No one puts Yolander Prinzel in a corner. That’s because she pretty much defines her own space.
And she’s witty, fun, and sweet. It’s why I think you should meet her.
Writers, please meet my friend, Yo Prinzel.
Q: How long have you been freelancing?
Yo: 8 years. I’ve been full-time for just over 7 years.
Q: What’s your area of focus?
Yo: Ghostwriting in the financial industry.
Q: How were those first few years of freelancing?
Yo: They were both amazing and difficult. The adjustment to self-employment was much harder than I expected it to be. And while I embraced a specialty early on, I didn’t really find the place where I was most fulfilled until I started focusing primarily on ghostwriting.
Q: What’s been your toughest challenge? Why?
Yo: Oh, wow … only one? Well, I guess the hardest thing to overcome (which isn’t necessarily the one that has caused the most problems) was the freedom of freelancing. I’ve never had a problem with managing time and holding myself to deadlines, but the freedom in the beginning was hard to manage and I did end up taking on way more personal projects than I should have. I’ve since had to scale back and focus on what I truly love—not just doing everything I’m curious about trying.
Q: What was your a-ha moment – the event or circumstance that shifted your perspective or had you changing the way you do things?
Yo: I think you’re referring to the above question, but I’d rather talk about my shift from byline writing to ghostwriting. AND YOU CAN’T STOP ME, SO THERE!
Initially, I thought I wanted bylines. I had a writing site, I had a finance blog, and I chased financial reporting gigs. But over time, I realized that I was working toward building this career that I didn’t actually want. My work was quoted on some of the most popular finance blogs as well as PBS, on the NYT blog and on Forbes. Magazine editors were pitching articles and columns to me (instead of the other way around). These are things that, I think, would make most freelancers really happy, and while it was all flattering, it wasn’t fulfilling. At some point I realized that I didn’t want—or need—to raise my own profile for any reason. I wanted to do that for others; for financial advisors, firms, and insurance agents who needed the boost a byline could give. Me? I just wanted to write, listen to my cats purr, drink coffee with my husband, and take afternoon naps. Once I figured that out and refocused my career, everything just clicked into place.
Q: If you could tell new freelance writers one thing to help them build a better business, what would that be? Yo: Always keep in mind the value you offer to others beyond your writing ability. That’s what’s going to make or break your writing career—not your mastery over writing.
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