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About a year ago, I got real about something I had been putting off—something pretty important. I’m a professional writer, a freelance journalist on deadline most days of the week. I like working that way. As a business owner, busy is good! But I had stopped sending new clients and others who reached out about my work to my website. (I even took the site off my email signature line! Really.) My site needed more than a nip-tuck. It was missing mojo, my voice, modern technology. It had just gotten old and tired.
“Yeah—I’m in the process of updating that.” “You know, it’s like the shoemaker’s kid thing. I’ve been writing other websites, but not my own.” “The clips are still relevant, but I haven’t updated the blog in, like…well, I can’t remember.”
The site was dated. My content needed a refresh. My online home needed All-The-Things that we talk to business owners about concerning online presence. I was guilty of that famous storyline: needing to work on the business. But like most humans who…wake up, drink coffee, fire up their email, pour cereal for small ones, reply to emails, find missing shoes, open blank word document, stuff backpacks, refill coffee, take kiddos to school, race back to desk, sift through project folders…gah. The website thing just wasn’t making the daily to-do list. You get it.
There’s a reason why self-care is such a hot topic these days. Many of us aren’t doing it all that well. We’re programming our days and nights, in constant upload mode. Parallel to that, I was neglecting my own site, and I knew this would certainly catch up with me. (Wiping the URL off all outgoing emails?! Yeah. It was time.)
I had an initial conversation with Lori Scheid at designLBS. We hatched a plan to rebrand WriteHand Co., enliven the site. I would get a major makeover. Yesssss! Feeling good! Going to do this thing! Well, you know how time flies when you’re in crank mode. The initial energy was bottled and set on a shelf. There were starts and stalls—because I kept pressing pause on my project. Creatives can relate. Do you remember when you made time for your own work? (Self-care, what?)
A year went by, and Lori was patient. I wrote her site, in the meantime—but my own?! Nope. Then came wake-up call #2: This site is never going to get finished if I don’t put it into my schedule. Aha! Not exactly a novel plan, but the thought filled my tank enough to spend a week this summer on my own content. Then, finally collecting images. Also, asking colleagues I respect if they’d be willing to say a few words. And, having my good friend and talented photographer at Jacqueline Wells Photography & Design convince me from behind the lens that I could do my thing. (Thank you for the beautiful images!)
Lori steered me toward the finish line this week. I edited—noodled. And as writers do with their own work, I mildly obsessed over word choice and such details. (Do I use too many em dashes?) Lori designed a package to showcase my work—a site that feels like me. That’s what websites are supposed to do, in my opinion. Invite visitors in to explore, speak to them as if they were sitting with you at lunch, share stories they care about. I hope when you visit this site, you completely lose track of time.
So, welcome! Return to this blog, because on a weekly basis, you can expect:
- Case Studies
- Writing Insights
- News – The Latest Articles & Work
- Musings
(Note to Self: Schedule blog update every Friday morning!!)
Thank you for visiting—I’m glad you shared your time with me this morning. Now, off and running!
Cheers –
kh
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