Allison Boyer is a freelance writer who started her freelancing career during graduation, a job that not only made the young writer happy and content, but also brought the pleasure of working in her sweats and the ability to buy couple of beers during the week and pretty clothes for Saturday nights. Little did she know then, that her part time hobby will turn out to be a full-time passion.
"I'm Allision Boyer, and I'm a writer. That's my identity before anything else. Writing is also my job." she says
After Graduation, is a blog that initially brought tips and information for aspiring freelance writers, but now is a resource for anyone and everyone who has one questions in mind: "What now?". The blog brings information, news, articles, tips and advice for those who are struggling with finding the right career path for themselves.
Allison graciously agreed to answers couple of our questions and tell us more about herself and her wonderful blog:
Lets start with a brief introduction of yours.
I'm Allison from After Graduation, and I also blog for clients at the BlogWorld Expo blog at the JobMonkey blog. Along with all of the blogging work I do, I also work with clients to do other kinds of writing work, like article writing and eBook writing.
Who/what is your motivation? Is there someone that you look up to?
My mom has been encouraging me to be a writer since I was a kid. I really look up to both of my parents - they thought me to work hard and be responsible. I was motivated to do this as a career, though, by a few people who told me that I would never make it as a freelancer. Every time I reach a goal, it feels like a big middle finger to people in my life who didn't believe in me.
You have been a writer from a very young age. Take us on the journey of your life from the day when you started till present date as a writer.
I started writing when I was a kid - I used to make books out of construction paper and tell stories to my dolls. I continued writing through school, and when I was in college, I got a virtual part-time gig with a writing company on a whim.
You can read the whole story on my About Me page, but basically, I knew that a "real job" wasn't for me, so I began to look more into freelancing. I decided to give it a try for one year, and if at that point I couldn't comfortably pay my bills, I'd start applying for soul-sucking office jobs again. Five years later, I'm still here, and loving being a freelancer more than ever!
Is there any incident you would like to share which has given your goals a new direction?
Getting hired to work with BlogWorld has really changed my life. That sounds really corny, but it's true. It made me totally rethink my approach to blogging and what I want from my site. It has also opened some doors for me in terms of getting new client work, and I'll never say no to the ability to earn more money.
You own a blog called After Graduation. How it started and what it is all about?
I started After Graduation several years ago as a place where new graduates could go to find advice about stuff like opening a bank account, finding an apartment, etc. I wasn't really happy with the direction, though, so I took down the site and sat on the idea for awhile. Basically, it was way too boring. Good information, but I wasn't feeling the passion. In 2010, I relaunched as a site focused on career advice, and there is also a portion of the site specifically for freelancers, since that's where I have the most experience. I usually describe the content as "career nonsense" because I try to make the posts as entertaining as they are informative.
How blogging has benefited you both professionally and personally?
Having a blog helps get my name out there, so I've found clients who want to hire me for writing work and consulting through my site. Of course, it's also nice to make money through my site. In addition, I think that running a site myself makes me a better writer for clients, since I know first-hand about the challenges of running a blog, selling ebooks, trying to rank high on search engines, etc.
More importantly, though, blogging has given me a voice. It's really cool that others read what I write and it might potentially change the way they think about something, even a little.
Other than writing, what's your passion in life?
People. I'm not the person who has hundreds of friends and enjoys huge parties, but I'm extremely passionate about the close circle of friends I do have in my life. What good is career success if you don't have people who will celebrate with you when you reach your goals?
You're a freelancer and as you say 'I very rarely have to set my alarm clock'. Well, that is a thing to be envied from you!
Seriously, it's pretty much the best thing ever.
Tell us about your E-book named 'Out of Thin Air'. What is it all about? Do you have any other books also?
Out of Thin Air came about because I was constantly being approached by friends and fellow writers in a panic, people who didn't have enough money for rent this month and were hoping that I would have some kind of quick job they could do. The book is all about how you can make money to pay the bills when you have a slow month as a freelancer, and so far, the response has been extremely positive. It's hard to justify spending money on an ebook when you really, really need to make money, but if you use just a few of the techniques in my book, you'll make your money back 100 times over.
