This week on the freelancer interview spotlight segment, freelance Journalist and founder of See Jane Write, Javacia Harris-Bowser is featured. Based in Birmingham Alabama, Javacia shares her freelance story and tips she has learned along the way:
What influenced you to become a freelance Journalist?
I think I was in the 5th grade when I first declared I was going to be a writer when I grew up. I had been writing really bad poetry since I was about 7 or 8 and in 5th grade I started reading the work of Maya Angelou. And so I decided I would one day be a famous poet like her.
As I got older the type of writing I did changed, but my love for writing never did. And as I got older I started asking myself a question that 5th-grade Javacia didn’t think much about — How will you make money as a writer?
I was in high school when someone first asked me that question. And that person told me I could be a journalist. And so that’s what I decided I would be.
I studied journalism in undergrad and got a master’s degree in journalism, too. I did internships at newspapers like The Seattle Times and at magazines like Health.
After grad school I worked as a full-time reporter at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky.
Along the way, I was always picking up extra work on the side freelancing for websites and magazines.
When I left my full-time reporting gig in 2009 to teach I knew I wanted to stay connected to journalism, so I continued to freelance.
Then in 2019 I left the classroom to freelance full-time and to work on growing See Jane Write, which is a website, membership community, and consulting service for women who write and blog.
How long have you been freelancing?
I had my first byline at 19, so I’ve technically been freelancing in some capacity for 20 years! But I’ve been a full-time freelancer for only a year.
What publications do you freelance for?
Currently, I freelance regularly for Babypalooza, Good Grit magazine, StyleBlueprint, Alabama Media Group, and The Birmingham Times.
Do you think it’s important to have a niche?
While I pride myself on being able to write about pretty much anything (I once had an internship at a trucking magazine) I think having a niche is highly beneficial.
My passion for empowering women by helping them share their stories is well-known and has helped me land several freelance opportunities including my own column on women’s issues for two different magazines.
As well as being a freelancer, what other businesses do you offer?
In addition to freelance journalism, I write blog posts and newsletters for small businesses.
Also, I have my own business — See Jane Write, through which I empower and equip women to share their own stories either through books or blogs or essays and I help aspiring freelance journalists break into the business, too.
What resources have you found useful as a freelancer?
Two books I would recommend are My So-Called Freelance Life by Michelle Goodman and The Byline Bible by Susan Shapiro.
But your greatest resource as a freelancer will always be the relationships that you cultivate.
What do you like most about freelancing?
The freedom and the opportunity to meet new people and share their stories.
What challenges have you found with freelancing, and how do you battle through them?
After I quit my teaching job I shared this news on my blog, social media channels, and with my email list and soon my freelance cup runneth over with paid writing opportunities.
And this is a great problem to have, but I found myself saying “Yes” to EVERYTHING — including things I had absolutely no interest in doing and including things that required hours and hours of work but paid very little.
Marie Forleo and many other female entrepreneurs I admire often talk about the importance of making room for the “Hell yes!” Don’t say yes to something unless it’s a hell yes, otherwise you’re going to fill your plate with things you don’t really want to do leaving no room for the things you’ve been dreaming of doing for years.
A part of me struggled with this notion. It seemed like advice that comes from a place of privilege.
But what I’ve realized is that the other option, that option where I say yes to everything, is behavior that’s based on fear.
If I have faith in myself and faith in my God that together we can actually pull off this full-time writerpreneur thing then I need to act accordingly.
So I set specific freelance writing goals for myself and used those to help me decide which opportunities to pursue.
What tips do you have for those wanting to do freelancing or build their own business?
I’ve found that the same things that help me as a freelance writer also help me as an entrepreneur:
Build your brand. Know who you are and what you stand for and use social media, your online presence, etc. to convey this to the world.
Build your network. Cultivate relationships with editors, influencers, small business owners, etc.
Also, network with other writers and don’t be afraid to help other writers. Collaboration over competition.
Build your portfolio and your reputation. Keep a running list of ideas. I challenge myself to write down 10 ideas a day — whether they’re story ideas, blog post ideas, ideas for social media, or ideas of ways to grow See Jane Write.
Do what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it and do your best work always.
What 3 words would you describe your freelance work as?
I strive to write stories that people find informative, empowering, and inspiring.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to exercise. I am currently doing a challenge — which I’m calling #seejanewalk/#seejavaciawalk — to walk for exercise every day for 366 days. You can follow my daily walks in my Instagram Stories @seejavaciawrite.
I also love to read books and magazines and watch movies and TV.
Before COVID-19 shut down the world I loved spending time with my friends — going out for brunch or drinks — and going to the movies with my husband.
How do you find the work/ life balance being a freelancer? Do you have any tips for this area?
I used to think that balance was a unicorn but lately, I’ve been learning that it is possible for me if I say “No” to things I don’t really want to do and if I’m smarter about the writing gigs that I take on — avoiding those assignments that take A LOT of work but pay very little money.
And I always make time for self-care.
What key characteristics are needed to become a freelancer?
Gumption, grit, and goals. You have to be a self-starter. You have to be willing to put yourself out there to get the gig and then you have to be able to do the work to get the assignment done on time.
What is the proudest project you have worked on?
Last year I formed a partnership with Alabama Media Group, a corporation in Alabama that manages AL.com and most of the state’s major newspapers. Through this partnership, I curate the Your Voice column for the company’s Reckon Women platform, which is all about elevating the voices of women in Alabama.
My job is to solicit, select, and edit personal essays for this column and ensure the women are paid for their work.
Helping women share their stories on this platform is so rewarding for me.
So many of the women I’ve worked with say that having their pieces published made them finally feel like a real writer. I live for moments like that!
Anything you’d like to add?
It’s VERY important to have multiple revenue streams. Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Some of the publications I wrote for folded or cut their freelance budgets when Coronavirus hit. If I had relied solely on those publications for my income I would have been broke.
But because I had lots of other steady gigs and my own business I’ve been surviving and even thriving in the past few months.
For the previous freelancer interview spotlight with illustrator Jael, visit this post.
Also, if you are at the start of your freelance journey looking for guidance on how to navigate this world, I offer a Beginner Freelancer E-course to help you with this.
