Bethany Good is a prolific poet, creative writer, author, and storyteller. Her love of the written word began early and has remained a steadfast passion over her life. For over 25 years she has honed her craft through poetry, short fiction, meta criticism, and editing. As a digital native, she followed a natural path into copy and content writing.
In 2019 she finally found the role she was meant to play, when she became the Founder, CEO, and “Head Wordsmith” of Good Writing Co., which provides copywriting, digital marketing, creative storytelling, and other content writing services.
Extracurriculars
Writing has always been an important part of Bethany’s life, but it’s not her only love. Bethany is also a wife and dedicated mother to two elementary-aged children. They recently added a Boston Terrier named Scout to their family. She also enjoys other creative pursuits like crafting, soap and candle making, coloring, singing, and cooking. She’s outdoorsy, and loves to garden and go for nature walks. Oh – as if that wasn’t enough – she’s also a film and TV buff.
Why we love Bethany
Bethany is very social. She made friends day one of her membership at Cowork Frederick and has been connecting with people ever since. Her “hello’s” aren’t just habit or convention. They have heart and she’s always ready for a conversation. We frequently see her collaborating with fellow members, bouncing ideas around, and offering advice. She’s also keen on contributing to the overfall Cowork Frederick community. She’s been a valued member of our volunteer “Community Cultivators” group for several months.
Q&A with Bethany
How did you get into writing?
A friend of mine had just started a job as a marketing director for a local business. Her boss asked her to write SEO blogs, but she wasn’t quite comfortable with her writing skills. Eventually, I got hired to write the blogs.
Over time they kept asking me to do different kinds of copywriting and social media marketing for that business. I loved it so much that I decided this was what I really wanted to do as a career. And so Good Writing Co. was founded in 2019.
This career offers me the freedom and flexibility to work from anywhere in the world. And I find it creatively challenging and fulfilling in the best ways possible.
What inspires you and keeps you going?
Finding projects that are creatively fulfilling. Helping small businesses.
Cowork Frederick members tend to be a little unconventional. How does that apply to you?
My approach to work centers on three key goals. I hope they are not so unconventional, that they are becoming the norm.
- Providing excellent customer service is one of my primary goals when I interact with my clients. I’m always open to feedback and good constructive criticism.
- I prefer to work with folks that have similar values to my own. To me, that means people who treat and pay their employees fairly, and folks that are interested in doing something good in the world.
- Supporting other women and minority entrepreneurs. I believe that women should help and lift up other women, and so if someone doesn’t have those values, then it’s not the right fit.
Which of the guiding values defined by Cowork Frederick members speaks to you?
CURIOSITY (exploring, open-minded learning) In my line of work, curiosity is extremely important. I love learning new things, whether that is an industry, topic, or person that I’m unfamiliar with. This involves being willing to do in-depth research or finding something new and fascinating about my clients. I’m always interested in learning more about people and what makes them tick.
Any tips for fellow or aspiring freelancers?
- Get a contract that protects you. I’ll say that again, get a contract that protects you. And make sure your client signs that contract before doing any work.
- One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to listen to your intuition when it comes to choosing new clients. I learned how important it is to work with people who respect me, my craft, and value what I bring to the table. If a potential client starts off by lowballing me, or uses sketchy negotiating tactics, that is an indication that we’re not the right fit. Don’t put up with bullshit.
- Collect nonrefundable deposits from your clients (especially for large projects). If a client has some “skin in the game” they are more likely to be responsive to requests for information and pay you on time for your work. And at the end of the day, if a client backs out of a project before it is completed, you still have something to show for the work that you’ve already done.
If I were to give writing advice I would say: the best way to get better at writing is to write. That’s it. Just keep writing.
Why Cowork Frederick?
Working from home is great most of the time, but sometimes it can be distracting or isolating. At Cowork Frederick, I am able to focus on my projects and collaborate with others if I need to. I love the people, the work environment, and the boost it has given my business.
For those who want to learn more, how can you be reached?