Julie Roads is a Jill-of-all-trades within the writing world. As a copywriter, ghostwriter, marketing specialist, blogger, and social media strategist (and not to mention mother, teacher, and yogi!), she has created a distinct personal brand that many look to for resources on the 21st Century writing industry.
Oh, she also has really, really, really precious children. Photo evidence:
Alyssa: Why did you begin writing and in what form?
Julie: I began writing a long, long time ago – when I was little, and the only ‘reason’ I can come up with is that it felt good, really good. And I found that I was able to communicate in a very powerful way – I could tell by people’s reactions to my words. I began writing for a living because I was finally ready to take control of my life and do what I wanted to do. I wanted to spend my days doing something that I loved and that let me work with people, but also with total independence. I have always preferred the essay style of writing – and now that blogging exists, I consider it my ultimate form of writing expression. For clients, I write just about everything you can imagine that needs to be written.
A: How do you support yourself financially?
J: I have a company called Writing Roads wherein I write marketing copy; create and run social media strategies; consult with individuals and companies on blogging and blog strategy; blog my buns off; and, do public speaking gigs on writing and social media.
A: What’s the strangest or most surprising thing you’ve ever written?
J: Wow…hard question. I have no answer…every time I come up with a post to offer you (like this one: http://writingroads.com/blog/2010/04/who-doesnt-love-you/), I shake my head and say, ‘Nah – that’s where I am now. I’m not shocked that I wrote that…I might have been a year ago…but now I’m just proud.’ I write from such a place of Me-dom, that there is no surprise, more like an ‘ahhhh’.
A: What’s the one resource or inspiration piece you couldn’t write without?
J: WordPress. For some reason, writing in that software has opened me up in a way that nothing else has. I’d also add my friends (my blogging friends specifically) – talking to them, loving them, having them love me, reading them, them reading me – it all floats this boat.
A: What’s one thing about writing you absolutely hate?
J: When I don’t have enough time to do it and when I have to write something for someone else and it doesn’t inspire me…then I literally have to heave, ho and scrape the words out of my brain.
A: What life lessons has writing taught you?
J: Be true, take risks and never, ever stop – even when it hurts.
A: What have you found to be the most effective way to gain new business as a freelancer and copywriter?
A: Your personal brand is, I believe, one of the most solid and tightly packaged in the business. How over time did it evolve, and why is branding so important for writers these days?
J: Wow! Thank you – that is an incredible compliment. My first logo and marketing piece (a direct mail postcard) was something I got for free from a family friend who is an award-winning, famous graphic designer. It was all beautiful – and/but the deal was that I had to take what they gave me. I was so grateful, and it did serve to launch me – but it had NOTHING to do with who I am and what I do (the logo was a mirror imaged WR and the image on the postcard was bright pink and a cool view of book pages). So, finally, I invested in building a physical brand that really represented what I do – the typewriter and the open, infinite road image combined with my tagline: write where you want to go.
But that’s the physical brand. The less tangible side of things is the ‘personal’ or maybe ‘personality’ brand. For me, it’s been about just being myself. And believing that if I stay true to who I am, I will attract the client, colleagues and community that I want to be around and, obviously, that want to be around me. And if you ask my parents, and some of my teachers – cough, cough – they’ll tell you that it’s hard to budge me. I am who I am – always have been. And I think it’s worked well in terms of my creating my personal/professional brand in the social media sphere where the personal and professional worlds are so interwoven.
A: You also mentor other copywriters through “one-on-one intensives,” and put out an e-book on successful copywriting. What compelled you to share your knowledge with other budding writers–writers that some may even consider to be “the competition”!
J: Because I had no one to help me when I started. Plain and simple. I would have given anything to have a ‘me’ to hold my hand and guide me and answer my questions. I did hire one ‘copywriting pro’ for a consult – and he was such a cold asshole. I vowed that I would prove him wrong (he did not see a bright future for me) and then I would undo his meanness by being a supportive, encouraging and kind mentor to others. What is the point of being mean? I have no idea – to me, it seems only a funnel to pour your fear into. Yuck.
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Twitter: alexisgrant
April 22, 2010 at 2:29 am
Great interview! So fun to get to know other writers. Loving this series already!
.-= Alexis Grant’s last blog ..How to use social media to look for a job =-.
Great interview.
Been a fan of Writing Roads for awhile.
Glad to call this lady a friend.
Cheers,
Todd
aka @tojosan
.-= Todd Jordan’s last blog ..31 Days of iPad Day 17 =-.
Thanks for reading, Todd!
Thanks lady! Always a pleasure to have you reading!
Twitter: andi_fisher
April 23, 2010 at 11:12 pm
Wonderful interview on someone I absolutely adore. She is a fantastic person and so talented!
.-= Andi’s last blog ..French Friday – French by Heart =-.
Thanks, Andi! She sure is!
.-= Alyssa’s last blog ..‘Writers on Writing’: Julie Roads on Staying True, Personal Brands & Giving Back =-.