How Comma Reignited My Passion for Writing (Marie’s Story)

I have known I would be a writer since I read my first book at five years old. My choice was cemented at 10 when I read the first book that made me cry, and I understood the tremendous power of words.

That desire never wavered, not through the high school paper, my early gig writing and editing church newsletters, and a series of copywriting jobs that I used to work my way into a journalism degree.

After college, I spent a few years working in publishing and followed that with a stint in the corporate world. By this time, I married and had my first two children. Wanting more flexibility—and more creativity—in my life, I decided to leave the corporate world and start working for myself. 

Time to Become My Own Boss

Along with another creative business endeavor, I launched my contract writing career. I loved being out on my own, being my own boss, and feeling in control of my life and my work. However, being a contractor also includes a learning curve for how to run a legal business.

As with all business endeavors, though, running my own writing business meant I spent a fair portion of time doing things other than writing. In addition to the usual administrative details of the business, I was solely responsible for bringing in work.

Between marketing my business, networking to build relationships with potential clients and referral partners, and querying and pitching my services, I sometimes spent more time on all of that than I did on writing.

Managing a business and marketing yourself day in and day out can be exhausting. Not wanting to return to a structured 9-5 job while raising my four children, though, I kept at it.

Self-employment wasn’t without perks. As teens, all my children had their first jobs working in Mom’s business. I was able to inspire and support them in their own adolescent entrepreneurial endeavors and show them they had choices.

Working for myself also gave me the opportunity to give back and support organizations and causes dear to my heart. This was something that corporate work left me little time for.

After my youngest was off to college, I was finally ready for a change. So, when a fellow contract writer told me about a company that she had begun writing for, I was intrigued. That company was Comma.

Comma Allows Me to Focus on My Strengths

After some research, I decided it was time to let go of the grind of constantly beating the bushes for writing clients, and I joined the Comma team.

The experience has been even better than I thought it would be. First, not having to market myself and compete for writing jobs has freed up many hours each week. I now have time to focus not only on improving my writing skills but also on other creative endeavors that I set aside for so many years.

 As for my desire to be able to give back, not only do I still have time for that, but Comma has a similar philosophy, and as a company, Comma supports literacy and education programs.

In addition, being part of a team and having a community means I receive feedback and encouragement from other writers. I didn’t realize how much I had missed that. Comma offers their writers periodic training on writing, editing, and other topics of interest to independent creatives. This is a benefit that, in the past, I had to save and budget for out of my business income. The trainings are top-notch, and I come away energized and motivated to continue my professional growth.

I get to write on a variety of topics. Comma has clients across many industries and organizations, giving their writers opportunities they might not have access to independently. I love research, and I love learning. Each Comma assignment gives me the opportunity to do both.

At the same time, I am free to decline projects that may not fit in with my interests or expertise. Unlike times I felt I needed to take on projects that weren’t a great fit to keep my business afloat, working with Comma means that’s no longer a worry. I’ve come to realize that with Comma’s team of writers (with their diversity of backgrounds and experience), I can lean on others to provide expertise and help when needed. 

Not only is this beneficial for the company and for its clients, it means we as writers have a great support network we can turn to if we have questions about something we come across in an assignment. 

Comma Gives Me Freedom to be Creative—On and Off the Job

Working at Comma is flexible. I can choose whether an offered project fits my needs and schedule. I’m able to put my family first more fully than I could while running my own business. As a life-first company, I no longer feel compelled to work through vacations and family events.

Sadly, as a solo business owner, I took my business everywhere. Taking time off for a much-needed break, or to tend to family needs, never felt like an option.

Writing got squeezed into every available space in my life, and sometimes life got squeezed in around the writing. Running a solo business means being responsible for everything, and there were more than a few times that burnout reared its ugly head.

Today as a Comma writer, I have all the freedom I thought I would have as an independent writer and none of the stress. Comma’s Founder and President, Crystalee Beck, and her management team have taken the time to get to know the writers and to build relationships that respect personal and professional boundaries. They also model their life-first philosophy. It isn’t just a tagline used to draw in writers and clients.

Life first is the Comma philosophy, and I believe it’s one of the reasons they are growing so successfully. Online meetings that include peeks of kids and pets, combining professional and personal as we see team members enjoy real work, real life, and real rewards, make working for Comma a joy. I am happy to have found my creative home at Comma.

Written by Marie Leslie as part of the Comma culture series. Want to join our team? Check out our hiring page.

Marie Leslie is a writer and photographer. She lives in Colorado, where she spends her free time exploring the beautiful Rocky Mountains and baking delicious treats for friends and family. You can find her on LinkedIn.