Who Is Sue?
I've been passionate about the written word since infanthood. My mother tells the story how, even as a toddler, I was meticulous with my books and would cry bitterly if my younger siblings tore the pages or decided to add extra color to the pictures. She says I, instead, would ask for blank paper to scribble out my own stories.
By the second grade, I had picked both my future college (Penn State) and my career (journalism). Even so, in high school, the counselor had me take one of those tests to point me in a career direction. Writing and publishing came out on top (what a surprise!), but close behind were detective work and psychology. Those were surprises. Apparently, the career test revealed an ability to be a good listener and look at situations objectively, as well as having a deep-rooted sense of curiosity and the need to find solutions.
Turns out, as a writer, I am part detective and part psychologist. I need to listen well when interviewing, nuturing the interviewee to tell me his or her story. I am always searching for good sources or the extra edge to make my articles a little better. (I can't imagine life without search engines.)
As a child, I dreamed on a star, and as an adult, I plucked that star out of the sky. I attended Penn State, starting off as a journalism major but graduated with a degree in English with a writing option certificate. The English writing curriculum was a better fit for me than journalism. I married, raised a family, and worked at Penn State for 14 years before leaving the safety net of a steady income for the highwire act of freelancing.
I've been blessed with the talent to craft an article and a strong work ethic. I've turned those traits into a successful freelance career.