Freelancer Focus: Samantha Smith

In this month’s Q&A, Samantha Smith shares her journey into Catholic media, offering insights into her career, challenges, and the rewarding projects she’s worked on. From her childhood dream of being a writer to creating her own blog, Spirit and Sparkle, Samantha discusses her approach to freelancing, her love for storytelling, and the tools that help her succeed. She also provides valuable advice for aspiring Catholic media freelancers. Samantha is a freelance writer for The Georgia Bulletin in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

What inspired you to pursue a career as a freelance professional, especially in Catholic media?

I’ve wanted to be a writer since childhood. I wrote poems, plays and even started a book; but none of them felt like the right style. When I started working for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, there were many opportunities for me to be a Catholic writer. This included writing bulletin announcements, emails promoting the Eucharistic Congress, and featured stories in The Georgia Bulletin. This felt more natural to me, and inspired me to start my own Catholic blog, “Spirit and Sparkle.” In the last couple of years, I’ve found more Catholic writers, publications and marketing agencies that have given me opportunities as a Catholic freelance professional.

Can you tell us about a project you’ve worked on that you’re particularly proud of?

I wrote a featured story for The Georgia Bulletin on Milton Hawkins, who retired from Corpus Christi Church in Stone Mountain, Geogria, after 46 years of service as a facilities manager. Milton and I worked together years ago when I was secretary at Corpus Christi. He is such a joyful person with an infectious laugh. And while he isn’t Catholic, you couldn’t tell because of how much he has learned about the faith in nearly five decades. Writing the story was not just an opportunity to feature Hawkins, but also a moment to honor his impact on the church. Also, as a facilities manager, he is one of our everyday heroes.

What challenges do you face as a freelancer, and how do you overcome them?

Finding my balance as a freelance writer is always a challenge. You’re always doing a mix of writing, networking, pitching stories, keeping up with deadlines and monitoring hours/payments. I’m still searching for my “sweet spot,” but what helps me is keeping an updated calendar and using a project management tool to keep track of goals and writing assignments.

How do you stay motivated and manage your time while juggling multiple projects?

I constantly repeat the phrase, “The goal is not perfection, the goal is improvement.” Removing the expectation of perfection gives me the freedom to be creative and set realistic goals. What keeps me motivated with each assignment is knowing that I’m writing a story that will teach someone about the Catholic faith or help them along their spiritual journey.

What is the most interesting or unusual project you’ve worked on in your career?

I love movies, so being able to write movie reviews has been fun. However, they are the hardest for me to write. I wrote a movie review in Black Catholic Messenger for “Bob Marley: One Love.” It was the most challenging article I wrote this year because Bob Marley is one of my favorite artists and I am extremely biased in favor of the film. However, when writing the article, I had to find ways to compliment and critique the movie, when what I really wanted to say was, “It’s fabulous, go see it! The end.”

What advice would you give to someone just starting out as a freelancer in Catholic media?

There will be a period of trial and error as you navigate freelancing. This is part of the process and will teach you valuable lessons in your career. Set short-term and long-term goals so you can track your progress and find areas of improvement. Find a community, podcast or training class for ongoing support. If you decide to become a full-time freelancer, make sure you have at least 3-6 month’s worth of savings to cover expenses and slower payments.

How has freelancing helped you grow personally and professionally?

Personally, I have learned more about the saints by working on stories about schools, hospitals and orders they’ve founded or influenced. Professionally, I’ve learned to give myself more time than what I think it takes to complete an assignment. This leaves room for the unplanned to occur and still be able to meet deadlines.

What are your favorite tools, resources, or apps that make your freelance work easier?

Google Workspace is my favorite software for writing and managing freelance work. Spotify is necessary for focus music, jam sessions in between assignments and podcasts about writing and freelancing. Also, write your goals down on a whiteboard each month and hang them up in a place you look at everyday. This helps you to stay on task when you have downtime or get off track.

Do you have a memorable story about working with a Catholic organization or client? 

Presenting “Elevate Your Digital Presence with SEO” at this year’s Catholic Media Conference in Atlanta was such a memorable experience. At the beginning of the presentation, I made a commitment that on a scale of 1-10, I would improve everyone’s knowledge of SEO by at least two points from the start of the session. By the end, everyone unanimously agreed that I met my goal. Goal setting and achievement is critical for a successful freelancing career. 

More about Samantha:

• Follow her newsletter on Substack: https://substack.com/@beimaxcreations
• Read her blog: https://spiritandsparkle.net
• For writing services: http://beimaxcreations.com