I first started thinking about writing a long time ago, before my second child was born. Back then, as my youngest says “when everything was in black and white”, the internet was really just beginning.  We had computers and email but that was about it.  Excited about developing my writing skills, I started an online course in writing for children.  We could email things back and forth but most of the things written were still sent via snail mail.  This course was fun and strengthened my desire to be a writer.  Then I had another baby.  And then 2 years later to the day, I had yet a third baby and the writing dream was put on the back burner.  The one that is way in the back of the stove and almost is never used.

Now that my kids are a bit older and I find myself with more time on my hands, I have decided to revisit the writing dream.  But boy is the writing world a different place.  It isn’t just writing an article, sending it out to several publishers and waiting for a response or being a journalist or even being a technical writer.  Now we have websites and blogs, which I am quickly learning is where the writing action is.  There is a much greater opportunity to write and instantly share your words.  You can write for anyone anywhere from your own space, sending it on with a simple click.   The internet has provided so many new outlets for writers it’s almost overwhelming.  Especially for a new writer.  At first glance it might seem like an endless source of opportunity.  However, the truth is, if you decide to write for others through the internet you risk losing the personal contact with the one you are writing for.  And this makes it very difficult to write in “their voice”.  That might not matter to everyone, but to many people looking for writers, it’s imperative.

Being a remote writer means you don’t go to an office and interact with people in that business.  You don’t get the opportunity to hang around listening to the character of the business, which will show you their distinctive voice.  Plus, it’s probably not your only writing gig.  You certainly can’t hang around several different companies each day to soak up all of their energy and wisdom.  So you have to learn quickly how to adapt to their voice.  Now that I have started writing for someone else I see how difficult this can be.

I’ve already blogged about finding your own voice and how there can be several of them living inside the one you.  So imagine how difficult it is to write for someone else who also undoubtedly has several people at their kitchen table.  The trick is to find the one they want to project.   And this means you have to listen and watch them.   Although these writing jobs are remote, I am realizing that there is no way around the fact that you have to be in their space at least a bit to understand where they are coming from. I could be wrong but I think it’s more than researching a topic or a business.  It means really understanding how they say things.  It is literally putting someone else’s words in your mouth for expression.

I have found that it might take several attempts to get the right representation of their thoughts and ideas.  This can be discouraging.  Rewriting and rewriting again is part and parcel of being a writer.  No surprise there.  But this writing in another person’s voice is quite a challenge for me.   Stay tuned.