I am a journalist, publicist and screenwriter with over ten years experience in the direct marketing field. I work for a small boutique PR firm in San Francisco, helping craft pitches and write stories for a variety of different clients. In addition, I have a feature film in development with a producer in LA. The film is an adaptation I did of an historical novel. To round things out, I also do some consulting on direct marketing, consult with Academy of Art University about Screenwriting, and work on my own writing projects -- such as a TV pilot for the BBC in England. I also volunteer in a 4th grade classroom and help teach language arts, storytelling and science!

EDUCATION | I have a BA from Yale University but I don't think an Ivy League education is necessary to be a good writer. I don't even think you need a college degree. In fact, I didn't learn a thing about writing at Yale. If anything, the atmosphere was so discouraging that it took me many years after graduation to return to writing as my calling. I really learned how to be a journalist from a boss I had at a Public Affairs firm in San Francisco who had been a bureau chief at the Christian Science Monitor. She taught me about taking criticism and the importance of rewriting. The ability to dig in and make changes to your work is what separates the professional writers from everyone else -- and it can't be taught in college.

HOW TO GET STARTED | I got my start at my high school paper but I have also taken all kinds of writing classes over the years to hone my craft and I think every writer can benefit from classes, at any stage in his or her career.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | The most important quality a writer must have is the willingness to take criticism of his or her writing and make changes accordingly. The ability to rewrite -- and rewrite again and again -- is what separates the amateurs from the professionals.

how I got started | To get my start in marketing, I worked in telemarketing at several different companies until I had enough experience to apply for a more analytical job. Freelance journalism is open to anyone who is willing to pay attention to what kind of articles are getting published and send a thoughtful query to the right editor.

why this job?| I have always been a storyteller -- ever since I could speak. It took me until the age of 38, however, to have the courage to choose to be a writer full time as a profession.

why I love this job!| I love that I get to write every single day -- whether I am writing an article about the best kind of hairbrushes in the world (first cut boar bristle is key!) or environmentally-sensitive wine making or penning a humorous piece for the LA Times or helping another screenwriter craft a great character or a fun plot point, I am always engaged and having fun doing what I do best.

my typical day| Every day is different which is one of the things I love! I could find myself writing some ad copy or a press release or an article. It depends on what the clients need and it keeps things fresh and fun.

what they are | Being an independent contractor means you have to pay your own health insurance and keep careful track of paying your estimated taxes on time. Independent contractors don't get sick leave or paid vacations -- although I enjoy my job so much that I usually feel like I'm on vacation most of the time anyway.

all about growth | Like most artistic endeavors, writing has to be your passion first. In house editorial positions at magazines and newspapers are difficult to come by right now because of cut backs but that means that freelancers are more in demand. Professional associations and colleagues can help you determine what a fair rate is to charge for your services and as a rule, the more you have been published in top tier publications, the more you can charge.

my website| http://www.emilypolsby.com