Bethany is a professional copywriter, book editor, ghostwriter, and book coach. She helps businesses develop their brand voice through storytelling, articles, social media, and strategy.
At Cowork Frederick, we are used to seeing her juggling any number of projects — all of them creative. She recently finished editing a book for a first-time author, and she is currently ghostwriting a memoir for a new client!
Extracurriculars
Aside from reading and writing, Bethany is a social butterfly. When she isn’t investing time in her husband and children (plus Boston Terrier, Scout, and bearded dragon!), she is attending weekly trivia, making frequent lunch plans, or rewatching her way through Anne of Green Gables on VHS with a friend.
Fun fact: She got to live out a lifelong dream last October when she was invited to be an extra on an independent movie, called Basic, being shot in Birmingham. She stumbled into the opportunity through a virtual, yearlong writing workshop, where the group facilitator finally got her independent movie funded! She asked for volunteers to come down and be extras. Bethany says it was a “magical” experience.
The film will be premiering at South by Southwest this month. No news on whether it will get into theaters across the country yet, but fingers crossed!
Why we love Bethany
Bethany is the first person in the room to greet a new face, strike up a conversation, or ask where we’re going for lunch. She is a gifted “connector of people” and it is immediately obvious. When she asks how you are doing, she isn’t using the phrase as a replacement for “hello”, she is genuinely asking for a real answer. Bethany helps individuals in our community feel cared for and seen. She will go out of her way to give someone a ride, drop off chicken soup to a sick friend, or offer you half of her lunch if you forgot to bring food. For Cowork, as a place that thrives on and promises community, Bethany embodies everything we are striving to provide for our members. Plus, her collection of quirky sunglasses is iconic.
Q&A with Bethany
How did you get into writing?
How did I get here? Well, being a professional writer has been my lifelong dream. I have never really wanted to do anything else. But crippling fear, doubt, and perfectionism kept me from even trying to put myself out there. Thankfully, with the support of some close friends and my husband, I finally struck out on my own as a freelance writer. Owning a freelance business has had its challenges, but I am so glad I put aside my fears and did it.
What inspires you and keeps you going?
In December of last year, I gave a Brain Boost called Banish the Block: How to Unlock Your Creativity and Avoid Burnout. In my talk, I gave tips on managing your “creative hygiene” with routines and processes to keep your creative juices flowing. I was really encouraged by how engaged everyone was. It made me realize that I have a lot of expertise and knowledge that could help authors, artists, and content creators struggling with creative burnout. Now, I am working on developing a Patreon and Substack newsletter with tips on how to stay inspired and productive in their daily lives. It’s called “Supercharge Your Creativity,” and I plan to launch this Spring.
Cowork Frederick members tend to be a little unconventional. How does that apply to you?
As far as my business is concerned, I put a lot of effort into building trusting relationships with my clients. This comes from a crippling desire to people-please, but it’s also due to many years of experience in customer service. This means I focus a lot on client communication and offering them services that are really tailored to their specific needs. I use technology as a tool in my business, but I really want to offer my clients the human experience they are missing in their lives. I have a retro work ethic with modern sensibilities.
Which of the guiding values defined by Cowork Frederick members speaks to you?
Curiosity. I cannot overemphasize how much I love learning new things. I have always been curious about the world around me, so I developed an early love of reading. If you have an open mind, you can learn from others and grow as a person. You wouldn’t believe some of the surprising and beautiful things I’ve uncovered through interviews. For example, a former Cowork member, Assim Salih, who grew up during wartime in Sudan, went on to become a humanitarian aid worker. In his work, he provided emergency services and supplies to people in conflict zones worldwide. To me, that is the true definition of a hero.
Any tips for learning from significant business mistakes?
I had a book editing client who ended up taking advantage of me in a big way. I was clear with this client about the deadline and what I needed from him to finish editing before the book went to the publishers. He and his wife kept changing things in the document and adding new material even after the deadline. They ignored everything I said to them. I had to work tripletime to finish the edit. I became so stressed that my hair was falling out, and I had to take an entire week off of work to deal with an editing-related migraine (this is a real thing). After having difficulty getting the client to pay for the extra hours, I realized that I needed to grow a backbone, and fast. I also needed a much better contract to avoid situations like this in the future. It was a tough lesson, but I am glad I know it now.
Why Cowork Frederick?
I’ve been a proud member of Cowork Frederick for five years. I found Cowork during the pandemic when I was desperate to leave my house and be around other adults. I’m so glad that I made that choice. What keeps me here are the people I’ve met along the way. I’ve been fortunate to build great friendships with my wonderful coworkers. I’m grateful that I found the Cowork Frederick community.
For those who want to learn more, how can you be reached?