As a child, many would have dreamed of sharing their stories with the world. For those who love reading, this passion often translates into creative writing. However, becoming a published author can be challenging.
Take Taylor McKay Hathorn, our calendar editor, for instance. She received multiple rejection emails before literary magazines started accepting her short stories. To improve her chances, she listened to feedback from editors and honed her craft. Today, she has over a dozen published works.
Writing improves with practice, as demonstrated by my experience training student freelancers at the Mississippi Free Press. Those who persisted in learning and absorbing advice became strong writers I could rely on. The key to our journalism’s success lies in humanizing people through storytelling.
Our Person of the Day series highlights individuals who may feel their stories aren’t interesting enough. We reassure them that everyone has a unique narrative worth sharing. By focusing on narrative nonfiction, we create engaging articles that make readers care about the characters and their experiences.
Freelancing can be an excellent opportunity to develop writing skills, regardless of age or educational background. I invite aspiring writers to email me at [email protected] to explore this option. Students can use freelancing to build their portfolios while earning money for published works. We also offer internships for those seeking college credit.
For those intimidated by interviewing, writing opinion columns in our MFP Voices section is a great starting point. We welcome fresh perspectives on topics affecting Mississippians at all levels. If you’re interested in learning more about the column-writing process or have questions, please email [email protected].
As the editor of the culture and features section, I’m passionate about highlighting Mississippian artists, annual events, community resources, and locally owned businesses. I encourage budding writers to give freelancing a chance and reach out to me.
Source: https://www.mississippifreepress.org/editors-note-telling-others-stories-can-make-you-a-better-writer