We were lucky to catch up with Colleen Christison recently and have shared our conversation below.

Colleen , appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

I’ve made a career for myself based on words alone. It often feels strange and impossible to make money from writing, something any literate person can do. But I have learned from my mother that if you believe in something and don’t back down, anything is possible.

My father was the creative in our household. He would sit on the end of my bed and craft beautiful, elaborate stories, tales that wound themselves through the corners of my bedroom like smoke that disappeared come morning. Every nightfall, there would be a new heroine, a new dragon to slay, or another lost dog making an epic journey home. And then he got sick. And my mother was left to raise my two sisters and me on her own.

She worked tirelessly to build a life for us. Working nonstop and leaning into frugality, throwing ‘breakfast for dinner’ parties when the groceries didn’t stretch. She spent weekends teaching herself to renovate our house, ripping down wallpaper, and fixing broken windows. My mother believed in the three of us and sacrificed time, money, and relationships of her own so that we could go to university and pursue our passions.

My father taught me to dream of slaying dragons, but my mother showed me how to do it.

Colleen , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hello! I’m Colleen Christison, a freelance copywriter, copy editor, and brand communication specialist.

In university, I pursued the one thing I excelled at: Writing. I graduated with an English Literature degree and quickly realized my prose wouldn’t pay the bills. So, I became employable. I studied copywriting and began freelancing and working in an agency. I spent years honing my skills, learning from creative mentors, and writing, writing, writing before I branched out completely on my own.

Now, I help brands talk to audiences by nailing the sweet spot of strategic yet emotionally-driven copywriting. This can look like a few different things, like web content, email copy, or brand voice guides. I help clients not only speak to audiences but also to understand what their brand needs when it comes to communication assets and digital strategy.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

This is a story about unlearning imposter syndrome.

In the beginning of my career, every time I had to present my ideas on a call, I would panic. Despite having a wealth of creative ideas, a graduate and a post-graduate degree, and a portfolio full of work, I constantly found myself second-guessing my writing. I didn’t feel deserving of the money I was making.

Imposter syndrome had taken over; my inner critic screamed, “You’re a fraud!” every time my work was praised.

And then, I started working for a new agency under a creative director. He created an environment of failing forward, not only making it okay to fall on your face but encouraging it. He didn’t care what clients thought, and in a low-pressure environment, I started to let go of the anxiety I associated with failing.

I let my freaky, creative self out of the buttoned-up straight jacket shame had fashioned.

I learned that once I gave myself license to fall, I could fly higher than I imagined. It didn’t happen overnight, but I realized there is value in failure. I learned not to discredit my success but to build on it. And I learned that great leaders foster environments of psychological safety.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes! My number one piece of resource-specific advice would be to build a community. Whether it’s someone in the same position as you, or people you can learn from, or even people you can help out, try to foster a network of professionals. In the early days, I would have benefitted so much from cultivating relationships; most of my work came from word of mouth and recommendations, so building a network could have been both socially and financially beneficial. Plus, having someone else to bounce ideas around with can help alleviate the loneliness and stress of freelancing.

There are now tons of software resources for copywriters, like AI tools, Grammarly, and other SEO-specific auditors. And I always tell new copywriters who want to get in on the game to join groups online, whether through sites like Reddit or Facebook, there’s something out there for everyone.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cchristison.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cchristison/
• Other: feel free to publish my email: [email protected]