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Contributor Highlight Skyword, April 2022

Angela Tague

Angela Tague creates marketing content such as blog posts, social media updates, white papers, online articles, e-books and landing pages for major brands including Kaytee, Sleep Number, Zilla, Coupons.com, Hill’s Pet, Access Medical Labs and Tom’s of Maine.

She focuses on lifestyle, health, wellness, pets, entrepreneurship, small business, finance and digital marketing topics.

Angela has worked in news writing and photography since 1998. After attaining a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Iowa, her journalism career led to positions at The Quad-City Times in Davenport, Iowa; The Sioux City Journal in Sioux City, Iowa; and several weeklies in the Midwest.

She left her last newspaper job in 2009 to freelance for brands and media outlets full-time. Angela Tague was named Writer of the Year 2012 by Skyword, a global content marketing agency. Learn more about Angela at WebWritingAdvice.com.

Tell us a little about yourself and your career — what do you typically create?

I'm a former Midwest newspaper photojournalist turned features writer, who found her way into full-time content marketing writing in 2009. I spend my days crafting blog posts, landing pages, newsletter content, employee profiles and more!

My core niches are lifestyle-based. I enjoy writing about pets, health, finances, parenting, wellness and anything that sparks my curiosity.

What inspired you to turn your freelance career into what it is today?

Freelancing equals freedom. This career path comes with no salary limits, endless learning opportunities, the option to take long lunches or half days without approval from anyone — and most importantly, the balance I need to best manage a handful of chronic health conditions.

Have you ever personally experienced a moment or feeling of imposter syndrome? If so, can you tell us how that feels to you?

In my early years of freelancing, I always wondered if I was "doing freelancing right," and I measured myself against my colleagues and other freelancers I'd see online. I felt unsure of my skills and worthiness to do this job.

Eventually, my confident Leo sun energy and an intentional shift in mindset to self-acceptance and abundance in my life squashed those comparisons and helped me realize this journey is all my own.

How do you work through moments of imposter syndrome and maintain confidence in yourself?

There will always be people who have bigger-named clients, fatter paychecks and more social media posts up each day. Good for them. There will also be freelancers out there who are struggling to find work, accepting less pay than they are worth and struggling with staying on task.

I try to stay in my lane, help others via the Web Writing Advice blog and remember this is my experience and it's unfolding exactly as it should. Confidence comes from within, not by comparing to others and their process. When you learn to love your experiences, from the successes to the slumps, all of it shapes who you are as a creative.

As a follow-up, do you ever look back months after the fact and reflect on how you felt in that moment of insecurity?

Absolutely. I am an advocate for self-care and pausing to check in with myself frequently. I write about these topics on my personal lifestyle blog, Cupcakes and Yoga Pants, often.

Nothing brings me more clarity and insight into my emotions than going for a long walk in nature with my dog, scribbling for pages in my journal, tackling an art project or talking with my mental health therapist. I tend to learn what's fueling the insecurity, and most often it's fear. Then I unpack what's giving that fear energy, reassure those parts of myself that I am an amazing creator, and move forward with a healthier, can-do mindset.

How do you bounce back when something doesn’t go your way professionally, such as not landing a project you really wanted?

It's tough! Initially, I get a little sad for myself (hey, I'm human!), eat a snack or go for a walk — and then I brush it off. After all, there are more projects in the pipeline. I redirect my energy into the things I can work on and control. There's no benefit to ruminating about the past.

However, I do try to find the lesson in the situation. Sometimes it's there to teach me to be more focused in my pitching or to only initiate projects that truly align with my areas of expertise and skills.

Do you have a process of making sure you’re continuously growing your freelance business (your rates, client portfolio, etc.)?

Be visible and consistent. I have calendar reminders for ongoing updates to my social media feeds and websites that bring in leads and nurture my presence with my contacts in the content marketing space. I regularly clean out my email inbox (type A over here) and communicate with my contacts in a timely way.

I also do an annual business audit in the fall to review what I enjoy about my freelance business and what is causing stress. This includes client partnerships, rates, workflow, content types and how I spend my days.

What are your favorite methods of self-promotion?

I'm a natural chatterbox, so self-promotion happens intuitively by getting into conversations online. You'll often find me participating in the Thursday #FreelanceChat on Twitter, posting pretty pics to Instagram and updating my four Facebook business pages.

Of course, as a writer working in content marketing, I have two websites of my own to promote my services. Web Writing Advice is the hub where people can learn about me and my writing services. Cupcakes and Yoga Pants is where I share my autoimmune health journey, but it also works as a lead magnet for clients who want to partner with me on wellness-focused content marketing projects.

What piece of advice would you give to a freelancer who is just starting their career — especially someone who might be experiencing imposter syndrome?

Be you. It's so easy to emulate the people we see online, the information we read in books or what our mentors tell us to do. All of that information is valid, and provides a solid foundation of skills and knowledge. Absorb and reflect on it.

But, at the end of the day, what makes you stand out is your unique voice, your approach to work and the content you put out there. Sprinkle your personality on everything you do publicly, and you'll stand out. For example, my audience knows I'm a journalism-trained writer, but I'm also a dog mom, I love to eat healthy, snap lots of nature photos and go to rock concerts. I allow my readers to connect with me, not just my polished marketing content.

Are there any projects you’ve done that you’re particularly proud of?

Oh gosh, there are so many! I started freelancing on the weekends back in 1998 while working for a newspaper in Iowa, and over the years I have met so many incredible people through interviews.

One that comes to mind was the honor of telling the story of a woman's uncommon cancer diagnosis. Her dog started acting odd and pawing at her chest. It turned out, her dog could smell cancer cells. The pup encouraged her to do a self-exam, see her doctor, get effective treatment and add years to her life!

I've also helped a young photographer revise all the content on her website to help her business grow, which makes the shutterbug in me as proud as can be!

What is your favorite way to celebrate a professional win when you have one, big or small?

I am a huge cheerleader for celebrating our wins at work. It not only validates the moments for ourselves and creates new happiness neuropathways in the brain, but the celebration also inspires others to work toward their goals and dreams too.

So, how do I celebrate? I chat about the win online, share with my loved ones, do something nice for myself and really try to absorb the warm fuzzy feelings to fuel my next endeavor.

Be sure to check out Angela's Skyword Profile or connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook to see more of her work!