We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Steve Gamel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Steve thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I know this sounds cliche, but if you had told me 10 years ago that I’d have a wildly-successful writing and editing business that allowed me to do what I love to do full-time, I’d have told you that you were crazy. I simply didn’t think I had the nerve to put myself out there when it seemed so much easier to collect a steady paycheck by working for someone else. But here I am! So to answer your question, yes, I’ve been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work. But it didn’t happen without first taking a massive leap of faith.

Back in 2014, I was just a small-time freelance writer. I had 17 years of experience as a professional writer at the time but had lost my full-time job at a local newspaper several years earlier and had found myself working for a bank full-time while continuing to write on the side for various newspapers and magazines. I enjoyed my job at the bank, especially when it came to building relationships with my clients. I was also good at it, having worked my way up from being a teller all the way to becoming a branch manager. But it wasn’t what I was passionate about. I loved writing and desperately wanted to get back to doing it full-time. So I went to my wife one night and told her that I was going to quit the bank and chase this “dream.” Needless to say, she freaked out a little bit because we had two small boys and a house. We needed consistent money, and this crazy idea just reeked of failure. But I promised her what I was about to do next would work. In all honesty, it had to. So to make a long story short, I quit the bank in March 2014 and started a writing and editing services company called Edit This on April 1 of that same year.

In terms of how I made it all work, I wish I could say there was some magic formula. But in all honesty, it was just a ton of dedication and the willingness to put in the work over the long haul. I started with one client – a community newspaper I’d already been freelancing for on the side – and my laptop. Times were tough, and the money didn’t come immediately. But I caught on with some small-business owners who needed help with their blogs and website copy. Then a few more heard about me – and a few more after that. A couple of hundred dollars a month in income quickly turned into a couple of thousand, and my confidence began to grow. Meanwhile, I visited every Chamber of Commerce function and every after-hours business mixer to ensure everyone knew who I was and the type of service I could provide them. I jumped into social media and created a website to get my name out there. I worked incredibly hard and eventually built a decent client list that I’ve been blessed to watch grow exponentially over the past eight years.

Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Absolutely. I’m able to earn a full-time living while doing what I genuinely love to do. I get to write about so many things. One day, it could be a feature on a star football player, and the next, it could be a blog post for a local roofer or some editing work for a non-profit. My client list includes lawyers, banks, financial advisors, chiropractors, architecture firms, small mom-and-pop businesses, and more. It’s a level of storytelling that I never thought would be possible. But again … here I am!

Steve, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in Houston but moved to North Texas 25 years ago to go to college at UNT. I got my degree in Broadcast Journalism, but a huge piece of my degree was the writing piece. And it just so happened that my first job opportunity came with a small community newspaper called the Lewisville News. I loved it and never looked back. Over the next several years, I primarily covered high school sports for the Lewisville News, Dallas Morning News, and another smaller weekly paper. But as much as I loved covering sports, I never wanted to be what I’ve always referred to as a “one-trick pony.” I wanted to experience everything the writing and editing life had to offer, so I began dabbling in everything from writing movie reviews and feature articles on local businesses to editing term papers and college admissions essays. In 2014, I took a massive leap of faith and started Edit This®.

Edit This® is a writing and editing service located in Denton, Texas. I produce written copy (blogs, website copy, press releases, ghostwriting, resume writing, newsletters, etc.) for small businesses and individuals that explain their passion, promote their products and services, and help them stand out. Whether they need me to write content from scratch or put a better spin on something they’ve written, Edit This is the writing and editing partner every business needs because of three main reasons:

1. Business owners typically don’t have time to write their own content.
2. Business owners typically don’t want to write their own content.

3. Many business owners admit they “shouldn’t” write content because they just aren’t good at it.

There are a few additional things that set Edit This apart. For one, I am local to most of my clients. That means I can take the time to meet with them in person to understand why they do what they do, how they are different from others in their industry, what their personal story is, and what they envision as their brand and message. This helps me create written content that is unique and specific to that particular business instead of writing content that sounds just like everyone else. As a creative and someone who genuinely loves being around people, I’ve focused on listening, doing good work, and always being reliable. I’ve also heavily emphasized networking and being visible in my community. As a result, people have gotten to know me and continually put their trust in me and my services. I refuse to take any of that for granted, and I’m constantly looking for ways to help more people.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My answer to this is threefold:

1. We all focus so much on our personal lives. And deservedly so! I have a wife and two kids that I absolutely adore and love sharing life with. But at some point, we all have to go to work, too. And I believe everyone should have a job they are passionate about and look forward to waking up to each day. That’s what drives my creative journey! I genuinely love what I do and am always eager for the next opportunity to tell someone’s story. I am humbled by those opportunities and will always put everything I have into each sentence I type.

