Hello! So glad you’re here.

Who?

Frankly, I’d rather hear about you. And take some notes. (I always take notes.) But in case you’re wondering, I’m Emily E. Smith, a journalist, writer and editor.

I write reported features for publications like The Guardian, Smithsonian and Atlas Obscura, among others. I also write for brands about topics including innovation and personal finance. 

Since when?

My career began more than a decade ago when I started as a reporter at The Oregonian, in Portland. That was my hometown newspaper, the one that made me want to be a journalist in the first place. I covered courts, crime and local government there for more than six years.

In 2016, I became a full-time freelancer. As a freelance writer and editor, I’ve been fortunate to work with national media outlets, major brands, universities and nonprofits.

So, what exactly do you write about?

When I became a freelance journalist, I decided I didn’t want to cover a specific beat. I intensely loved beat reporting when I was a staff reporter, but I was ready for a change. These days, I’m happy to pursue my curiosity wherever it takes me.

That said, if you’re an assigning editor who’s wondering just what the hell I like to write about, I wish I could narrow it down for you! I’m interested in pretty much everything, which is how I ended up in this profession. That, and an early-onset, chronic compulsion to report and write.

But broadly speaking, I’m interested in empathy. I spend a lot of time thinking about ambition and failure, trying and not trying, and access to opportunity. I’m interested in loneliness, and dreams deferred. Perhaps most of all, I’m interested in resilience.

These themes exist in surprising places. For that reason, if you’re here because you’d like me to cover a weather story or a cat show, I’d never want you to rule me out. (In fact, I’m particularly interested in those subjects. I told you: pretty much everything.)

What about your brand work?

Oh, thanks for asking. For clients in the financial space, I cover topics like budgeting, investing and retirement. For a variety of other companies and agency clients, I write about medical breakthroughs, emerging technology and the innovations shaping our world today. I also write profiles and features for university publications.

TL;DR

University of Oregon grad. Forever curious. Tempermentally unobtrusive. Relentless. Older than I look.