Sharon Hurley Hall is a very busy writer. She graciously took some time out recently to answer some questions about her career and her life.

Mitchell Allen: Describe the moment when you decided to begin free lancing.

Sharon Hurley Hall: You never know when an opportunity will arise. I had been teaching journalism for about five years and had put my writing on the back burner for a while. I got a lot out of helping others to develop their writing careers, but realized that I missed working on my own writing. When the chance came to make a phased exit from teaching, I took it (back in 2005) and I’ve never regretted it. The day I started freelancing was a very happy day, and I’m still in love with my job.

MA: Does ghostwriting offer the same satisfaction as seeing your byline?

SHH: No, I don’t think anything compares to the thrill of seeing your name in print. In more than 20 years of writing, I’ve never got tired of it. However, ghostwriting also has a lot to offer. I get to write about a wide range of topics and explore new areas of interest. It’s also good for my knowledge of trivia. At the moment, I do a lot of ghostwriting, but all my blogging work is bylined.

MA: What main writing assignments bring you the most steady work?

SHH: One of my favorite assignments at the moment is a travel blogging gig for ParkRideFlyUSA. I’ve only just started (just over a month ago) but that looks really promising. I have a few repeat clients who have work throughout the year, like someone who promotes salsa bands and someone who has a photography site. Many of my current clients are repeat clients though I am always on the look out for new opportunities, like the proofreading gig I do for a key European Union magazine. As you’ve guessed, my clients are all over the world, though mostly in the US and UK.

MA: Your business is taking a new direction with the premium content channel. Do you see yourself focusing more on teaching

SHH: I get a lot of satisfaction from helping others achieve their dreams. Teaching is a good way to do that. So I have the content channel, I’m working on an online course for a major educational organization and I plan to offer one to one mentoring (in fact, that may be up and running by the time you publish this interview). However, I’m never going to give up writing – teaching will only be a part of what I do.

MA: How important is social media networking to your bottom line?

SHH: Interesting question. It’s difficult to measure the dollars and cents impact of social networking. What I do know is that it allows me to connect with other writers who are both a support group and a target audience for my blog. If I’m promoting something and they like it, then they help to promote it too – most of the time, I don’t even have to ask.  This type of networking keeps me in touch with what other people are doing. I think that’s essential to avoid living in an isolated bubble.

MA: You spend a fair amount of time researching the computer and web technology for your productivity. What are the essential tools that you use for your career?

SHH: Let’s see: I need Skype for international phone calls; an IM client or 3 (I’m on Gtalk, AIM and MSN, though GTalk is my favorite); my laptop with WiFi, of course; a diary/calendar for keeping track of my commitments – the list is endless, but I guess those are the crucial ones. I also use an external ergonomic keyboard and mouse with my laptop – got to look after my wrists and fingers 

MA: What is the most boring assignment you ever chose to do?

SHH: With most assignments, I start out being interested in the topic, as I love learning new things. However, I’ve had some assignments on plastics and electronic parts that haven’t kept my interest. Also, if I am doing a large project of 100 articles plus, I find it difficult to sustain the same level of interest over the whole project. However, I’ve got to get past that and make each article fresh, as that’s what my clients are paying for. Sometimes I take a break and do something else for a while to freshen my ideas.

MA: Not many people know this, but you're a pretty good poet. Where can we find a collection of your work?

SHH: Alas, there isn’t a collection anywhere yet. I have some work published on PublicLiterature.org (http://publicliterature.org/author/sharon_hall/), a few poems on Ritro.com, a couple on my Writing Lab blog (bimblogger.wordpress.com) and the rest are still on my PC. However, I’m hoping that one of my pieces will be performed in a show some time next year. In the meantime, I’ll keep writing. I love writing poetry because it’s something I do just for me.

MA: Of all the places you've called home, which place was the most inspirational?

SHH: It’s impossible to answer that question. How do you compare a Caribbean beach to an English summer to a French courtyard café? They are all inspirational in their own way.

MA: The freedom to work from home presents challenges for all entrepreneurs. What advice can you give someone who aspires to make a full-time income from free lance writing?

SHH: Treat it like a job. Set yourself a schedule for working and stick to it; that also allows you to take time off without feeling guilty. Network with others doing the same thing, either online or offline, as making the transition from office life to working at home can be lonely for some.

Thanks, Sharon! See you on the Front Porch!

By Mitchell Allen, creator of the Digital Tinker data cleansing service (http://www.morphoware.com)