Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Red.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Tina. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’d graduated from college with a degree in English and Journalism and was doing absolutely nothing with it because the real world had kicked in. I was working in client services and hated it. I wanted to write but had no clue how to get my foot in the door. I was randomly browsing the internet when I stumbled across a website that consisted of hilarious, petty, yet true commentary and I couldn’t believe it! It was almost as if I was writing the commentary myself. That was my first introduction to blogging.
One day, I woke up, grabbed my laptop in the middle of the morning, and started researching blogging. Three hours later, I started my very own blog. I literally taught myself how to make a website and didn’t look back. In my first year, I wrote 1,267 stories. I was working full-time, then running home sitting on the computer all night blogging. It was fun but exhausting. And honestly, I was getting tired of mean-spirited celebrity gossip. I needed to spread my wings and with the help of my best friend, I was able to do so. In 2008, she connected me to a coworker of hers who was starting an online magazine. Off her word alone and without seeing any of my work, he hired me to conduct and write interviews.
From 2007 – 2010, I was blogging consistently, interviewing up and coming artists and some known celebrities for the online magazine started a social media site for bloggers called Blogadelphia (alongside my partner JT) and was still working a full-time job that required a lot from me. I was burning out fast; something had to give. I gave up blogging and my social media site, while the online magazine fazed itself out. But it was only the beginning for me. I was hired by a print/digital magazine here in Chicago that took my notoriety a little higher. Yes, I still wrote a gossip column (my take on things was too funny to get away from it), but I also wrote a relationship column and was able to interview celebrities. I was in heaven!
Since then, I’ve used all of my opportunities as stepping stones to get to the next level. I’ve written for multiple sites and magazines, interviewed artists, business owners, and reality stars, as well as received media passes to cover some dope events and concerts, But most of all, my network and talent allowed me to branch out on my own and have clients come directly to me too because my pen was speaking for itself after years of hard work behind the scenes. And that’s how Tina Red -The Wordsmith was formed.
Has it been a smooth road?
It hasn’t been easy whatsoever! I had to overcome a lot of obstacles; the biggest one being myself. I doubted myself and my work for years. If it wasn’t for my support system, I would have given up. However, I couldn’t let them down and that was what fueled me. I worked and worked at my craft until I got to a point where I’d write things and be amazed at the finished product like someone else created it. I still do. The difference is that I know what I’m capable of now.
As a writer, one of the biggest challenges you’ll face is the brands and companies you choose to work under. While some are awesome, some aren’t. I’ve had brands use my work and not credit me, let alone pay. I had to learn very fast to be a mama bear over my intellectual property and not be afraid to walk away from situations that weren’t mutually beneficial. Nonetheless, I still wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything in this world.
Another struggle was the onset of social media; everything became less about talent and more about popularity. That was and still is a struggle for me because I always taught humility was silent and bragging was loud. But to be successful in the age of social media, it’s imperative you’re very “in your face” with what you do. Figuring out how to navigate amid the sea of bloggers, writers, and influencers, yet still stand out while staying true to my humble nature is a work in progress. Yet, my God-given, Sallie Mae funded talent has and will always put me in a league of my own. Learning to embrace that has been my saving grace.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Tina Red -The Wordsmith is known for creating impeccable content; online and offline. I specialize in interviewing, commentary pieces, event reviews, artist statements, copy editing, book editing, etc. I write for numerous brands and take on private clients as well.
One of my proudest moments was writing an interview for rollingout.com on Luster’s Pink, a hair company I grew up on. They loved the interview so much and was shocked at the content due to knowing I came in on the tail end of their presentation, that they contacted me to do some work for them. I was mind-blown! Since then they’ve become ongoing clients.
I believe what sets me apart from others is my innate ability to know exactly what each of my clients and brands needs. I don’t need or require a lot of direction; one conversation regarding the project is usually enough. And the results speak for themselves. It’s extremely rare I have to make edits after a project is turned over to the client. In addition, my writing voice is diverse. I can pen a gossip column, write a business proposal, interview the owner of a new tech software, review a hip-hop concert, then turn around a review a sinfonietta all without busting a sweat.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
As a writer, any city is a good city for business. The great thing about technology is that you can have clients all over the world. You can interview celebrities you’ve never even personally met or work for a company located in a different city. You just have to be a hustler and be willing to put in the work.
Also, write for numerous brands! Yes, you want to be a boss and have your own business, but the knowledge you get from working under others is invaluable. I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for the editors, photographers, graphic designers, and other writers who I’ve worked with and under over the years.
But most importantly, look at writing opportunities as portfolio builders, not for the money, because in the beginning you may not get paid at all. If you’re in it solely for the coin, you more than likely won’t stick with it.
Contact Info:
- Email: tinaredwordsmith@gmail.com
- Instagram: tina_red_wordsmith
Image Credit:
Afkara Mason Photography
Quintin Wojcik
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