Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Ross.
Kristen, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Since childhood writing has been my greatest passion, but for the longest time, I doubted whether or not I could make a career of it. Fast forward to 2012 — the year of my early mid-life crisis. By then, I had spent ten years pursuing an acting career, but the wear and tear of it all had ground me down and it felt joyless. I knew I had to make a drastic change, but what?
I decided to pursue editorial work and found myself writing regular features for a real estate magazine of all things. Around the same time, I moved to LA where I spent eight months hibernating in the West Hollywood Library. During this time, I outlined a novel I’d wanted to write forever and began to develop a TV series. I returned to Canada to attend the Bell Media Diverse Screenwriters Program and after the program ended, I bumped into an old acquaintance who happened to be the creative director of a successful advertising agency. We’d met on set a couple of years prior when he cast me in a commercial and he asked if he could read my TV series pilot. Two weeks later, he offered me a contract at his agency and the next thing you know, whammo! I’m a copywriter and content creator specializing in real estate.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think the story of how I arrived at where I am now goes to show how unpredictable life can be and how important it is to be open to new opportunities. That said, making the transition from my previous career was incredibly painful for me.
I resisted the temptation to pursue writing full-time for many years despite knowing in my heart of hearts that that is what I wanted most. Besides, I had poured unimaginable amounts of time and energy into my acting career and couldn’t imagine abandoning it. I was scared to fail, scared to make the wrong decision—and I dreaded what others would say. But at some point, I realized that I was postponing the inevitable.
Alongside struggling with my fears, I began to suffer from health problems brought on by two bouts of severe pneumonia. Some days, I wanted to give up more than anything in the world, but I never missed a deadline or an opportunity. Through this process, I learned that sometimes what is right for us is what scares us most. Deep in our hearts, we know when something doesn’t feel right; but finding the courage to make a change can be terrifying.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I tell people that I’m a copywriter by day and travel/fiction/screenwriter by night, which is more or less the truth! Simply put, I specialize in copywriting for residential real estate, though I work with clients in many industries. My mantra is “The Art of Clarity and Specificity” and this guides me in all I do.
Because I am a freelancer, I tend to work very closely with my clients. By nature, I am a collaborative person and I like my clients to feel that they are an important part of the creative process. Effective copywriting is about much more than the words themselves; it is about helping each business, no matter how big or small, find its unique voice. If anything sets me apart, it is my acute attention to detail and my ability to distill convoluted thoughts and ideas into crystal-clear language. I have a journalist’s curiosity and that is extremely valuable because I love helping others’ tell their stories.
Approximately 80% or more of my workload is digital, including websites and digital advertising across all platforms. I do my best to create work that can easily be repurposed across print as well in an effort to maximize my time and that of my clients’. And of course, I also do print, billboards, hoarding, and signage.
Tell us about your favorite and least favorites things about our city.
There is so much more to Miami than meets the eye. Get past the salsa-thumping nightclubs and sandy beaches and you will discover a city with a lively art scene, lush natural beauty, and rich history. People from all over the world have taken up residence here—artists in particular—and this hodge-podge of cultures is, in my opinion, the city’s greatest strength and most attractive feature. (Though I admit the sandy beaches don’t hurt.)
There are very few things I don’t like about Miami but I have to put its army of leaf blowers in the top 5. Do you think I’m kidding? It’s all fun and games until 10 am; after that, you can say ‘adios amigo’ to the soothing sound of palm fronds blowing in the wind. Trying to work with those guys around is like trying to meditate to the sound of land mines exploding.
In all seriousness though, I love Miami but we do have some serious problems here. The city suffers from extraordinary income inequality among its residents and I fear it’s being “gentrified” at an alarming rate. I know Miami has always been a playground for the ultra-wealthy, but I hope it doesn’t continue to do so at a cost to its own residents.
Pricing:
- I work on a project-by-project basis and each project is a fixed-price contract.
- Quotes are provided on an individual basis. In addition, I offer a number of digital project packages.
- Digital packages vary in price from $475 for a small business makeover to $3,700 & up for a full corporate website and brand exploration.
Contact Info:
- Address: Nolan House (formerly the Hive at Brickell)
1548 Brickell Ave, 2nd floor, studio #25
Miami, FL 33129 - Website: www.wherewordsmatter.com
- Email: kristen@wherewordsmatter.com
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