The Freelance Diaries is part how-to manual, part journal that details what it takes to be a journalist in today's gig economy. Melissa Simpson is a freelance journalist, blogger, writer, IT specialist and Temple University student. The Philly native began her freelance career in 2012 and has since written for XPN's The Key, Jump magazine, PhillyVoice, Technical.ly Philly, Philly.com and Generocity. Melissa explores her creative writing skills through prose, short stories and creative nonfiction. Much of her work relates to blackness and contemporary womanhood. In addition to her work as a writer, she assists with event planning and programming for cineSPEAK, a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering the representation of people of color in media.