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Contact Laurel
Laurel has been writing for most of her life. She is especially talented as a writer. Laurel's thoughts about writing, in her own words, follow below.Laurel's Thoughts:
When I was in High School, I had a book report due on The Great Gatsby. I grabbed the Cliff Notes and, as usual, whipped off a quick report during a Study Hall I had a few periods earlier. When I got it back, instead of my usual A, SEE ME was written in huge red letters across the top of the page. My teacher stopped me as I tried to sneak out at the end of class.
"You pretty much sail through life with your writing, don't you," He said, looking me straight in the eye.
"Um...uh...uh..." (or something like that) was my response.
"Well, you're not going to get away with that in my class. Re-do the paper. Actually READ the book this time, and cite your sources. If you had only cited those Cliff's Notes you so obviously relied on to write this report, you would have gotten an A."
He continued: "You really ARE a fantastic writer. Probably the best I've ever had, and I've been teaching writing for a long time. That is why I am going to make you write the RIGHT way. No easy A's in THIS class."
"Um, uh, um..." (I wasn't the eloquent, confident individual I am today as an awkward adolescent.)
"I'm not going to put you on the spot anymore than I already have. Go on." He gestured at the door. "But believe me, one day you'll look back and thank me for this."
And I have. And I do. Gatsby has become a favorite, a tome I have read more than once, and one I am glad I read the whole way through. But more than that, that was the day I realized I was a writer, whether I liked it or not.
Back then, I had no idea of what a skilled wordsmith I was. Sure, they sent me to 3rd Grade Reading when I was in 1st grade, and my 3rd Grade Teacher sent in one of my poems for publication, but so what? Was I really any better at writing than your Average Bear?
Over the years, I have discovered I am. My High School Teacher was right. And I thank him every day for helping me to discover that, for bringing out that part of me, and for recognizing and nurturing a talent I didn't know I had.
Later, as a young adult, my writing skills again came into play. This was during my years in Social Services, and I had set a goal to become a Program Director before I turned thirty. I was called back for a third interview for the job that would make this goal a reality.
"You're back for a third time. I think you know we like you a lot." My potential Boss began. "Quite frankly, we have it down to two final candidates, and we've decided to collect a writing sample, so we can make a final decision."
"You're basing the selection on this writing sample?" I asked.
"Yes. Whichever candidate produces the better sample, we're going to offer the job."
"Can we take a few minutes to talk about a couple of things before I leave then? I am sure you will be offering me the position very soon."
And they did. The "Sample" was actually a disciplinary memo for an actual personnel issue they were not sure how to handle. They replaced my made up specifics with the actual ones, and they used it to discipline the employee.
In the decades that followed, I continued writing. I wrote handbooks, training manuals, grant proposals, letters, marketing materials, and newsletters. I developed coursework. I wrote research reports. And I have kept writing creatively throughout my life, just to keep myself sane.
If you're reading this page, it means you are visiting my blog. I have developed this blog from the ground up, including writing all of the content. If you are reading this section, it probably means you are interested in my writing. You may be looking for samples. There are a plethora of those here from which to choose. There is also a "Samples Page," filled with more. You can also find me on the internet under the handle "Laurelnev." (If you see Laurelnev commenting someplace, that is me.) If you do not find what you are looking for, contact me, and I'm sure I can provide you with samples to meet your needs.
I have not necessarily sailed through life with my writing, but it has served me well. No one earns a Graduate Degree without a lot of writing, and as we move further into the Information Age, good writing becomes more and more of an essential skill.
If you are not as skilled with writing as I, your business needs someone who is. More and more of our communications are visual these days. Poor spelling, editing, and grammar is just a turn off to the average cyber-user. And you need a writer without an ego, someone who does not need to see a byline next to all of her work. I can do the writing and editing, and you can take the credit. And together, we can produce quality work.
Both my counseling and my teaching background come in very handy when I'm working with others. As a counselor, I learned to help a person access thoughts, feelings, and information s/he didn't even know was inside. I learned to help people focus their thoughts and put them into words. All of this comes in very handy when I am trying to help you put your own ideas on the page.
Writing is a lot like music. One need not have a good ear to appreciate a great song, nor does one have to be able to play music to enjoy it. And we all want a good soundtrack playing in the background of our lives. Likewise, you do not need to be able to produce great writing to appreciate it and want it in your own life.
Your written content is an important part of your overall brand. I can help you to make that content better, and more representative of the image you want to portray.
My freelance writing is one of the parts of my business I love the most. I think that is probably reflected in this story you are reading now. I was born to help others, and I can do that by helping you to produce the written content that you need.
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