| Non-Traditional Fitness Careers July 1, 2006 © 2006, Fitness Organica LLC |
| Amanda Vogel Active Voice Fitness Writer, Editor, and Consultant www.activevoice.ca "Writing became a way for me to promote myself in an increasingly competitive fitness industry." |
Your business?
I provide writing, editing, and consulting services that help
fitness professionals and organizations improve the quality of
their promotional, publicity, and educational writing.
Freelance writing for magazines is one aspect of my
company. A second aspect is helping other fitness pros
achieve success with writing, marketing, and publicity. I
consult and present workshops on these topics. And I edit
fitness professionals’ websites, manuals, brochures, and
more.
I also offer products to help fitness professionals generate
new career opportunities and revenue streams. For example,
my online workshop, How to Write Winning Queries, is a tell-
all guide for selling your fitness article ideas to editors, and I
offer a free e-booklet, 51 Need-to-Know Writing & Marketing
Tips for Fitness Pros, through my free monthly e-newsletter.
Major events or motivations that led you to this
business?
In the late 1990s, I was working in the fitness industry as a
group exercise coordinator and fitness instructor while also
completing a Master’s degree thesis on body image and the
role of the fitness instructor. After grad school, I wanted to
share the results of my research with other fitness
professionals, so I started pitching article ideas to editors at
trade magazines. Once I realized that I liked writing and it
provided pretty decent paychecks, I started pitching articles on
topics other than body image to both trade and consumer
publications. It worked! Writing became a way for me to
promote myself in an increasingly competitive fitness industry.
I slowly started to make it more of a career focus. One of my
goals was to break into a lot of the big health and fitness
magazines, which I’ve done. Now I also help other fitness
professionals achieve success with writing and publicity.
Prior work experience, education, or specialized
knowledge that helped you?
I have a Master’s degree in human kinetics. I've worked in the
fitness industry for more than 14 years as a certified fitness
instructor, group exercise director, special events coordinator,
and presenter. I've gained a good sense of what fitness
consumers want and need to increase their commitment to
fitness, and what fitness professionals want and need to
improve their career and profit margin. I am also a member of
various writing organizations, including the American Society
of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and Professional Writers
Association of Canada (PWAC).
Your top three personality traits that have
contributed to your success?
Passion -- A passion for helping other health and fitness
professionals achieve career success.
Initiative -- It's essential for prospering as a freelance writer
and fitness entrepreneur.
Persistence -- Freelance writing involves more marketing
than many people realize. You must constantly sell your story
ideas and yourself as a writer. Writers face a lot of rejection, so
perseverance is key.
The hardest issue you've had to deal with?
Knowing when to take a break! There are so many exciting
topics to write about or present on, and so many interesting
product possibilities that it’s hard for a type-A personality like
me to slow down. Plus, being self-employed means that
when you say “no” to an assignment or a project, you turn
down a paycheck, too. That’s why I also pursue business
strategies such as offering products for passive income and
“recycling” articles into reprints.
Most satisfying thing about your work?
I love to create. It’s very satisfying to work for yourself and
develop a project or article from the ground up. Molding an
idea into a profitable product or informative article is very
rewarding.
Future plans and/or dreams for your business?
More writing, of course. I also plan to create additional
partnerships with other entrepreneurs and fitness
professionals. Continuing to collect passive income is another
major goal. I am in the process of developing more career-
enhancing products for health and fitness professionals.
There's a book project on the horizon, as well.
Favorite fitness activity?
Indoor cycling.
Hobbies?
Making jewelry. Going on stroller walks with my baby
daughter, Eva. Reading books (especially about the craft of
writing -- I just finished Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero
Tolerance Approach to Punctuation).
Favorite place to vacation?
Holland. Or any of the smaller islands off Vancouver Island,
British Columbia.
I provide writing, editing, and consulting services that help
fitness professionals and organizations improve the quality of
their promotional, publicity, and educational writing.
Freelance writing for magazines is one aspect of my
company. A second aspect is helping other fitness pros
achieve success with writing, marketing, and publicity. I
consult and present workshops on these topics. And I edit
fitness professionals’ websites, manuals, brochures, and
more.
I also offer products to help fitness professionals generate
new career opportunities and revenue streams. For example,
my online workshop, How to Write Winning Queries, is a tell-
all guide for selling your fitness article ideas to editors, and I
offer a free e-booklet, 51 Need-to-Know Writing & Marketing
Tips for Fitness Pros, through my free monthly e-newsletter.
Major events or motivations that led you to this
business?
In the late 1990s, I was working in the fitness industry as a
group exercise coordinator and fitness instructor while also
completing a Master’s degree thesis on body image and the
role of the fitness instructor. After grad school, I wanted to
share the results of my research with other fitness
professionals, so I started pitching article ideas to editors at
trade magazines. Once I realized that I liked writing and it
provided pretty decent paychecks, I started pitching articles on
topics other than body image to both trade and consumer
publications. It worked! Writing became a way for me to
promote myself in an increasingly competitive fitness industry.
I slowly started to make it more of a career focus. One of my
goals was to break into a lot of the big health and fitness
magazines, which I’ve done. Now I also help other fitness
professionals achieve success with writing and publicity.
Prior work experience, education, or specialized
knowledge that helped you?
I have a Master’s degree in human kinetics. I've worked in the
fitness industry for more than 14 years as a certified fitness
instructor, group exercise director, special events coordinator,
and presenter. I've gained a good sense of what fitness
consumers want and need to increase their commitment to
fitness, and what fitness professionals want and need to
improve their career and profit margin. I am also a member of
various writing organizations, including the American Society
of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and Professional Writers
Association of Canada (PWAC).
Your top three personality traits that have
contributed to your success?
Passion -- A passion for helping other health and fitness
professionals achieve career success.
Initiative -- It's essential for prospering as a freelance writer
and fitness entrepreneur.
Persistence -- Freelance writing involves more marketing
than many people realize. You must constantly sell your story
ideas and yourself as a writer. Writers face a lot of rejection, so
perseverance is key.
The hardest issue you've had to deal with?
Knowing when to take a break! There are so many exciting
topics to write about or present on, and so many interesting
product possibilities that it’s hard for a type-A personality like
me to slow down. Plus, being self-employed means that
when you say “no” to an assignment or a project, you turn
down a paycheck, too. That’s why I also pursue business
strategies such as offering products for passive income and
“recycling” articles into reprints.
Most satisfying thing about your work?
I love to create. It’s very satisfying to work for yourself and
develop a project or article from the ground up. Molding an
idea into a profitable product or informative article is very
rewarding.
Future plans and/or dreams for your business?
More writing, of course. I also plan to create additional
partnerships with other entrepreneurs and fitness
professionals. Continuing to collect passive income is another
major goal. I am in the process of developing more career-
enhancing products for health and fitness professionals.
There's a book project on the horizon, as well.
Favorite fitness activity?
Indoor cycling.
Hobbies?
Making jewelry. Going on stroller walks with my baby
daughter, Eva. Reading books (especially about the craft of
writing -- I just finished Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero
Tolerance Approach to Punctuation).
Favorite place to vacation?
Holland. Or any of the smaller islands off Vancouver Island,
British Columbia.
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