My Path to Becoming a Professional Content Writer

Photo credit: Jade Ramsey

How I went from a musical prodigy to a wordsmith

If you had told a high school version of me that I would eventually make a living crafting SEO strategy and writing digital copy, I probably would have laughed, put on my headphones, and gone right back to practicing scales.

My path to becoming a professional content writer was anything but conventional. It was full of creative detours, exhausting hustle, and moments of sheer faith. But looking back, every single step made sense.

My First Passion: Music

Long before I ever wrote a headline, I was in love with music—specifically singing. Throughout my childhood and early youth, music was my identity. I spent years singing at family reunions and school talent shows, eventually starting formal voice lessons in high school and learning to play basic piano. I was convinced that music school was my destiny.

After graduating high school, I took a gap year to prepare for my auditions. During that year of intense preparation, something unexpected shifted inside me. As I practiced the same pieces over and over, I realized the spark was gone. Studying music had started to feel like a chore rather than a passion. It was an incredibly terrifying realization to watch your lifelong dream evaporate, forcing you to look at a blank canvas and ask: What now?

I had to audit my life and look for alternatives. Truthfully, I hadn’t been particularly good at—or interested in—most subjects in school. The single exception was English class. Writing was the only other hobby I genuinely enjoyed, so I decided to throw myself entirely into words.

Juggling Journalism and Retail

In 2017, I took a leap of faith and accepted a spot in the demanding journalism program at Sheridan College. I didn’t start out as a straight-A student. My initial grades were average. I quickly realized that what I lacked in natural professional experience, I could make up for with sheer work ethic. Over time, both my writing and my grades steadily improved.

Those two years at Sheridan were a masterclass in discipline. My typical weekday consisted of sitting in classes for eight to ten hours, coming home just long enough to eat dinner, diving straight into homework, and falling asleep.

To make ends meet, I spent my weekends working retail. It was an exhausting routine, but it forged the writing stamina and tight-deadline discipline that defines my work today.

The Post-Grad Hustle and the Power of Connections

When I graduated in 2019, the real world didn't instantly hand me a full-time writing career. Instead, I had to piece it together. I started with a two-month co-op as a digital marketing assistant for a modeling agency. Once that wrapped up, I secured a gig writing monthly articles for a digital, arts-based magazine—a role I kept for a year. I also squeezed in a summer internship with a travel blog agency.

Every single one of these roles added pieces to my portfolio, but none paid the bills yet, so my part-time retail jobs were my financial anchor.

Then came 2022, the year I met my incredible friend Lauren Martin from Lauren Design Studio. Lauren is a talented web designer, social media manager, and branding strategist. We shared an instant creative connection. She took a massive chance on me, asking me to collaborate on some of her client projects.

Working with Lauren on a part-time basis gave me an incredible opportunity to hone my craft, learn the nuances of client management, and truly expand my professional portfolio—all while I kept working my retail shifts. During our time working together, we went to several events, with one of them being a women’s conference in Chicago. It was one of the best trips of my life.

Landing My First Full-time Gig

The ultimate turning point arrived in 2024. I got engaged, and with a wedding and a new life chapter on the horizon, I knew it was time to close the door on retail. I needed a full-time career in the industry I had trained so hard for. My persistence paid off when I landed a position as a full-time content writer for an online reputation management firm.

I am still at that corporate writing job today, and it has taught me so much about the strategic side of digital media. However, working within the industry only made me want to build something entirely my own.

Launching The Monthly Muse

In March 2026, I officially launched my own side hustle: The Monthly Muse. Focusing on SEO-driven blogging services, I help brands find their digital voice and climb search engine rankings. Watching it grow over the last few months has been a challenging but rewarding experience, and I’m already drawing up plans to transition it into a full-time business. I am finally seeing the immense benefits of business ownership—the freedom, the creativity, and the joy of working on my terms.

My path to becoming a writer wasn't short, and it certainly wasn't easy. Every audition, every long night on campus, and every retail shift brought me exactly where I needed to be. If you're currently in the middle of your own messy transition, keep writing your story. The next chapter might just surprise you.