Why I'm Committed to Comma: Celebrating 5 Years as a Comma Writer (Chantel’s Story)
My name is Chantel, I’m a marketing writer currently living and working in Salt Lake City, Utah, and I’ve been writing with Comma for five years. On one hand, it’s hard to believe that it’s been that long. On the other, when I look at how much I have grown as a writer and a human being, it’s hard to believe it’s only been that long.
My roles at Comma have varied and at different times have included writing, editing, and working directly with clients as a Managing Editor. But as my responsibilities have changed, and as the number of hours I spend each month working for Comma has fluctuated, some things have remained the same.
I know that when I do work for Comma, I’ll be working on a team of intelligent, interesting, and unique professionals who I’ll learn a lot from. I know I won’t be forced or pressured to take on more work than I want to, and I know that I’ll be treated like a real human being, not a content machine. These things, and many more, are the reasons I’m committed to Comma.
I Enjoy the Benefits of Freelancing Without the Hustle
When I graduated college, I remember thinking that freelancing was the ultimate goal of my writing career. The freedom, flexibility, and ability to dictate my own prices sounded appealing, but those things don’t really capture the entire reality of freelancing full-time. And as an introvert who treasures my free time, the more I learned about what full-time freelancing required, the less I was interested in it.
Securing new clients, putting together contracts, negotiating rates and scopes of work, and all of the relationship-building required to build a steady clientele are simply not my strengths. These tasks made freelancing feel even more inaccessible.
When I was connected with Crystalee Beck, the founder of Comma, by a mutual friend, I was immediately excited by the prospect of getting to do more writing for extra income without having to do all of the additional work required to build a thriving writing business. Five years later, I still love being able to hone my skills and make some extra money while the rest of the Comma team works so hard to make that possible for me. Writing for Comma, I’m able to do what I do best — write — while the Comma team handles the rest.
I Get to Work With Incredible Writers and Editors
As a writer, I am always interested in improving my own work. I’m lucky to do something I enjoy for a living. I know there’s always room for me to improve my writing. Writing for Comma Copywriters has given me the opportunity to work with writers and editors who challenge me and push me to do better. Because our work is always edited by another team member, I know that whether I’m working on a short blog or an in-depth eBook, I will get feedback from another talented writer that will help me improve the quality of my work.
I’ve also had the opportunity to improve softer skills while working with Comma. During my time as a Managing Editor, I gained experience working with clients, managing writing teams and projects, having difficult conversations, and editing other writers’ work. Even though I don’t work in a client-facing or management role in my day job, that experience has helped me grow into a better coworker and collaborator.
My Life Comes First
One of Comma’s values is “Life First.” What that means for me is that my work with Comma fluctuates depending on what else is going on in my life. There’s no pressure to take on more than I’m able to or more than I want to.
When I started with Comma, I was in a different situation than I am now. In the years in between, I experienced a lot of changes. At times, I’ve had the need and the bandwidth for more work and been able to take on as much as I felt capable of. At other times, I’ve needed to lighten my load and have been able to do that without any pressure or disappointment from the team.
The folks I work with at Comma come from so many different walks of life, but we all work for a company that understands that we’re human and that life isn’t always perfect or easy. As I’ve handled difficult personal situations, enjoyed vacations and time off, and lived through the kind of mundane but time-consuming transitions that we all experience — moving and starting a new job — Comma has been flexible and supportive.
Ultimately, I continue working for Comma because it works for me. Writing for Comma is a unique opportunity that I love being able to take advantage of, and I’m looking forward to my next five years on the team.
Written by Chantel Hall as part of the Comma culture series. Want to join our team? Check out our hiring page.
Chantel Hall is a digital marketing writer living and working in Salt Lake City, Utah. When she’s not writing, you’re likely to find her reading a good book, working on a sewing project, or going for a run.
