they do. Here are a few ways that's helped me get back to myself.

1. Time management allows you to break away before jumping into a project where you must change voice. You can meet deadlines but have time to rest your mind before switching gears.
2. Resting your brain can look like taking a walk, watching a mindless show, talking on the phone or doing something fun.
3. Read some of your past work for voice recognition.
4. Record or write your ideas and watch it or read it. Journaling every day or most days helps with this.

Do any of you find it challenging to shift between the worlds of content marketing writing, editorial and creative writing??

Read more on Lemons 2 Lemonade blog.

Meet the Mentors

I'll never forget my first press trip to cover the Ciroc Brunch in New Orleans during ESSENCE Fest. I got to invite my mother and show her why I loved the city so much. My first travel article was a trip to Monterey, CA. It was a welcomed surprise from my normal beat of career/work content. It was that one yes that led to many more opportunities to explore new cities and hotels. That's why I'm excited about to be a mentor for the?Visit Greater Palm Springs' "Meet the Mentors" program.

This program will pair established travel writers with those who are interested in jump-starting their career in travel journalism for an all expense paid trip and mentorship experience this fall in Greater Palm Springs. Applications are live now through June 16 at?TravelMentorsGPS.com!

#L2LMixer Nashville Summer Series

June - Finding success in Nashville's creator economy

Being a digital creator, content creator or influencer is often challenging when growing your audience and building brand partnerships. As Nashville continues to grow and become the home to new people and businesses, there is an opportunity to succeed in the creator economy in and outside of Music City.

Hear from a panel of marketing leaders and digital creators on what to expect regarding today's content trends and creator programs. Learn how to leverage social media and other digital platforms to align with brand marketing goals for potential partnerships.

Attendees will enjoy a complimentary cocktail courtesy of?1 Hotel Nashville,?Milk Makeup?goodies and an opportunity to network with other digital creators, content creators and influencers.

Wednesday, June 28 at 5 PM at Harriet's Rooftop

RSVP

July

Nashville Women in Media, PR & Marketing

Wednesday, July 12 at 6 PM at Soho House Nashville

RSVP