We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Patricia Franklin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Patricia below.

Hi Patricia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Hello my name is Patricia Franklin and I am the founder, face and writing professional behind Franklin Freelance Writing Consulting. The vision for Franklin Freelance Writing Consulting came about in 2020 when I was a stay at home mom with my son. I was in graduate school at the time and wanted to make some extra funds towards the household. I have a supportive spouse he wanted to ensure that I enjoyed our second child and pursued my dream degree as a graduate student.

I have been blessed with the gift of writing, it is second nature to me. My first poem was written in the 8th grade as I was learning how to evoke my feelings. After graduating from high school I was at a crossroads beginning my college career and needed guidance. My grandmother told me, “You’re a writer, so write.” In undergrad I got my full taste of what it meant to be a writer and owning my work. I enjoyed learning the different forms of how to write. I had stories published in the school newspaper, written a 30 page thesis paper, and plenty of essays. I was even asked in my senior year of undergrad by my professor, Dr. Brant Burkey, to write a column for the Communications Department at California State University, Dominguez Hills. The topic of the column was how the department supported me as a communication’s student. He gave me a 72-hour deadline and I was able to not just meet the tight deadline but I was also honored to have the story published. Which allowed for me to leave a legacy at CSUDH.

Following my own footprints in the sand, Franklin Freelance Writing Consulting was cultivated to support young professionals, business owners and students to develop a strong support in their writing needs. Although writing comes second nature to me there are many who exhibit writing anxiety and are terrified to write at all. I relate to my clients on numerous levels; I’ve been a student (undergraduate and graduate), I’ve had writers block, I’ve worked my way up with my own writing, I’ve cried over corrective criticism over my writing, and I’ve stayed up in the wee hours to get an assignment done. Writing centers are designed to support students but due to the nature of what they do many students get overlooked by what they need and some need hand held support.

My platform isn’t just writing I also speak and preach positivity, real life experiences, my own personal experiences. I always begin a morning message with; “Good morning my Freelance Franklin Writers, how are you?” My page exudes my personality with a dash of, I get you, I understand you, let’s work together to get the job done. I have clients who I support once and we never speak again, I have clients in whom have become business partners in a sense and whatever it is they need they know where to find me. This past year I have opened up my creative mind in creating Franklin Freelance Writing into a one stop of services; morning messages, resumes, cover letters, business proposals, essay writing, edits/revisions and special projects. My prices are affordable and at a competing rate that allows for anyone to be able to afford my services. In addition, I also create monthly discounts for clients, the most popular is the incentive offer of $10 off when a client refers someone.

My vision for Franklin Freelance Writing Consulting is to show Afro-Latina women, female entrepreneurs, students, mothers, and my children that if you put your mind to it God will bring that vision to life. Franklin Freelance Writing began as an idea four years ago when I was a stay at home mom wanting to make some money. Now it has flourished into its own and will continue to grow. I pray over each and every piece I work on because God made me the vessel to help and support others, I do not take my gift for granted. I also shout out people through my client testimonials in my Instagram stories. I love to show love and I am not shy to show my appreciation and adoration for my clients.

My hashtag #InPenAndPaperWeTrust✍🏽 is the mark I would like to leave with something to remember and consider when looking for a writer. The name of my Instagram is “Franklin_freelance_mjl”. The letters, “mjl” are the first initials of my children, Melanie, Jaxon and Leah. Without them there’s no way mama would have been able to see her prolific writing skills through.

Patricia, 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?

I have always had a love for writing and in the 8th grade I wasn’t sure of how to evoke my feelings. Poetry became my first language of writing and I would write a poem about anything. It became my diary and I was extremely private about my thoughts.

My undergraduate program taught challenged me as a writer and learned different methods of how to write. Through the mentorship of one of my professors, Dr. Brant Burkey. I felt that I was reaching my full potential as a writer.

At first my clientele started off small due to me having a heavy load of being a mother and a graduate student. After graduating and being able to fully focus on my writing business it began to be a force of its own.

What I am most proud about Franklin Freelance Writing Consulting is the way I am changing peoples lives. Whether I am supporting in essay writing for a student or writing a business proposal for another entrepreneur it makes my heart happy to know that people want my support in their visions.

