Joanna M. Eng

My favorite cheesy aphorism is “variety is the spice of life.” I’ve always had multiple interests, and this has translated to multiple niches in my freelance writing and editing career. I write web/mobile/print copy for nonprofits, startups, and other companies; I write original articles and blog posts on arts, culture, and travel; and I copy edit and proofread everything from novels to research reports.

The way I see it, this variety doesn’t mean I’m stretched too thin. I’m developing an expertise in each area in a way that works best for me. This translates to better work for all clients because I stay engaged in the work, and all the other types of work on my plate have given me time to reenergize for the task at hand. Doing one thing—like proofreading history books or turning out witty copy for a hotel booking company—all day long, or for an entire week or month or 40-year career, would lead to sub-par work.

I’ve always been someone who gets bored doing the same thing day in, day out; even eating the same thing for breakfast for too many days in a row makes me start to feel nauseous by the end of the week. My favorite hobby during college was looking at the course catalog (Cornell’s was deliciously and dangerously thick) and dreaming about all of the classes I could, should, would take, and all the possible careers my choices might lead to. At various times I wanted to become a neuroscientist, an ombudsperson, a DJ, and a translator.

I used to lament that I’d never find a career or hobby to fully devote myself to because I was just blinded by too many choices, too many genuine interests. Barbara Sher, author of Refuse to Choose!, puts a positive spin on the problem and actually recommends the career of freelance writer to many of us so-called “Scanners.” It’s a good fit for me because it lets me use a mix of creative energy and meticulousness, while learning about all sorts of topics through my work.

Today marks my two-year anniversary of full-time freelancing. It has been a fun, challenging, stimulating, constantly changing, satisfying couple of years. Working at home has led a healthier lifestyle, too, since I can prepare fresh lunches for myself and go out for a run in the middle of the day (both make for nice mental breaks).

I don’t interact with people as much as I used to, though, and that’s one thing I made an effort to change this year. One tool to combat loneliness is Loosecubes, a network that connects independent workers with offices that have empty desks. It’s a cool way to find productive work spaces and meet people—both of which often spark new ideas for me. I would recommend it to any freelancer or telecommuter who is feeling a little isolated.

This year I’ve welcomed several new clients. I’ve taken on more book editing projects through the Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency and Boutique of Quality Books Publishing. I’ve started copy editing pieces about classical music for Reflections on a Grand Passion and honing copy for a private social network called GORI. And for the local blog QueensNYC, I’ve been writing about neighborhood history, green initiatives, and cultural happenings.

Here we are at the end of 2011, my first full year of full-time freelancing.

One of the best parts of freelancing is getting to learn about so many different subjects and organizations and meet so many different people. This year I edited and proofread full-length books, reports for nonprofits, program proposals, web content, and blog posts on topics such as travel accommodations, studying abroad, personal finance, social impact, and management strategies. I researched and wrote about eco-friendly travel, sustainable restaurants, social enterprises, green living, workplace communications, and college readiness.

Photo by Chris Sansenbach

As a result of one travel content editing gig, I’ve become quite knowledgeable about small and mid-sized cities throughout the United States. Apparently, Yuma, Arizona, is the sunniest place on Earth. Appleton, Wisconsin, was the site of the first commercially successful electric street car company in the country. And during the winters in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, skiing was once the only mode of transportation. One day my head will be filled with enough trivia to go on Jeopardy!

I’m grateful to all of my clients for these opportunities and for being so pleasant to work with. Happy New Year, everyone!

As a grammar conscious (and health conscious) person, I know the difference between healthy and healthful. That doesn’t mean I use the words correctly.

Healthful means promoting good health, while healthy means in a state of good health. So, grammatically speaking, foods are only supposed to be healthful, not healthy.

I have been writing quite a bit about nutrition and food recently, so the debate has been on my mind. The web writer in me wants to stick with the more familiar healthy food, while my editor self raises an eyebrow. In the end, the more conversational, common usage wins. I just don’t see the point in holding out on something that is mostly obsolete.

Paul Brians agrees that the incorrect usage of healthy shouldn’t be considered an error anymore. And the Chicago Manual, in its “Good usage versus common usage” section, concedes that “gradually healthy is taking over.” Beverly of AMA Style Insider sounds as if she is willing to give in too.

Honestly, I’m so tired of both words right now. How about nourishing, nutritious, salubrious, wholesome—simply good for you?

These are the things I think about.