Name: Caitlin West
City: Scranton, Pa.
How long have you been writing? I started writing around 6 years old. As soon as I knew how to write, I made up my own stories. I got a paid job working for the teen section of my local newspaper in ninth grade and did that all through high school. After college, I started working at another daily newspaper and have worked as a reporter, paginator and editor for newspapers for the last 16 years.
Why did you become a writer? I loved reading, and as a kid, I wanted to come up with tales of my own. Fiction eventually evolved into journalism.
What verticals do you write about? For PowerPublish, I’ve written mainly about healthcare, but I’m a journalist, so I can and do write about anything. I don’t think in terms of verticals.
What is a favorite article you have written in your career? I followed a lead about land that was going to be sold, which would have negatively impacted a rural area; the story brought the matter to the public’s attention, and the land ended up being preserved and made part of an adjacent state park. It was amazing to see the impact a story can have.
What is a hobby or something fun about you? I am an avid crocheter.