2. I hear all the time that people don’t read anymore. I get kind of depressed when I hear that, especially since I don’t believe that’s true at all. People WILL read – IF you give them a reason to! And the best way to get people to read whatever you’re writing is to be a storyteller. All too many times, writers leap to facts and statistics or even a robotic way of writing. And while that may help them get information out there quickly, it does little in terms of sparking someone’s interest. More often than not, they’ll just read the headline and move on with their day. But if you get creative with how you share that information, put a human face on the topic, and write it in a way that resonates with your audience, you’re far more likely to pull them in, give them the payoff they’re looking for, and spur them to action. That’s been my mission as a writer for as long as I can remember. At my core, I’m a storyteller. Every article I write … every piece of content I put out there for business owners … everything I put my name on … must be unique, creative, and tell a story that audiences look forward to reading.

3. I am extremely passionate about educating the next generation of writers. I’ve been doing this for 25 years, and I think anyone who does something for that long and is really good at their craft (regardless of their industry) has an obligation to share whatever knowledge they’ve accumulated over the years. I think the worst thing you can do is become really good at what you do and then keep all of your secrets close to the vest. An entire generation of people want and deserve to follow in your footsteps, and they’re at a point in their lives and career where they’re doing their best to soak everything in like a sponge. You can be that guiding light … that mentor … that creative spark. I am constantly mentoring other writers, and I even wrote a book recently called, Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word. This book is my way of sharing relatable tips, tricks, and life hacks for all writers – regardless of where they are in their creative journey. Not to get too much into a sales pitch here, but I think everyone should read this book. And the best part is that it can be found anywhere books are sold, including on Amazon. Check it out – it’s good for the soul.

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

I am not a social media guru. But I am on social media a lot and have plenty of knowledge to share – especially as a small-business owner who created his niche business from scratch and needed to make sure everyone knew I existed. And all I did was follow these few tips:

1. Avoid putting your eggs in one basket – Some people really love Facebook. Others prefer Instagram. From a business standpoint, I am on all of them (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.) Why? Because each platform has its own audience! I like to use this example: If my buddy Scott only uses LinkedIn, then how will he see the blog posts I share or the videos I post if I dominate a different platform? The easy answer is he won’t. Extend your brand and unique messages to engage different audiences.

2. Make it easy for people to find you – Make sure your branding is the same across all platforms. Include links to all your social media platforms on your website and include clickable icons in your email signature – the more people who are aware of your presence, the better. You can start by connecting with friends and family and asking them to share your pages. That’s what I did, and once I got some momentum going, I began asking for likes and follows from people attending the same networking meetings I was at.

3. Ask for reviews – One area of social media that I’ve always been diligent about is asking for reviews. New visitors want to see who has used your services and what they have to say!

4. Post often – I write a blog post for Edit This every Thursday and share that link on all of my social media platforms. In between that, I’m sharing various posts throughout the week to stay top of mind with anyone who follows me. The point is to start with quality and consistency.

5. Engage with your audience – I wrote about this in my book, Write Like You Mean It, and in my weekly blog post: I felt like I was just talking to myself when I first started posting. Over time, I’ve gained a decent following and can see that through likes, shares, and comments. The next step is to engage with them. If someone comments that they loved your post, a simple “Thank you” reply will do the trick. If someone asks a question or sends you a private message, respond to them. Engagement, showing appreciation, and building a community keep the conversation going and helps you build authentic relationships with those who see you as an authority.

All I’m saying here is that it’s no secret the vast majority of people, especially consumers, spend a ton of time online and on social media. For that reason alone, small-business owners must connect as much as possible with those potential clients and communicate directly with them. I love what I do! Now go do what you love to do!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.editthisllc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/editthisllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EditThisDenton/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegamel/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/EditThis_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC90I2pwo8v3winuT941uKmA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/edit-this-denton
• Other: You can find my book, Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word, on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Write-Like-You-Mean…/dp/1612545270.