ANNA FRYMIRE
I studied English literature and criminal justice at the University of Colorado Denver. After graduation, I envisioned a successful career as a journalist, lawyer, or entertainer. So, naturally, I went back to my high school job.
Summer
I spent my first summer post-graduation as a barista in my hometown, Castle Rock, CO. The pay was abysmal, but the free coffee made up for it. Coffee is still my vice of choice. It goes with everything. Even French fries.
Autumn
New seasons brought new opportunities. In October 2012, I began my job as a juvenile diversion program coordinator. I rewrote training manuals, managed case files, and broke through bureaucratic walls with persuasive proposals. Then, in 2015, I married my best friend and moved to Las Vegas, NV.
As a server at a French cafe in the desert, I solidified my ability to describe the most common foods in the most luxurious terms. To some, it was just a menu. To me, it was a foray into food journalism.
When I began my job at a dropout prevention nonprofit in 2016, my eyes were opened to poverty and systemic oppression in America. I worked in an immigrant neighborhood at an overlooked, but wonderful elementary school. Determined to connect with a community that was unfamiliar, I became a good listener.
Then my husband and I started 2018 with a move to Vacaville, CA. I worked as the reentry case manager at the juvenile detention facility. Tasked with building a reentry program as I worked it, I wrote the job descriptions, intake forms, and resource booklets. I never knew that my technical writing skills could be so useful. Or, that I could use so many sticky notes.
Winter
As you may have noticed, I move every few years. This is a nonnegotiable part of my husband’s job and it’s an incredible adventure! But reinventing yourself every few years is exhausting. I knew I wanted a consistent job as a writer so, in 2019, I left my career in nonprofits and started writing full-time. Yes, I felt overwhelmed. No, I didn’t quit.
Spring
Tough winters make strong people. My unconventional career and transition to freelancing makes me a dynamic writer. From restaurant profiles to nonprofit grants to business proposals, I love bringing “everyday stories” to the forefront where they belong. Most of all, I love hearing my clients’ excitement over their projects, learning through listening, and the way food brings unexpected people together at one table. These are the experiences that stretch and inspire me. What’s your story?