When I invited questions last week, a number of you asked about the type of work I planned to do when I returned to the U.S.

I have a degree in communications and worked as a news reporter and then later as a writer and editor for a small publishing company. After my son was born, I began working with a public relations firm as a writer, editor, and PR consultant. The majority of our clients were corporations involved in IT and financial services.

I wrote marketing copy, brochures, Web copy, newsletters, white papers, presentations, customer success stories, award applications, slogans, and all types of promotional materials for them. Often I acted as a ghost writer for prominent executives, writing articles for them that drew on their expert knowledge of the subject matter and my ability to pull it all together in a slick and readable package for publication. As a PR consultant, I helped analyze communication needs, develop key messages, and contribute ideas to the overall PR strategies we implemented for our clients.

While I was associated with an agency, I worked on a project-by-project basis from an office in my home, connected virtually to a team of professionals all over the U.S. We had a wonderful working relationship. My brother is also a freelance writer and editor, and we occasionally joined together on projects.

I intend to pursue the same type of work when I move back to America. The big decision I’m facing is whether to work exclusively through the agency I worked with before and/or attempt to forge new partnerships and generate my own work. I think I have far more to offer creatively than the IT and financial services industries are interested in. I’d like to broaden my client base and look into other venues for my writing. I have some ideas, and in the coming months I’ll be exploring them further. I’ve also considered looking for a full time office job so we can predict and manage my income better.

Kristiane asked about my interest in papercrafts and requested photos of projects and details of what I planned to do with the art supplies I bought while I was in America. In a nutshell, I want to expand my skills and try new techniques.

Up until this point, I’ve worked with rubber stamps and mostly focused my attention on making cards for family and friends. I’ve also scrapbooked postcards from our travels here. In both types of projects, I’ve gravitated toward simple compositions. I’m not one to go over-the-top with embellishments and design elements, and I’m still very much a beginner. You can see samples of my work in my photo album, accessed through my navigation bar.

When my kids return to school and I have more time to myself, I want to experiment with more complex techniques and designs. In particular, I want to work in layered media, obtaining a collage effect with stamped images, watercolors, and various methods using paint and adding texture.

While I was in the U.S., I picked this book up and loved it. It’s all about the world of artist trading cards, small works of art made to be shared or traded with other artists, never sold. They typically include collage, stamped images, altered photos, and various coloring media. In some ways, they’re like Post Secret postcards—personal symbols that convey an idea or feeling.

I’d like to try my hand at creating artist trading cards. The music of John Mayer really inspires me, and as I get the hang of more sophisticated techniques, I want to do a series of cards built around some of his song titles: Something’s Missing, Split Screen Sadness, Good Love is on the Way, Who Did You Think I Was? Stop this Train, In Repair.

If I come up with anything blogworthy, you'll see it here.

August 15, 2007