My name is Donna Doyle, and I’ve wanted to be a writer since the age of 8.  The road to that goal wasn’t always smooth; careers in advertising, marketing, and even metals sales distracted me for a while – but somehow, I always found a way to make writing a part of my job.

My real copywriting career started in the mid-80s, when I moved to Chicago.  Working as a Promotion Manager for a variety of trade magazines, I cut my teeth on writing and designing sales brochures, editorial calendars and promotion campaigns.

Five freezing Chicago winters later, I moved back to balmy New Jersey and got a position as a Direct Response Copywriter at Prentice Hall.  There, I wrote nearly all of the profitable health and self-improvement control packages that ran for years.  My ten-million piece control package for Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetable and Herbs remained unbeatable for six years. It was named one of “Axel’s Grand Controls” by Axel Anderson of Inside Direct Mail Magazine.  Some of my Prentice Hall packages are still showing up in the mail today.

I left corporate life in 2000 to start a new life as a freelance copywriter. Today, I’m often booked months in advance. And I’m fortunate enough to count Northstar Nutritionals, Think Right Now! International, Swiss Labs, and Golden Health Products among my many clients.

In November, 2006, I was awarded “Copywriter of the Year” by the American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI), joining the ranks of such esteemed colleagues as Clayton Makepeace and Bob Bly.  My work was featured in the July, 2005 issue of the popular copywriter’s newsletter, “Monthly Copywriter’s Genius.”  I’m also a busy copywriting Coach and Mentor.  It’s exciting and rewarding to share with other writers the success tools they need to get on the fast track to higher-paying assignments.

I live at the Jersey shore with my husband, teenage daughter, and Fuji and Savannah, my 2 Shiba Inus.

You can visit my website at www.copybydoyle.com.

Hi, all, Victoria here. I'm lounging on The Old Man, a refurbished 1950s dead rise boat, cruising the Piankatank River in Mathews County, Virginia. Yeah, that’s a Heineken I’m holding.

I’ve written stories since I was 10 and my passion is fiction. In fact, my fiction habit is how I got into copywriting to begin with.

You see, I’d graduated from law school in 1987 but never wanted to be in private practice. Although I ended up doing just that for 12 years, I would spent lots of time … even vacation time … writing short stories. I wrote my first novel, Uneven Advantage, in the late ‘90s but didn’t publish it until 2001.

Where’s this train of thought going? Hang in there a few more seconds and you’ll see. Promise.

One day in December 2003, I received two pieces of mail. One from an agent wanting to represent me and one from American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) about their basic copywriting course.

I jumped on both of them.

Three years later, I support myself as a full-time copywriter and fiction editor. I’ve written successful fundraising appeals for Goodwill and the National Breast Cancer Coalition, crafted print and radio copy for local businesses in the Tidewater, Virginia area (Chesapeake Bank, ADIA Insurance, and Nunnally’s Flooring & Decorating) and stirred the monetary juices of creative investors in four premiums for Taipan Financial Group. I’ve worked with Clayton Makepeace, Healthy Directions, WRITERS’ Journal, Nutricell, and Brownstone Publishers.

I write several e-zines each month including The Tip Sheet and The Passion Market Report. Go to www.rosendahlwrites.com to sign up for either or both of these freebies.

My latest accomplishment is the launch of my first Internet product called GardenRack. Take a look at www.garden-rack.com.

Yup, I'm Beth. That's me. Yapping on the phone.

So, if I'm the Queen Bee of Filbert Publishing, where's the tiara?

That's me at my desk. Please note the piles of papers. And this pic got snapped on a good day.

So, they tell me I have to introduce myself. Here goes nothing:

My story's probably pretty typical as far as writers go. Big imagination. Got in trouble at school because of it. If I were a kid today, I'd probably be in Ritalin. "Non-hyperactive ADD" they'd call it.

I was a late bloomer. Mostly because I tried pretty much every profession I could think of before I finally realized I was running from freelance writing. Didn't think I could make a living tapping the keyboard, I guess.

I was pretty much right until I discovered copywriting.

I began writing professionally around 1995. Coincidently, I graduated from St. Cloud State University that same year. Degree in Communications. Summa Cum Laude, thank-you-very-much.

All in all, I've written (literally) hundreds of articles, three nonfiction titles, and two novels. I also write ad copy for businesses nation wide. I also pump out issues of Writing Etc. twice a month. Now, that's a great time.

I love the writing life. Wouldn't trade this past decade for anything. I've learned more than I ever thought possible.

I've lost sight of my writing goals more than once, but always seem to manage to pull myself together and get back on track. In the process, I've learned there's nothing more painful than living someone else's dream. But most importantly, I've managed to surround myself with people who love the written word as much as I do. We creative types need to stick together for I fear we could easily become a dying breed.

So, if you join me in this wacky world of freelancing, if just for a while, I welcome you with open arms. If you choose to forge forward on your own, I wish you the best always.

But most importantly, here's a quick message to all of us who belong to the brotherhood of the pen: May our voices always remain true to our dreams and may we leave this world a better place because we had the courage to broadcast our convictions. 

Check out my website at http://FilbertPublishing.com