This is the first ebook I have for sale on my own site, though I also compiled the 12 Days of Blogging, a free ebook available on the BlogWorld blog. I'm currently working on a massive project that will include another book for sale.
Share your views on social media as a promotional tool.
I love social media, especially Twitter. I do think there's a problem with the way people use it, though. Social media is a great promotional tool, but for some people, it is *only* a promotional too. A lot of people talk about "engaging" with their readers or customers, but it's all in the context of making more sales. It seems almost like a lie sometimes - like people are only talking to you, tweeting your links, etc. because they want something from you later. I don't use social media to engage. I use social media to talk and actually make friends. The promotion is just a benefit
Where would you like to see yourself in next 5 years from now.
Ooo, good question. I'm actually working on a super secret blogging project right now, which I hope is going to be my main focus in the coming years. It's especially for other bloggers (and would-be bloggers), and what I said about social media is a little preview of some of the ideas that are going into the making of this new website and all of the tools that I'm developing to go with it. If you're a blogger, you want to be involved - it's going to be awesome.
Many people aren't happy with their jobs but they still stick to it. What would you advise them?
Read my site! That's exactly what I talk about at After Grad - how to be happier in your career. It isn't just about becoming a freelancer or blogger, either. For some people, starting your own business isn't the answer. The number one piece of advice I can give is this: if you don't like your job, start admitting that you don't like it. Change doesn't just happen. You have to actually want it and work to make change happen. Otherwise, you'll suddenly be looking back on your life and realize that you wasted decades being unhappy.
Thanks for a great tip and a wonderful interview. We wish you all the success in the future.
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Hey...great interview! I'm glad someone is addressing this in a blog format...New grads can use as much help as they can get. Toward that end, I've written "Corporate Ladder 101: How to Excel as a New Business Professional" which covers the bases for new professionals. It picks up on the practical side of the business world not covered in the formal education of the colleges and universities. It is a roadmap for professional and personal development and gives new professionals the tools needed to create an image and a reputation that will get them ahead and set them apart from their peers. It tells them the habits they need to develop and the behaviors they need to avoid. Feel free to visit the site and check out the free chapters and let me know what you think.
Thanks for featuring me and my site!
Its a privilege to have you here on our blog Allison. :)
Alli is a fantastic blogging source.
Her in-depth knowledge of writing and blogging make her one of the nicest people to 'follow'. Which I've been doing since I was lucky enough to meet her in person at BlogWorld last year.
She's energetic, fun, creative and above all - very cool to hang out with.
It was a wise move to feature her, and Alli - congrats. Was a great interview.
Best,
C
Great interview! I wanted to cry when I read what Alli said about working with us. As one of her clients all I can say is if you are looking for a fantastic writer, you should hire Alli right now! She has created some brilliant content for BlogWorld and we are very very happy to have found her.
Rick Calvert
CEO & co-founder
BlogWorld & New Media Expo
Alli is a fantastic blogging source.
Her in-depth knowledge of writing and blogging make her one of the nicest people to 'follow'. Which I've been doing since I was lucky enough to meet her in person at BlogWorld last year.
She's energetic, fun, creative and above all - very cool to hang out with.
It was a wise move to feature her, and Alli - congrats. Was a great interview.
Best,
C
Hey...great interview! I'm glad someone is addressing this in a blog format...New grads can use as much help as they can get. Toward that end, I've written "Corporate Ladder 101: How to Excel as a New Business Professional" which covers the bases for new professionals. It picks up on the practical side of the business world not covered in the formal education of the colleges and universities. It is a roadmap for professional and personal development and gives new professionals the tools needed to create an image and a reputation that will get them ahead and set them apart from their peers. It tells them the habits they need to develop and the behaviors they need to avoid. Feel free to visit the site and check out the free chapters and let me know what you think.