I launched L.C. Smith Writes to share my love of using words and stories to communicate important information reaching customers, employees, media and others for businesses, organizations and anyone who needs to build understanding. With a blend of newspaper, agency and in-house communications experience, I appreciate correct, clever and on-time copy. To my clients, I not only bring a well-told story but professionalism. They know when I’m assigned to talk with someone on behalf of their brand they will be well represented. Most importantly, the work will be delivered on time.
I have always wanted to be a writer. When playing “Town” with my little friends, I ran the Town’s newspaper interviewing the adults for my stories. I got my first taste of real newspaper journalism when I attended the University of Missouri School of Journalism and spent a semester writing for The Missourian newspaper in Columbia, Missouri. It was during this stint as a reporter that I got my first piece of fan mail based on a story about a mushroom collector – a mycophile, if you will. The subject thanked me for my authenticity in telling his story in a straightforward, honest manner. I then realized my writing superpowers can be used for good. In that semester, I enjoyed getting to know the people who were part of stories and working to represent them honestly. Even the amateur Elvis impersonator I wrote about was proud of his profile in the local paper. In 2005, I graduated from Mizzou with my bachelor of science in agricultural journalism.
I moved abroad and found an opportunity to be an editor at an international newspaper in Phuket, Thailand. Here I took the native Thai reporters’ “Thai-lish” and turned it into English. There would occasionally be an English-speaking subject I would get to profile for the paper. I interviewed and wrote about a singer performing at a local resort and a Swedish Muay Thai fighter who moved to Phuket to hone her fighting skills. I also had the tough job of reviewing spas. Someone had to do it!
When I returned stateside, I worked at my friend’s web marketing agency as a writer and office manager. By night, I was a bartender and waitress to keep things interesting. In fact, when I went to interview for a new job, I was asked what I did for fun. I told my soon-to-be manager that I was working two jobs and picking up a little freelance writing on the side so I didn’t have much time for fun things.
Despite that frank answer during an interview, or maybe because of it, I was hired at a large agricultural-based agency. During my 10-year career at this communications agency, I focused on nonprofit agricultural clients writing website posts, magazine articles, news releases, white papers, speeches and much more. My role was unique because I was client-facing and spent countless hours with clients and sometimes representing clients at industry meetings and events. Many projects I was involved in provided name recognition for my clients among their stakeholders and helped to move the needle on several internal communication needs.
I later moved to an in-house writing position at one of the country’s top not-for-profit senior living providers. In addition to writing blogs, speeches, news releases and collateral, I oversaw the creative development of internal and external campaigns. I often met with residents to learn about their experiences, sales teams to hear about their processes and needs, and executives to understand their goals.
When I’m not at my computer writing, I’m most likely out running on the Katy Trail with my dogs. I make sure to make time for fun now.
If you are interested in working with me, visit this page.
L.C. Smith Writes 