起源故事

There I stood in 2013 at the host stand. Looking through majestic double doors most nights, doors that opened to Central Park. Guests, reserved and not, would walk up a cascading set of steps to check in, and I’d walk them to their table. Required dress and heels for me (which was really uncomfortable after a couple of hours). And formal wear for them.

On slow shifts, I’d pace around the stand, maybe organize the coat closet, notice for the umpteenth time a posted article sharing how this establishment was one of few top tier restaurants to hire black women, realize the agency a non-American such as the restaurant owner with an American dream had over me, a black American girl. So would that make me a bad business decision? And especially when I made mistakes?

Some days I’d say hello to the manager at the adjoining Trump Hotel, who, in this small world, I’d taken acting classes with in college. A couple of times, he suggested I try modeling, which made me feel beautiful.

This was a hectic time, where I’d worked different temp jobs — from restaurant host to freelance writer to (even) interpreter to admin — and a few times borrowed money from a kind of, at present, estranged parent I’m embarrassed to say. But I’d worked these jobs to pursue my main goal of dancing in New York, as I was a Work/Study at a dance studio where I was also taking classes.

我最终通过在工作室的一些课程中遇到的另一个舞者来表演。

在这段时间里，我得到了一些醒来的电话。我会说的是。您只能从自己身上逃跑，直到您直接回到…yourself。就像猫在追逐自己的尾巴。

我几乎是悲剧。

看到自己的另一种方式

Notwithstanding, I also began to see myself as a writer, from the positive feedback I received for the content work I’d done at different temp jobs, writing for a small business and developing content at a tech conference. From here, I connected some of the dots to form a picture, that maybe I had a skill for writing and could do something more with it.

我很快搬回亚特兰大，开始了另一个舞者建议的另一个节目。在我长大的亚特兰大，我手上有一项技能可以利用。我最终做到了。我是。

这是上下文。现在，对于我开始的自由写作业务的故事。根源在上述时期，但是我可以追溯到一生中的一些经历。

为此，让我注意企业家史蒂夫·乔布斯（Steve Jobs）所说的这句话：

“您无法将圆点连接起来；您只能将它们向后连接。因此，您必须相信这些点会以某种方式在您的未来联系。”

This quote speaks to me because it speaks to my experience. So I’d like to connect, here, some of the dots in my life to see how my business came to be. It’s a bit of an anti-origin story, just observing places where I made use of a skill.

因此，我想从这张照片的开头开始。从我10岁时写的一本书开始。

Dot #1

I wrote the book “I Eat My Spaghetti with Toenails” as a 5th grade class project. My teacher liked it and used it as an example for the class. I sometimes wonder if I internalized the difficult moments I had as a child through self-expression given the subversive and gross (in my opinion) charm of the book.

It tells the story of how one family tree developed the tradition of eating spaghetti with toenails and the defining moment that changed the trajectory of their family dinners…forever。我当时对Nickelodeon节目的稳定消费也可能受到启发，其中一些计划在1990年代具有这种质量，以及Tim Burton电影的另类魅力。我永远不会知道是什么启发了这个故事，但这是通过写作表达自己的早期例子。

Dot #2

作为高中二年级，我意识到我需要弄清楚如何为大学付费。结果，我申请了奖学金，制作论文和简短的答案，以突出我的优势。在我的指导顾问和家人的支持下，我获得了许多奖项，甚至在当地报纸上得到了我的照片，我的照片获得了我的奖学金，我曾获得过我的奖学金。我的写作能力（以及建议和成绩）帮助我获得了这些奖项。这也是我第一次因写作而赚钱。

Dot #3

我在霍华德大学学习了一种语言，并获得了法语学位（magna cum laude). This experience allowed me to see myself as a citizen of the world, while also adding another layer to understanding words and the power they hold to communicate. Eventually, I’d like to add something like translation, and work with international companies as well. So it will be great to see where this skill, and continued practicing of it, can take me through writing.

点＃4

当我在纽约工作不同的临时工作时，我开始向后看并连接点。一线希望是我尝试了很多帽子，以至于我可以通过书面单词找到合适的帽子。结果，我研究了其他时候我能够写信给他人的利益。

I recount, as I was saving money in Atlanta to move to New York, I’d worked as a marketing intern at an international organization and while there, also had a short contract at the consulate, performing administrative tasks and also drafting summaries and reports, even translating a bit, in preparation for a citywide event called France-Atlanta. I saw there were other times when I utilized this skill, and in connecting some of the dots, wondered if I could start my own business writing for others. Subsequently, I subscribed to different freelance writer and content email lists to learn more.

点＃5

I moved back to Atlanta to start another program. I also hit the ground running with my idea. For six months, I built a portfolio, reaching out to individuals to interview and created stories from there: sample articles about the Atlanta Streetcar, conducting a scholarship search, and how to turn a hobby into a business.

From here, I started looking for clients through networking events or via email. After finding my first one, a transportation and logistics company, I filled out the necessary paperwork, got a license, and registered my business.

连接这些点，我在生活中几个不同部分的界线之间找到了一个故事，我是作家。因此，我现在继续，建造和成长，实际上仍然跳舞。并耐心地与我积累的客户合作，积极地了解了我现在居住的这个世界。关于这一点，请原谅。我有一些阅读要做的 - 我关于代笔的书等待着。（站在她的笔记本电脑和退出舞台上。）