Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Dickey.
Hi Brittany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
For over a millennium, stories have connected humans.
But, as a young girl, stories offered me an escape from the tough aspects of my childhood. My mother would discover me buried in a book, millions of miles away from our shattered little home. My love of stories made me a voracious reader, an avid student, and eventually a college graduate. I trekked bridge after bridge, using academia as a wonderful escape. I studied abroad and published research about a nonprofit I followed during my trip to London.
I graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in corporate communications and a minor in human rights in 2012. After college, I dabbled in account management at a local SaaS company before tripping into marketing in 2018. I’ll never forget the day an interviewer told me I was a writer and offered me a freelance writing position instead of the account management role I applied for. The rest is history!
As a senior copywriter, I’ve created impactful marketing campaigns for companies like Comcast, Slack, and Walmart eCommerce. I’ve written TV commercials and billboards for the health departments of Maine and Illinois, respectively. This year, I’ve dived into freelance journalism, making mental health content digestible for BlackDoctor’s diverse audience!
Like most bookworms, I always excelled at writing. Eventually, I began building bridges back to the younger parts of myself. After years of work in therapy, I finally felt safe connecting with others through my writing.
And it’s like one day I looked up and realized I’d blossomed into a dynamic storyteller—a concrete rose.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey was anything but smooth!
Reflecting on it, I realize that many of my early struggles stemmed from being houseless. We moved frequently, stayed in hotels, and often lived with members of our church community. So, my focus in high school was more on survival than academics. Despite participating in the Accounting Career Awareness Program, which introduced me to SMU, my GPA wasn’t high enough for acceptance on my first try.
I started my college career at UTA, but after a few semesters, I transferred to Tarrant County Community College. It was there, while working and studying full-time, that I began to find my footing. As my financial situation improved, so did my academic performance.
When I reapplied to SMU, I had not only a stronger GPA but also a newfound confidence. I articulated my unique perspective that would contribute to the SMU community during my interview. The moment I received my acceptance letter, I was overwhelmed with tears of joy—it felt like a dream come true. I thrived in my studies, but just as quickly as I found success, I faced another challenge: a relative who had promised to support me financially backed out, forcing me to return to full-time work while completing my degree. I climbed mountain after mountain and, with hard work and the grace of God, still reached every goal I set for myself before graduating.
After graduation, I became a good account manager and eventually an excellent professional writer. But corporate America brought its own set of struggles.
I remember constantly feeling like the bold creativity that my professors celebrated in college was a hindrance at my “big-girl job.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a freelance writer. And whether I’m writing a social media ad for under-eye cream or exploring the subtle power of art gawking as a stress-relief technique in an article, my goal is always to create a soft place for the reader to land. I want them to feel safe and seen and understood. To that end, a throughline in my portfolio of work is my unwavering commitment to mental health advocacy.
What distinguishes me from other writers is my ability to envision a target audience deeply. I create imaginary worlds for them, filled with challenges they eagerly anticipate overcoming. My empathetic approach allows my content to resonate, cutting through the noise of any industry.
After eight years of professional writing, I remain incredibly grateful for my passion. The joy I feel while meticulously refining a piece—until I finally manage to capture everything it wants to say—is unmatched!
How do you think about luck?
Luck has certainly played a role in my career trajectory. For instance, I landed my second freelance client while babysitting. When she asked about my schooling and what I did outside of nannying, I smiled and said, “I’m a freelance writer! Would you like to see my portfolio?”
There have been several key moments when being in the right place at the right time propelled my writing career forward. But when those opportunities arose, I was always prepared to showcase my skills. And so my readiness allowed me to turn chance encounters into meaningful connections.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.brittanydickey.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanydickey/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/bdickeyhttps://linktr.ee/bdickey
