How I Became a Writer....

With my Editor’s announcement a week ago that he was ceasing production of the print version of the Helena Vigilante, I found myself reflecting on all the many blessings I have received in regards to my writing in the 5 years since graduating college. While I have been bestowed with numerous writing opportunities, the blessing I am most grateful for is all of the amazing people I’ve stumbled upon and who gave me the only thing I could ever really ask of anyone—A CHANCE.

In the first 6 months after graduating, I struggled desperately to find a job….any job really.  

I landed my first freelance writing gig with the now disbanded Queen City News. One random afternoon that first summer after college, I picked up the phone and dialed the paper’s number and put in a desperate plea for any writing work they could divvy out. Cathy Siegner was the editor. She was the first person who believed in me. I wrote some extremely fun pieces for them—one of my favorites being an article on different business owners in town who bring their pets to work with them. From the typical dog and cat to a stoic iguana, I certainly had my share of interesting subjects to interview with my first writing job. 

As the months ticked by and no other full-time jobs presented themselves, I became increasingly desperate. I found myself sitting outside on my parents’ deck one afternoon flipping furiously through the phone book hoping some job idea would jump out at me. Towards the tail end of the yellow pages, I found a listing for a technical writer named Hugh Ambrose. The name held no significance to me whatsoever and I’ve always hated the thought of technical writing, but I picked up the phone and punched in his number. After several rings all I was left with was that lonesome beep of the voicemail signaling me to say something worth listening to.

Cue the most random and awkward voicemail I have EVER left!

To this day, I can’t remember exactly what I said but it was something along the lines of, “Hi. My name is Lacey. I’m a writer. I have a degree…..in English. I’m poor….I mean I am really passionate about writing and am looking for work. Call me.” 

It took a couple of days but I did finally get a call back from Mr. Ambrose. That phone call turned into perhaps the most unique job I’ve had to date. Turns out Mr. Ambrose is truly a writer…..as well as the son of highly esteemed and recognized historian and writer, Stephen Ambrose. You might recognize titles like Undaunted Courage (book about the Lewis and Clark expedition) or “Band of Brothers” (10-part HBO mini-series about WWII). Well Mr. Stephen Ambrose wrote Undaunted Courage and was the producer and one of many historical consults on Band of Brothers. His son, Hugh, became my temporary boss in the fall of 2009.

The call I received from Hugh Ambrose that day started out with praise for my moxie. Apparently my awkward voicemail scored me an A+ on his interview scale. He told me he did have some work he could use help with. He was writing a book called The Pacific, which was a non-fiction piece on WWII. This book was also the basis for another HBO mini-series by the same name that was already in production. And get this, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks were the producers!!! Apparently he had recorded a bunch of interviews with WWII veterans and needed the recordings transcribed. “Hell yes!” I said. Well, maybe not those exact words. 

I met Hugh a few days later and he handed me a box filled with cassette tapes. I spent the next several weeks in front of my computer typing as fast as possible. I never thought I would make it through them all in time to meet his deadline. Somehow I did though. A year later, I met Hugh again at the library for a book signing of his completed work. And several pages in, in the acknowledgement section, my name was listed. He signed a copy of his book that day for me and told me he knew I was going to go on to do great things….he said he knew that from the moment he first heard my voicemail. 

After my transcription gig, I went back on the hunt for work. My now-fiancé, Andy, suggested I place an ad in the newspaper basically advertising myself. I thought it was crazy but I was too desperate not to try it. I got several interesting calls and some that were just plain strange. But one in particular hit the mark. It came from Shawna Swanz, head of special projects at the Helena IR. She opened the door for me to freelancing for the IR, and 5 years and dozens of articles later, I still write for her from time to time. The opportunity she handed me allowed me to meet so many amazing people in the Helena community and truly confirmed my belief that I have what it takes to be a journalist.

Then about 3 years ago I landed one of my most special writing jobs. Just like with Hugh, I sent out a desperate message to Shane Castle, the editor for the Helena Vigilante. My mom had showed me the monthly paper one day and told me I should contact them about work. After submitting a bunch of my clippings, I met Shane one day for coffee to discuss writing for him. I liked him immediately. And one of the few things I’ve always remembered about that first meeting with him was him paging through my clippings in front of me and saying that “There’s no question that you can write.” It was such a small comment, but was the kind of reminder I think all writers need from time to time. 

For the past 3 years I have written some of the neatest and best pieces of my career, in my opinion. I wrote articles about such interesting people as a boot maker, wedding photographer, sushi chef, figure skater, unicyclist, snow plow driver, skateboarder, and midwife. And that, my friends, is only a small sampling. I had the opportunity to sit down, like a big time journalist, and interview past governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer. I got to interview my ballet teacher of 13 years, Beth Barry. I even got to document my 137 mile bicycle ride to Lincoln, Mont. and back as well as my first game of hockey. 

 Looking back, every single one of those pieces makes me smile. They gave me a respect for the beautiful variety of individuals we have in this world and the unique passions each of them has.

In February of 2012, a dear friend lost his 32-year old sister, Theresa, to Leukemia. He asked me to help him write her eulogy. That event, alone, I could devote 6,000 pages to talking about. And even though I’ve tried a few times, there aren’t enough words in all creation to explain how that request forever changed me, not only as a person but as a writer. I still can’t talk about it, or even write this, without tearing up. The words I eventually turned over to him with blood shot, puffy eyes, was far from my best work. But it is the work I am the most proud of to date. It opened my eyes to the true good that can come from mere words. And it confirmed in my heart forever that my calling and purpose in life is to be a writer.

One year ago, I landed my next biggest writing accomplishment by having my first article published in a magazine. It was a humble piece on the Montana pronghorn in Distinctly Montana. I hounded the editor, Valerie Harms, for months to let me write a piece. Guess that’s just living proof that the squeaky wheel really does get the oil. I’ll never forget the day I walked into Safeway and picked up a copy of the magazine, opened it, and saw my name and picture in print. It was AMAZING!

While I was still in high school my cousin’s husband, at the time, asked me what I wanted to major in when I got to college. I told him English. I said I wanted to be a writer. He just laughed and told me good luck. He told me that I would never get anywhere with that. Well I just wrote over a 1,000 words explaining just how much I HAVE accomplished with the very thing he told me I’d fail at. And if I saw that man today, all I would say to him is, “Watch it, I’m just starting to spread my wings.”

I chose to become a writer for many reasons. I realized I was meant to be a writer after completing my senior honor’s thesis in college. I came to understand that I need to do something GOOD with my writing the day I helped my friend write his sister’s eulogy. And all of this…all of this was made possible because each of the people I’ve mentioned here and countless others believed in me and were willing to give me A CHANCE. For that I am forever indebted to and grateful for.