Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Green.
Nina, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m originally from Malibu, CA but have been bouncing around Southern California and internationally for a few years trying to grow my remote career as a writer. I have always had a love of writing but wasn’t sure I’d be able to pursue a successful career in it with so many talented writers of all kinds in LA. About two years ago however, I was living in New Zealand working at a PR firm, where I gained some confidence in my writing skills. That’s when I realized I could potentially make a career out of storytelling and helping people get their message out in a unique and interesting way. I began pitching stories to all sorts of publications. Starting in early 2018, I was able to get published as a volunteer contributor with a few New Zealand and European news sites, as well as writing website content and press releases here and there. When I moved back to the LA area, I continued writing but started fine-tuning more of a vision for myself, as I wanted to work towards making writing a sustainable career for myself. I have so many amazing friends working on very innovative ventures in the LA area in concert photography, fashion design, etc. that I was inspired to work hard towards building a name for myself as well.
I reached out to friends, family, past employers to see if I could network my way into small bits of copywriting for websites and it eventually turned into blog writing, content creation, and website content audits for a small number of my own clients. While my passion for writing is in the travel and culture sector, I still am building up my portfolio by writing pieces for international publications to pursue that part of my dream. I am currently based out of the Santa Monica area but as I continue to grow the ultimate goal is to become 100% remote and take my business with me as I continue traveling the world.
I think what makes my writing style unique is that I’ve seen and experienced many cultures and want to show that in my writing. I want each story I tell to reflect a more global view, inspiring readers to start thinking about how those in other cities, states, and countries see things.
I’ve been lucky enough to work on writing assignments for non-profits, small businesses, and even my own creative friends on their brand’s websites. I hope to continue along this path so I can continue growing and learning and sharing stories of topics that make people want to get outside of their home community.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In the first two years or so, I did a lot of volunteer writing to build my portfolio up and show I had my name on published works. Even with unpaid writing, I received many rejections as online magazines and news sites wanted established journalists and content creators for all assignments. But, I started small and started networking as best I could, sending out lots of emails and calls to the right people who would hopefully consider my work. It definitely knocked my self-esteem a bit but just made me want to be taken seriously. I created a simple website to host a bit about my work and preview some sample articles. Once I had a more professional look, I started getting more work. It was an amazing feeling to finally be taken seriously and feeling like I could finally call myself a freelance writer.
Once I had a pretty solid list of published work online, I started taking paid writing assignments for old companies I had worked for and started getting referrals from friends for organizations who needed some help fine-tuning their voice online.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
My online business is one of freelance writing and content creation. I specialize in writing articles on a variety of topics ranging from travel and culture to real estate, health & safety, technology, fitness, and global social justice issues. Recently I’ve also expanded my business to include running content audits for company websites that need a little help reaching their target audience. For this, I do write original press releases, blog posts, website content, email marketing materials, and occasional social media posts. Essentially, if it’s an assignment that needs a unique twist on a piece of copy, I’m on board.
I’ve been most proud to work with the BBC World Service and its recent media project, FIRE Radio. This up and coming online radio service associated with World Radio Switzerland was running a First Draft Blog where they wanted to build up a portfolio of global issues aimed at sparking conversations for professionals aged 24-35. Once I joined the team, I was able to write about a variety of global topics like data security, environmental responsibilities, sustainable travel, and blockchain technology. This company allowed me to be as creative as I wanted and gave me the freedom to pitch my own original story ideas. For that, I’m so thankful as it helped propel me into projects in the same wavelength.
I believe my international work experience sets me apart from other writing services. Also, because it’s only me, I’m able to give clients a very tailored approach, which helps me have more genuine interactions with each one, I believe. I’m able to customize my writing style to a client’s needs and can bring in different cultural strengths to each project if needed.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
The ultimate goal is to build up my brand so that I can continue working with lovely organizations and small businesses as I am now. While I currently do work 100% remotely, the goal would be to have this be my sole source of income so that I can continue traveling the world as a storyteller and creative so that I can reach new audiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ninagreenglobal.com/
- Email: [email protected]
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