From a young age I would write and read as many stories as I could consume. By the age of 10, there were boxes under my bed filled with pieces I’d written over the years; snippets of stories, music reviews, song lyrics and unfinished novels. I started a collection of books and stationery like they were treasure chests of gold, and my imagination ran wild when I put pen to paper.
My dream was to write for the Rolling Stone Magazine. In fact, it was in an 80’s classic print edition where my parents found a name for me.
At the age of 16, my dad would accompany me to 18+ venues to review gigs and interview bands for magazines. My life became a scene out of ‘Almost Famous’. My passion was, and still is to create; words, music, stories…. content.
(and had bills to pay).
I kept writing, of course, but mundane day jobs were soul-sucking on creativity. I picked up freelance work for a local record label before I got a ‘proper job’ and by the time I was working full time, reviewing became a permanent side gig.
To feed my creative soul, I started Toward Music in 2012. I wanted to stop writing for other music magazines and create my own online portal for the local music scene.
Although I loved it and became well-recognised as a music journalist, backstage VIP wasn’t all it had cracked up to be and free concert tickets didn’t pay the bills. I wasn’t in it for the money or fame, but somewhere along the way, the fire faded. I achieved many music journalism goals over 15 years still, there was an urge to do more. I wanted to make a full-time gig out of writing and the music industry was limited.
In 2003, I started working for a digital SEO agency in Perth. I had worked in creative roles before, but this was the first time I was a full-time copywriter. And boy, it was awesome! Read my blog post to find out what a copywriter does.
For the first time in 26 years I was making a living doing what I loved. My passion for writing had always been in music. But it didn’t take long to develop a love for writing in new industries, feeding my hunger to learn and do more with my words.
Six years later it was time for change and a new challenge. After seven months working from home and marrying my favourite human in April 2019, my outlook changed. I wanted to be free from a restricted cubicle and work-induced brain fog. To write stories that connect and fire up those creative synapses again.
That’s when I resigned as the Senior Content Writer and started the little typewriter to continue helping businesses tell their stories. Backed by my husband, I created a long-term vision for the little typewriter. Find out what I do or read the story behind TLT’s brand.
Still reading?
My why started with the power of words and stories.
As a kid, I spent a lot of time in hospitals undergoing major surgeries. At five years old I was diagnosed with severe scoliosis – an “invisible disability”, although mine is very visible, of the curvature of the spine. In severe cases, the curve puts pressure on your internal organs preventing your heart and lungs from working properly. Because I don’t do things in halves, I had one of the worst degree curves recorded and still deal with the daily impact and annual hospital visits today.
For the next 10 years I wore my ‘plastic prison’. Medically known as a Wilmington brace – a plaster bracing that squeezes your bones in to delay curve progression. It didn’t prevent me from being able to talk, it was strapped around my torso. But it became the catalyst for my need for words. It opened up a world of books and writing I created to make sense of the world around me. The power of stories soon became obvious.
Now I use the power of stories and my writing skills to help businesses that are time-poor or who aren’t experienced copywriters.
Lost for words?
Looking for outreach or content strategies?
Want to make sure your story is being told the right way?
I can help.
View my web copy or blog writing services.
Illustrations by Works with Quirks.
