Member Snapshot: Ericka Chickowski

Where do you get your news?

The question should really be: Where don't I get my news? If I'm not reading the paper or the stacks of magazines I get every month, I'm online surfing for interesting stories. I'd say my most frequent stops are at Fark or The Drudge Report.

What's your order in a coffee shop?

A tall iced tea, no sugar.

If you knew you could not fail, what would you do?

I think I would embark on a career as a travel writer and novelist.

Where do you get ideas for your writing?

All it takes is opening my eyes every morning. Most writers know that story ideas are as plentiful as rain in Seattle. The trick is being disciplined enough to act on them.

How did you learn about Writergrrls?

When I got out of college, I applied for a job as a technical writer. The hiring manager wanted to hire me, but her boss didn't think I had enough experience. He was probably right, and I'm actually glad I didn't get the job because I got something else that suited me better. But at the time the hiring manager took pity on me and directed me to the list for moral support. I've been a member ever since.

Describe your writing routine.

It usually involves a looming deadline and a lot of staring at the monitor. Honestly, it is hard to pinpoint a routine because my schedule is so hectic. My writing timetable depends on what I have due next and how much reporting I've already done for the story in question.

What are you currently reading?

I just finished reading Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and I'm about to start The Meaning of Ichiro.

What's your favorite book this week?

I'm tempted to answer with Writer's Market 2004, just because I'm working so hard to build my freelance base right now. But as far as fiction goes, I think it is a tie between The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen and Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold.

What's your best quality?

I'm a hard worker and I multi-task very well.

What would you change about yourself?

This is kind of a case of my biggest strength also being a weakness. Because I can handle a lot of different projects at once, I am prone to overcommitment. I wish I could say "No" more often.

Ericka Chickowski is a local editor and freelance writer.