Spotlight Writers: Chloe Petrylak
Chloe Petrylak is an award-winning wildlife writer, editor and proofreader with 10 years' experience in the writing industry.
After forging a successful career working on the likes of National Geographic Kids and The Week Junior magazines (impressive, much!?), she launched her freelance business, Chloe May Writes, in 2019 and hasn't looked back! She shares her journey to becoming a professional writer and editor, how she tackles the notorious imposter syndrome and her top advice for aspiring content writers.
On becoming a writer ...
Tell me about how you became a writer.
“It was a few months after graduating with my 2:1 degree in human resource management that I realised just how much I missed writing. Of course, I didn’t particularly miss writing about HR (definitely not my bag!) but the feeling of being able to create something wonderful with words. That’s when I decided to pursue a career in writing and, in 2012, I paired it with my passion for wildlife and the environment, starting as an intern at National Geographic Kids magazine … which then turned into a full-time position. The rest, as they say, is history!”
Going freelance
What made you decide to go freelance?
“My wife’s military career gave me the (not-so) gentle nudge I needed to go freelance back in 2019. And, despite getting off to a rocky start, what with being posted overseas for the first year, it has been the best thing that could have ever happened in my career! Since going freelance, I have been able to explore various roles and opportunities, as well as work with entirely new and varied clients. Although my journey hasn’t been perfect and there have been tough times along the way, I wouldn’t change any of it.”
To niche or not to niche?
How important do you think it is to have a niche as a freelance writer?
“I’ll be honest … in the beginning, I didn’t want to niche down at all. I wanted to write about everything. From writing fiction pieces (that pretty much covered anything and everything) to interviewing drag queens, there was no way that I was going to limit myself and my creativity. Until I realised that I didn’t need to limit myself. To begin working towards the kind of success that I often dream of, I knew that I needed to have a niche. A focus. A topic that I could pour all of my passion and enthusiasm into and, for me, choosing wildlife was a no-brainer.”
Why wildlife? What drew you to that area in particular?
“For as long as I can remember, I have loved wildlife and nature in general. The way it can inspire, educate and bring joy to people regardless of who they are or where they’re from really warms my heart.”
“Wildlife has the power to break boundaries and connect every single being on this planet – it’s a topic that really is all-inclusive.”
Challenges and achievements
What has been your biggest challenge as a writer?
“Overcoming imposter syndrome. There are always moments when those little mind gremlins pop up to tell me that I’m not good enough to call myself a writer, editor and proofreader. So it’s a constant work in progress to ensure that I am reminding myself that I am good enough. I’m now approaching my 10-year anniversary of working in writing and media, and I often think to myself that I wouldn’t have gotten this far if the gremlins were right!”
What has been your favourite writing project/job so far?
“That’s such a tricky question, as all of my freelance projects have been so varied and I’ve loved them for so many different reasons. Everything I do is genuinely a joy to work on! However, if I really have to choose … last year, my favourite project involved editing and writing a digital science and wildlife magazine, which has yet to be published. This was my first taste of being the sole editor of something, where the final say sat with me. And I absolutely loved the responsibility of ensuring that all of the features were the best they could possibly be. Whereas this year, I am absolutely loving writing for Animal Planet magazine. Every month I get to write about something exciting. Even now, I’m learning something brand new every single month. (I know that’s technically cheating as I mentioned two projects but I genuinely can’t decide.)”
Advice for aspiring writers
Do you have any advice for people who want to become a professional content writer?
“Don’t stop – keep writing and reading, as you will improve and you will achieve your dreams.”
“Also, one of the most important things to remember (especially as a freelance content writer) is to value yourself and what you do. So often we feel like we need to give away our services for free in exchange for experience, testimonials or exposure, but if we continue this behaviour, it will result in lower rates for longer. We deserve to be paid well for what we do, just like any other profession, as, quite frankly, we’re blooming darn good at what we do!”
Exciting times
What's next for Chloe May Writes?
“There are so many exciting things in the pipeline at Chloe May Writes, including a website redesign, mini challenges for both wildlife enthusiasts and writers to get involved in, and something that’s super special and close to my heart that I’m not allowed to talk about just yet but will be submitted towards the end of the year (and hopefully released at some point next year − eek!).”
You can find Chloe and check out her incredible writing at www.chloemaywrites.com, and make sure you follow her on socials for fantastic animal facts and writing inspiration!
