Experience Over Vanity: Celebrating 10 Years With Barbara Adams

EXPERIENCE OVER VANITY: CELEBRATING 10 YEARS WITH BARBARA ADAMS

When senior writer Barbara Adams (Barb) joined The Writers For Hire 10 years ago, she never realized the impact she would have on our clients, team members, and readers.

Barb’s keen knowledge of the written word contributes daily to our success, and she has no plans for slowing the pace.  Her skill level and confidence elevate our value proposition, all while motivating and inspiring colleagues with her infectious humor.

Decades of Experience

Hiring a writer these days often means dealing with egotism, missed deadlines, and constant uncertainty.  Not so with Barb. She’s always there for us, willing to tackle projects most writers would never dare attempt.

Barb's background in journalism and marketing provides a perspective of knowing what it's like to be on the other side of the roundtable.

She asks all the right questions, gleaning information from our valued clients, and she’s never intimidated by industrial jargon, clinical studies, or technological breakthroughs.

Barb has always loved writing. Upon graduating college, she worked as a radio copywriter and freelance newsletter editor. After gaining some experience, she landed a job as an advertising executive working for a regional hospitality company in the Midwest.

She finally moved to Houston, where she accepted jobs as a PR manager for a retail franchise company, a large advertising agency, and later, The Writers For Hire.  

The Many Hats Worn by a Superstar

Barb proudly assumes the monicker of writer before all other titles. Once she sits down at her computer, the keys have no way of escaping her governance.  Words magically dance onto the page as if bowing to her every whim.

Starting her writing journey at age six, Barb has always possessed an affinity for the written word. Being editor of her high school newspaper may seem laughable to her now, but it had an influence on her decision to pursue a writing career. While in college, she refined her skills even further.

Today, she ghostwrites non-fiction books for corporate executives, creates trade publication articles for the oil and gas industry, and documents work procedures for software developers.

Editor and Wielder of the Red Pen

When Barb wears her editor hat, it’s someone else’s masterpiece in front of her. She can take a Pulitzer Prize-winning work of art, dissect it line by line, and return it to the owner better than it was before.

Being an editor is a lot of fun for her. “You get to see how other writers approach their work and gain exposure to unfamiliar areas,” she says.

Barb always takes it as a compliment when she gets in the heads of her fellow writers. As an example, while in the writing process, they’ll ask, “How would Barb want me to write this? What would she do to make this piece better?”

Tenacious Project Manager

As a project manager, Barb is the glue that holds everything together. Although our work has gotten wider in scope and more complex over the years, she says it only makes her more committed to collaboration. Barb enjoys working with others to complete large projects and is never shy about keeping things on track and within deadlines.

To Barb, keeping all the moving parts coalescent and organized is the most crucial part of her job. She also takes seriously her role as the primary point of contact for the client if a problem or question arises.

Perplexity to Clarity

Barb’s penchant for “geeking out” is evidenced by the types of projects she does for our clients. “I enjoy taking technical content and making it accessible to a wider audience,” she says. “Not so much doing manuals or technical documentation but working with clients in technical fields.”

Does writing for oil pipeline companies and IT software developers qualify as technical?

You would think so, but Barb doesn’t stop there.

Her mastery of transforming science, engineering, and computer-related subjects into engaging content is a gift few writers possess.

A Day in the Life

Barb typically starts at eight every morning. She admits it’s not a very long commute since her office is in her home. The only hazard is tripping over her three cats on the way to her desk.     

Barb likes to do most of her writing in the morning. While the typical writer starts with the simplest assignments, she prefers tackling challenging projects early in the day.

“I am a jump-in-and-do-it-now kind of person,” she says. “Don’t tell me how to do something, just let me do it.”

She also enjoys collaborating on projects with fellow writers and clients. Again, it’s fun for her, and she seems to have a lot of faith in other people’s abilities, as well as her own.

One of the benefits of working with The Writers For Hire, she says, is that you can always ask for help and advice from others. You’re never left alone to fend for yourself.

The exclamation point of Barb’s contributions to The Writers for Hire is her sense of humor. It helps to motivate her fellow writers and diffuse situations that can sometimes cause friction. She learned it growing up in a large family where everyone was competing to see who could be the funniest at the dinner table.

Ambassador to a Worthy Cause

In her spare time, Barb immerses herself in fundraising efforts toward the Histiocytosis Association. Her son had the rare and complicated disease when he was very young and, thanks to experimental medications, has since fully recovered. Barb wants everyone to experience the same positive outcomes, so she works to raise awareness and points parents in the right direction toward viable treatments for their children.

Her son had the disease from the time he was 17 months old to adulthood. “He had a horrible experience coping with it,” she says. “But thankfully, he’s now in full remission, and I want that for others as well.”

Barb devotes much of her time and talents to the association, from conducting fundraisers to giving speeches. By the end of this year, she will become an official ambassador to the Histiocytosis Association.

Parting Wisdom From a Master

When asked about the future of the writing profession, she says, “There will always be a role for writers since we bring something fresh to the table.” “A human writer will always understand your business better than any computer or AI algorithm can.”

When giving advice to a new writer, she says, “It’s important to recognize that, no matter how talented you are and how much you love it, it’s not easy being a writer.” “There are going to be days that are trickier than others.”