Is the journalism industry failing? Find out from a professional freelance author and content writer.
Read UC Berkeley graduate, Aida Agayeva’s thoughts on growing up in a immigrant household, finding her true passion in the arts, and writing about tough topics.
Recently, Matthew Chen (Founder, Editor-In-Chief), and Bella Chang (Editor) sat down in a Zoom meeting with Aida Agayeva to learn about her profession in the arts.
Q: When did you become interested in writing?
Agaveya: Well, when I graduated high school, I was supposed to be a nursing major because that’s what my parents wanted me to do. They’re from Azerbaijan, and we came here (to America) when I was two. They kind of had this idea that I should be a nurse or a doctor or lawyer…I know a lot of people are familiar with that.
As I graduated high school, I realized I just couldn’t look at blood, so how could I ever be a nurse?
I was taking bio courses that I wasn’t excelling in and didn’t have the passion for. I was taking English courses at the same time, and writing for publications….I enjoyed that. I took a chance, majored in English at Berkeley and that’s what I had a good time with.
My parents both don’t speak English well, so they didn’t understand how you could make a career out of writing. I had to do a lot of research on my own. Just seeing other writers and becoming inspired by their art fueled my desire and my motivation to do it.
I changed career paths pretty early on in college, but I think that any time you find yourself in a position you don’t want to be in you should see what else is out there and pursue what you want. What’s the harm?
…you should see what else is out there and pursue what you want. What’s the harm?
Q: Can you explain what doing freelance entails?
Agaveya: I worked at an actual magazine, but now that I’m freelancing, I have to do a lot of things on my own. Advocating for yourself is important because a lot of artists don’t get paid enough. You have to learn how to appreciate yourself and recognized that the work you are doing is valuable.
I’m doing content writing as a real day job, and I am a freelance writer on the side. I work for a construction company website with blog posts and a bit of marketing stuff. At the end of the day, you’re not going to get paid well for doing your art when you first start. There’s no shame in taking a side job.
Q: And what is your process to get there (a solid piece)?
Agayeva: I have to gather a lot of information, most of the time on topics that sometimes I am not well-versed in. There’s a lot of interviewing to get a sense of voice and identity for whoever I’m writing for. Along with that, it’s important to remember that at the end of the day, writing affects people. It’s never an easy process. I’m still learning the ropes and trying to absorb as much as I can right now.
I’m still learning the ropes and trying to absorb as much as I can right now.
Q: Is there a story you would like to share about being a writer?
Agaveya: My start in this industry was hard. When I first got an editorial internship, I truly felt like an imposter, like the imposter syndrome. I wrote a piece on it called “Feeling Phony: The Imposter Syndrome Effect”. When you’re an immigrant, especially among all these talented people, you always feel like your art isn’t good enough. There’s a lot of nepotism that happens. You could be more talented than the next person, but it feels like it’s always about connections in the industry.
Sometimes your art could be perfect but not appreciated. When I was working as an editorial intern at a magazine, Smart Meetings Magazine, they were accepting of me. They gave me a lot of constructive criticism which I appreciated because it was my first magazine job. That stuck with me, and I take criticism well now with my writing.
Q: What was a major setback in your artistic career?
Agaveya: 2020 hasn’t been the best year, due to the coronavirus, as I’m sure most would agree. I was supposed to have a fellowship with Business Insider as a writer, but all my internship offers got rescinded. That was a rough setback because it was going to be the first major publication I would write for. What I learned was that life comes at you fast, but things happen for a reason, so don’t just sit around when bad things happen. Take it and push yourself out there. I made sure to create an organized list of goals and pitch my writing as much as I could. Setbacks suck, but you’ll learn to appreciate them later on.
…things happen for a reason, so don’t just sit around when bad things happen.
Q: What is your ultimate goal as a writer?
Agaveya: I’ve had this goal for a long time, but I would love to be a reporter at the New York Times. The NYT has a fellowship for writers and I want to be a part of that and eventually become a reporter. Sometimes you have goals and they don’t work out, but the NYT has always been a dream of mine.
Q: What advice do you have for people going into the arts?
Agaveya: Make connections, you’ll need them. Never give up on your art, your work will get better. Look back on what you did and what you created and how you grew. I know it’s hard, but stay optimistic. My optimism got me a long way. Honestly, I wish I had had more platforms as a teen because it’s so hard to get into whatever industry you are going into. I will remember forever the organizations I wrote for that took a chance on me.
Look back on what you did and what you created and how you grew…I know it’s hard, but stay optimistic.
A big thank you to Aida Agayeva for interviewing for our Professional Artists Corner. Check out some of her work below!
Aida’s Website: https://www.aidaagayeva.com/
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