Alexis Kelley - Profile and Journalist Details

Beats

Biography

After succeeding, without meaning to, at: cooking aboard a 1908 paddle steamer in the Stockholm archipelago; surviving two coups d’état (West Africa and Haiti); creating makeup and hair design for Robert Wilson's Video Portraits, as well as Broadway musicals, operas, film and television; singing backup vocals for Holly Beth Vincent’s New Wave/Post Punk band; producing theater in New York; and curating art installations in Los Angeles, I made what must be described as a belly-flop, rather than a dive, into writing. If one is stubborn enough to live a long time, she may get a second chance at the passion that was her first love. Writing was the one that got away. As a young girl, I could not imagine anything more noble or glamorous than writing a book or being an investigative journalist. Instead, I went to art school in California, travelled the world, fell into a number of jobs, one of which became a career, got married four times, three times to foreigners (my friends used to call me the immigration angel), had a child (by none of the above), and read a lot. Throughout the years, I did write but it was inconsistent, often bad, and inevitably abandoned. I wrote poetry. I began essays. I had written the first chapters of a novel. And then it happened. I can tell you the precise moment I finally surrendered to the love of my youth. I can tell you what I was listening to on the radio when I knew I could not not do it anymore. It was a news story about Liberia's devastating and ongoing civil war. I can still feel the floorboards on my bare feet as the reporter's voice stopped me midway between the dining room and kitchen. Then, another voice began to drown out the radio. It was a voice coming from inside my head and it was loud. It was insistent, and it was fed up. It got louder and louder.l, until it finally screamed, "Write me! Write me! Write me!" Liberia was demanding I get off my ass and tell my story of her. That was it. No more frivolous bullshit. But where to begin? There must be a teacher in Los Angeles. A friend recommended one who wanted us to write like we speak. Why would I want to do that? I wanted to write articulately. I wanted to write beautiful sentences. I purchased some grammar books, "The Borzoi Handbook,” “Chicago Style," and a 1951 3rd edition of “Harbrace College Handbook.” I bought books by writers on writing. Another friend recommended another teacher. I will be forever indebted to her for sending me to Jim Krusoe, by many accounts the finest writing teacher this side of the Mississippi. He gave me permission to believe I belonged in an advanced creative writing class even though I lacked knowledge of the fundamentals of writing. He let me learn how to write by working on a novel. His generosity enabled me to fail and be grateful for it. A brutal thirteen years of work later, I'm thinking I might get good at this. So, you've made it this far. Christ, you made it beyond that first, one-sentence paragraph so I'm counting on another very particular generosity that may enable you to leave the porch light on and the door open for me.

Content

Total articles 3

• THE PEOPLE WE MEET ON THE WAY

  By Alexis Kelley

  Feb. 18, 2021

• THE CORONAVIRUS DISPATCHES

  By Alexis Kelley

  Apr. 24, 2020

• ONE ARTIST SAVING CALIFORNIA’S COASTLINE, ONE STRAW AT A TIME | WONDERLUST

  By Alexis Kelley

  Dec. 20, 2019

As seen in

Company Info

Freelance

Freelancer.com is the largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace in the world, connecting over 81 million employers and freelancers across more than 247 countries. Founded in 2009 and based in Sydney, Australia, the platform allows employers to post jobs while freelancers can bid on these projects. It is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker ASX:FLN. The platform supports a variety of work categories, including software development, writing, design, and marketing. Freelancer.com also offers contests for creative work, where employers can award prize money to winning entries. Users can choose from different membership plans, including free and paid subscriptions, which provide various benefits. The mobile app enhances project management and communication for users on the go. With a diverse customer base that includes individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises, Freelancer.com plays a significant role in the global online economy.