SevenQuestions: Kelly Caldwell, Chicago Writergrrl

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Seven Questions

Kelly Caldwell is a Chicago-based freelance writer who gets most of her work from corporate clients (who, incidentally, tend to pay a lot more than publications, word on the street has it). Her Web site is an ad for her services; the place to go is her Chicago Writergrrls site, which has a host of helpful and interesting links. 25 September 1998

1 How did you end up in this line of work? Back to the 7Q index

After years of commuting and battling my way through corporate America, I decided enough was enough. So I made a very conscious decision to get into professional writing on a freelance basis.

2 When is your work most like journalism, and when is it the least?

It's most like journalism when you've got a great idea and you undertake research and writing into the wee hours of the night because you don't want to stop until your work is finished and "just right." For me, it's the least like journalism when I'm either cold-calling for new clients and projects, or when I'm calling up existing clients trying to get payment.

3 Describe one really great thing about Chicago that would surprise people who've never been there.

I think the relative cleanliness and attractiveness of Chicago would surprise people. When I first considered moving to Chicago, I was hesitant because I thought big city = trash and filth. Not so in Chicago. The downtown area and lakefront areas are quite lovely in Chicago.

4 When did you know you would be a writer?

I think always. As a child, my mother and I would create stories which she would write down. I was always an avid reader and writer.

5 What's one fundamental difference between the market for female writers and the market for male writers?

I think it can be harder for female writers who operate on a freelance basis to justify our fees. When men charge X-dollars per hour, I think people tend to accept that they must be worth it. This isn't always the case with female writers charging the same X-dollar amount. The other difference is that people tend to assume that as a professional writer, my focus is on poetry or something very artistic, and they are very often surprised to hear that my experience and projects involve business writing.

6 Is your Web site steering work your way?

I get interest and some inquiries from my Web site. The Internet as a whole has been very beneficial for my business.

7 Name an early career aspiration of yours that never panned out.

When I was a young girl, I decided that I wanted to be a truck driver. My dad took me to a few truck stops where I took pictures of big trucks, ate in diners, etc. Needless to say, at some point I determined that it wasn't the right choice for me and so I would become a veterinarian. And now ... I'm a writer.

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Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan >Back to SevenQuestions

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Kelly Caldwell is a Chicago-based freelance writer who gets most of her work from corporate clients (who, incidentally, tend to pay a lot more than publications, word on the street has it). Her Web site is an ad for her services; the place to go is her Chicago Writergrrls site, which has a host of helpful and interesting links.		25 September 1998
1	How did you end up in this line of work?	Back to the 7Q index
	After years of commuting and battling my way through corporate America, I decided enough was enough. So I made a very conscious decision to get into professional writing on a freelance basis.
2	When is your work most like journalism, and when is it the least?
	It's most like journalism when you've got a great idea and you undertake research and writing into the wee hours of the night because you don't want to stop until your work is finished and "just right." For me, it's the least like journalism when I'm either cold-calling for new clients and projects, or when I'm calling up existing clients trying to get payment.
3	Describe one really great thing about Chicago that would surprise people who've never been there.
	I think the relative cleanliness and attractiveness of Chicago would surprise people. When I first considered moving to Chicago, I was hesitant because I thought big city = trash and filth. Not so in Chicago. The downtown area and lakefront areas are quite lovely in Chicago.
4	When did you know you would be a writer?
	I think always. As a child, my mother and I would create stories which she would write down. I was always an avid reader and writer.
5	What's one fundamental difference between the market for female writers and the market for male writers?
	I think it can be harder for female writers who operate on a freelance basis to justify our fees. When men charge X-dollars per hour, I think people tend to accept that they must be worth it. This isn't always the case with female writers charging the same X-dollar amount. The other difference is that people tend to assume that as a professional writer, my focus is on poetry or something very artistic, and they are very often surprised to hear that my experience and projects involve business writing.
6	Is your Web site steering work your way?
	I get interest and some inquiries from my Web site. The Internet as a whole has been very beneficial for my business.
7	Name an early career aspiration of yours that never panned out.
	When I was a young girl, I decided that I wanted to be a truck driver. My dad took me to a few truck stops where I took pictures of big trucks, ate in diners, etc. Needless to say, at some point I determined that it wasn't the right choice for me and so I would become a veterinarian. And now ... I'm a writer.
Back to SQ index Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan		>Back to SevenQuestions