A Writer By Any Other Name

by
Jayne Jaudon Ferrer

I’ve had lots of day jobs over the years, virtually all involving writing of one sort or the other. When I graduated with my bright, shiny degree in English, I wanted to be a feature writer at the Tampa Tribune, which started publishing my work when I was sixteen. The editor burst that bubble right off (albeit kindly) when he pointed out that I could not waltz right into a feature writer position without paying my dues on the street. Dismayed at the thought of using my freshly acquired skills to pen arrest reports and obituaries, I walked across the street to WDAE Radio and landed myself a job writing commercials instead. That led to a job as an ad agency copywriter—which proved to be a perfect fit for a poet like me. Ad copy is all about grabbing attention quickly, keeping things short, and making it memorable. I was blessed to be surrounded by experts who’d been “in the business” for years and gave generously of their wisdom and expertise. Working for Young & Rubicam, and for other agencies in the years that followed, equipped me with knowledge and skills that have proven invaluable in marketing and promoting myself and my books.

My years as a stay-at-home mom involved more reading than writing of words—although it was during these days that my first three books were published, and those days with my sons were the breeding ground for the home and family focus upon which my writing career has become based.

Currently, I am creative director for a software development firm that specializes in e-commerce, so my days are spent writing website copy and marketing materials, doing research, exploring social media strategies, and helping customers define themselves and their markets. All of this helps me hone my own skills and keeps me on my technological toes. Some days I wish I could devote eight hours a day to whatever my current book project is, but over the years, I’ve spent so much time multiplexing that I suspect I’d miss having fingers in more than one pie.

Jayne Jaudon Ferrer is the author of four books and the host of http://www.yourdailypoem.com/. She lives in Greenville, SC. Learn more about her at http://www.jaynejaudonferrer.com/ and http://commagoddess.blogspot.com/.