My Instagram platform is designed to have raw and real-life conversations with my followers in whom I call my “Franklin Freelance Writers”. My core is God, and without him this platform or business wouldn’t come into fruition. There have been nights where I stayed up late due to a vision or an idea that I wanted for my business. My morning messages showcases different topics that come to mind. I’m not afraid to be raw and real, I’m not afraid to show my face and say, “Hey I’ve been there”, “Hey, I’m sorry that happened to you, “Hey, I’ll pray of you”.

Some of my Franklin Freelance Writers follow me specifically for my morning messages and others actually utilize my writing services diligently. What sets me apart from other writing businesses are my affordable pricing. I set prices for anyone to afford because I’m aware that most clients are students or entrepreneurs who need a break in their vision. I also have discounts every month so for clients who weren’t able to afford in the last month they can get the support that need for the next month. I want for every student, professional, and entrepreneur to receive the writing support and mentoring that they deserve. Franklin Freelance Writing Consulting is a one stop shop for to make everyone’s writing needs come together.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My sister Alicia Faith Todd was found murdered in an alley in 2015. She was just 21 years old and attempting to get her life together as a full-time student and worker. Her murder broke my soul to its core being that we were two years apart and shared so much of our lives together. Losing a huge part of me, my identity, my childhood, my present, my past, my confidant, my best friend and my world all in one person took an amounting toll on me.

I found solace in writing, I began to pick up the little pieces of my soul and pieced them back together in my writing. I always told myself, “Put your pain into paper”. I used to write until my hands grew numb, until I couldn’t think another thought, until the indentation of the letters bleed into the next page.

That one monumental tragedy in my life changed the trajectory in how I viewed the world. I also had a life to raise as I was five months pregnant with my daughter Melanie when my sister was murdered. My heart was heavy but my daughter saved my soul and gave me hope. Every letter, every tear, every word I wrote I felt apart of me beginning to heal.

It took nine years for my sister to receive justice for her murder and I made it my life’s purpose to ensure of this alongside my family. Through my grief, I co-founded a scholarship with my sister’s high school alma mater Millikan High School. Her teacher Mrs. Mary Massich was fond of Alicia and felt so compelled with the C.O.M.P.A.S.S. Booster Club President Andrea Sams to create a memorial scholarship for Alicia.

I ensured Alicia graduated with her associates posthumously, there was another scholarship in her name at Long Beach City College in 2016. As her eldest sister, her advocate and her voice I put my pain into paper. I found this inexplicable strength to be able to pour my heart to a judge and her killer in an impact statement. I wanted everyone to be reminded who I was and how I am and will always be my sister’s keeper. Those were the words I continued reiterate, “I am my sister’s keeper”. I remember feeling like I was having an out of body experience as I was saying those words. My words, the influence of my family’s impact statements, and many testimonies were the saving grace that put my sister’s killer away 50 years to life.

One day I will tell her story in a book so the world can know the beautiful soul that I was blessed to love, to cry with, to hold, to sleep next too, to paint the town red with, to tragically loose and carry her legacy.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I have built my business on social media by engaging with my followers. My platform is designed to get raw and real and show people, “Hey I’m human,” “Hey I’ve been there before,” “Hey I’ve learned lesson,” and “Hey I am perfectly imperfect”. I have found my Franklin Freelance Writers reposting my videos in their stories. I have found people reaching out to me and thanking me for being so vulnerable and so willing to share apart of me. The core of my morning messages is God. Who knew that a one minute and thirty second video could be topic of conversation with so many people.

I also repost a reel that has a positive message, pick a song to play while the reel is being shown, to attract the attention of other people. Positive vibes, prayer and a dash of Pat Frank is what I want my followers to always remember Franklin Freelance by.

For those who are new to starting up their business page my rule of thumb is to sit with yourself and decide, “What is the purpose of my business?”, “Who do I want to be moved by my work?”, “How can I be of service or a blessing to them.”

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Franklin_freelance_mjl
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patti.loren?mibextid=JRoKGi
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-franklin-maol-608440169?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app