Whether I’m writing a story or working on a product, I have one mission: to help people live their best lives safely and authentically.
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My Writing
Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, but always honest. Whether I’m working on books or articles, you can rest assured that my work is quality that you can trust.
My Photography
When I’m not busy wandering National Parks, I can usually be found taking portraits of people and their pets. I love capturing the personality and love in every relationship.
My Product Work
After 8 years making greeting cards, I know a thing or two about the fun and nuances of product development. From licensed products to entirely in-house work, I’ve seen it all.
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Experience Working With
Award-Winning Cards
Every year, the Louie Awards celebrate the best greeting cards of the year. Shown above are two 2023 winners and one 2018 finalist for the Louie Awards. I was the Editorial Director for first two cards and the editor for the last card. Meet the Team
Working from home means that I have some of the very best coworkers there are. Click below to learn more about me and the mischief makers behind the magic.
FAQs
Will you review my product?
For the most part: no.
While I used to write for a lot of e-commerce sites, that makes up a much smaller part of my time these days. Thanks to some changes by Google, many e-commerce sites are now penalized if they use freelance writers for their content. This, plus the increase of AI-generated content, means that there simply aren’t that many places to pitch at the moment for this category.
That said, I’m still writing for Wirecutter’s accessibility section and accessibility remains one of my primary passions as a writer. If you have a clever accessibility product that stands out in the marketplace and helps those with disabilities better manage their daily lives, I’d love to hear about it.
I still can’t make any promises because everything I write goes through a pitch process, but I’m a lot more willing to go to bat for a truly unique product that readers might not have seen before. Just keep in mind that a review isn’t the same as an endorsement, and if you ask me to review your product, it will be an honest review regardless of how good (or bad) it turns out to be. My loyalty will always be first and foremost to my readers and helping them make informed decisions that are safe and worth the price.
What about other PR pitches for events, celebrities, etc?
Please don’t reach out about any other products, events, or other PR hopes. Lately I’ve gotten dozens of these pitches per week, and I simply don’t have time to respond to them all. As a freelancer, I only get paid for the time that I’m doing work for my clients, so I’ve taken to blocking anyone who is repeatedly sending a flood of PR announcements.
What is your testing process like?
It changes a lot with every product, and often the paper I’m writing for will have specific guidelines to follow. I like to joke that it feels a bit like working on a science fair project combined with way too many spreadsheets. My home is my testing grounds, and my ever-patient roommate has endured everything from our toilet seats changing daily to twenty different medical alert systems going off every hour.
Do you use generative AI to write, edit, or research?
Absolutely not. All of my work is 100% organically grown, free-range human-created content complete with typos, weird metaphors, and far too many jokes.
Though the app I work on (Domis) does use some forms of artificial intelligence in some cool ways (such as “reading” the information in a photo and filling out a form), there is no AI usage for any of the words or advice that’s given.
If something is wrong, it’s not a hallucination. It just means I messed up, and you’re welcome to send me a (hopefully kind) email telling me where I went wrong.
After all, remember: to err is human.
Are you open to new work?
Usually, yes! There are times that I’m too busy to take on new clients, but as a whole I love the opportunity to expand who I work with. One of the great things about being a freelancer is the flexility, and if I believe in a project and am excited about it, I can usually arrange my time to make it happen.
Are you interested in collaborating?
Yes! Collaboration was one of my favorite parts of being an editor, and I will always be excited about the opportunity to collaborate with other creatives to make magic happen. Recently I’ve been helping develop an app, and it’s reminded me how much I enjoy the collaborative process.
Whether you’re an illustrator, designer, writer, photographer, or something else, please reach out if you’ve got a project you’d like to work on together!
How did you sign with your literary agent?
The short version is through good ol’ fashioned querying! I first connected with Lynnette during a pitch event called DVpit and sent query materials from there. You can read the whole story here.
How did you become a picture book author?
While I was at Hallmark, I managed to arrange a rotation as a writer in the Writing Studio. While there, I got to work on a picture book with our internal team in Gifts. It was hugely challenging (because the entire thing is in verse) but also something I’m really proud to have written. You can find it here.
I’m an aspiring writer and/or freelancer. Any advice?
I probably have way too much advice, really, but I’ll focus on the one that matters most: Don’t lose yourself in your work.
When I left Hallmark in 2022, it felt like I lost an enormous part of my identity. I didn’t know who I was without the job that I’d built my life around.
It was terrifying, but eventually, it was freeing. I used to introduce myself as “Hi, I’m Anna. I’m a greeting card editor.” Now, though? I’m just Anna. Sometimes “a writer” or “an editor” or “a photographer” or “a freelancer”… but always Anna.
Claim those “writer” and “author” titles with pride and use them to build your confidence. Just don’t forget how many multitudes you contain beyond your ability to create.