Much of my early writing development was in non-writing jobs. I've always been a writer, and my managers invariably figured this out and utilized my writing skills in whatever capacity best served their needs. I did a lot of corporate writing in my early working career, drafting and editing correspondence, reports and compiling analyses for my managers.
By 2004, I had also gotten involved in marketing writing. While this began in a largely incidental manner, it played an increasing role in my job responsibilities as my career progressed. Each position I took utilized my writing skills more intensely, both in marketing and corporate writing, until I realized that those were the portions of the job I enjoyed the most.
I did some freelance writing for organizations once I moved to Boston in 2005. I wrote a few newsletters, and provided articles and content for publications for groups with whom I'd become involved. In 2007, a more substantial freelance writing job literally fell into my lap, and I began actively pursuing freelance writing opportunities in addition to my full-time employment.
By the end of 2008, I'd done enough freelance writing professionally to realize that it was the job for me. I had built a strong core of repeat clients that would enable me to support myself financially, so I left the law firm and became a full-time freelance writer. I've been doing it ever since, and not a day has gone by that I regret the decision to freelance full-time.