A Note to the Universe

Hey, friends. I’ve decided it’s time to put it out there: I want change. I need a job.

I’m proud as hell I’ve made it this far into the New Normal as a freelancer, but the autonomy I once loved leaves me wanting more.

Nomad No More is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

I want a return to the corporate world after 12 years out of it.

I crave benefits, predictability, camaraderie, and the continuity of being on projects that have a beginning-middle-end.

As a freelancer, I’m the first one gone when the budget crunch comes in. These days, I’m seldom able to form lasting connections with people or projects, because that’s freelance, baby. I’ve seen so many editors come and go that I feel like I live in a revolving door.

I was headed toward 6-figures as a freelancer when the pandemic struck.

But then everything changed.

The Only Thing Permanant is Impermanence

When the pandemic hit, I lost 70% of my income within six weeks. A fraction has returned.

To say it has been a challenging three years is chuckle-worthy.

Moving to Victoria was brilliant for my mental health but destroyed me financially. I was sure work would turn around quickly, but, instead, the value of work coming in dropped. The high-stakes clients eluded me.

That began changing mid-2022, with several promising big new clients in tech.

But we all know what’s happened to the tech industry in the last six months.

Projects “in the works” remain hovering like an ethereal fog, ever lingering off-shore — always there, yet never hitting land. It’s coming, they assure me. But “it’s coming” doesn’t pay the rent.

I’m lucky I’ve got a great reputation. I’m known as someone who makes anything sound interesting. Need relatable, engaging copy? I’m that gal. My word-of-mouth has been so strong over the last decade that I never needed to promote myself. Work came my way.

And people always come back. Even now. Clients return repeatedly, because I’m easy to work with and I meet my targets. I find the words for what they mean to say, and I do so authentically and with clarity.

New Era, New Me, New Needs

For a long time, I wanted to stay in freelance because the autonomy suited my mental health and other needs. But now, that autonomy and the unpredictability are part of the problem.

The mental health work has been great. After all, it’s tough to be anxious on a bench by the sea, which is only 500 metres from my door.

These days, I’ve lost 95 pounds. I’ve created a home I love. I’ve wrestled my demons.

I’m in a better place mentally and physically than I’ve probably been in since 2008.

The only thing left in my life for anxiety is my work — and the autonomy, freedom and unpredictability I once loved have turned the tables on me.

I dread the unpredictability and crave instead the comfort of a routine work life.

So now I’m looking for the workplace that best fits me.

On Offer: An Amazing Human

Someone out there needs a creative wildcard who’s able to do everything from global brand premium copy to SEO-ready content and ghostwriting.

They need a wildly adaptable person who’s brilliant in a crisis — an outspoken, passionate team player who also is incredibly discreet about matters requiring discretion.

They need a communications or marketing pro like me, who’s able to read between the lines on messaging, and who spots controversies before they become calamities.

Maybe you know of A Place Like That who needs a Steff Like Me.

I’d love to hear about it.

What I Want

The future me works in a job she loves with a team she enjoys bantering with, who are competent as she is — and vice versa — on any project or in any crisis. She knows she’s supported both in the job but also through a comprehensive benefits package that proves her company values their talent.

And the present me is sending this out to the universe, and to all of you, in the hopes of getting present me into that future.

If you know someone who’s hiring, feel free to send them this with a “I found your person!” note.

If you’d like to clue me in on a lead, I welcome it. (And if you’re still curious — read on, there’s more below!)

Much love,
Steff

Curious? Wanna Know More?

I’ve got a background in writing solid SaaS copy in a B2B environment. I’ve worked in SEO for years at Leaf Group, where I’ve written over a thousand articles on everything from business writing for BizFluent to décor and DIY at Hunker, and USA Today’s Travel Tips. I have a large backlog of do-it-yourself copy at BobVila.com. I’ve kept clients like this metal roofing company that I’ve serviced for over five years.

I’ve ghostwritten for CEOs and other C-suite folks, including newsletters and highly sensitive internal investor-only documents and even white papers that have gone to third-party clients like Disney Resorts.

References available. Obviously.

I’ve done national philanthropic campaign copy for brands like TELUS, premium ad copy for Glacier Media, and communications for local chains. I’ve written websites and gotten published in places like Washington Post, Canadian Traveller, Yahoo!, Culture, Matador, and more.

Versatile? Hell yeah.

And no, this not a sudden decision. It’s a long time in the making. I’ve pondered this for 18 months and have slowly found all my reasons for freelancing fall away, as my priorities in life have shifted.

Too often we look for the easy way out on problems and solutions, and jumping into a job I wasn’t ready for or didn’t want at a cellular level wouldn’t have solved a thing.

So, I took the time to think about what I really want, how that life would feel, what it might include, and now I know.

What the specific job is? That, I don’t know. But I know what it will give me:

• A challenge.
• Continuity.
• A great team.
• Fun problems to solve.
• A way to contribute.
• All the feels, like I get to leave the world a little better each day.

All that and more, while earning a steady paycheque and benefits.

Having coworkers will be fun again. I’ve got friends from every place I’ve ever worked, but I can’t say that about freelancing.

It’s time to put the people and the routine back in my life.

Got an opportunity or a contract or a connection that I should hear about? Drop me a line. Thank you!

Nomad No More is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.