I don't have time to write

Writing content like email newsletters and blog posts take time. Let me take that off your shoulders and you can focus your time on the more important parts of your business

I am not naturally good at writing

Not everyone has an affinity for words. Thankfully, I love organizing what you want to say onto digital paper. I'd be happy for you to delegate this difficult task to me.

I have trouble writing like a real human

No one likes reading boring content that feels like a dry lecture. I write to emotionally and mentally connect with your audience so that your story inspires, educates and entertains.

what is sum on sleeve

If you’re ASIAN or have Asian friends, you’ve probably heard of Dim Sum. Sum is ‘HEART’ and Dim is a ‘point/small bit’.

I’ve ALWAYS worn my heart on my sleeveGrowing up as an Asian-Canadian, it’s been a journey to be able to talk about my feelings not just show it on my face.

Now I’m taking the next step in capturing those words on “paper.” 

And I want to help you find your voice so you can emotionally and mentally connect with the hearts and minds of your audience.

I want to work for people who truly appreciate what I do for them, who believe what I believe. I want to help businesses with missions and visions that match my own.

I want to help people put their words to paper when they can’t seem to find them. I want to help them discover their voice so they can tell their stories authentically.

I want to write articles that inspire people to talk about their feelings despite growing up in a culture that hid them.

It’s been over a year since I self-published 3 books, one about brutally honest dating advice, another about how to deal with Asian parents and lastly, one about how to have a healthy marriage.

Here are 4 lessons that I learned:

Authenticity, candour, real talk 100%…this is what readers value when they consume a story.

They don’t want fluff. They don’t want to be talked down to. They don’t want posers. They’re too smart for that. They know when you’re faking it. They can read between the lines of posturing.

How can you get down to earth through your words so that a stranger feels like they know you without ever meeting you?

I mainly write personal stories with lessons learned, aiming to help the reader increase their self-awareness, learn to love themselves, and improve their relationships.

During the past 5 years of blogging, writing about personal growth has made me grow. I am what I consume and I am what I write.

Coming up with ideas to write is one of the most challenging parts of being a writer. What has worked for me is to reflect on my past, mindfully document my present, and visualize my future.

Should a writer focus on writing high-quality articles or writing a ton?

Does quality or quantity matter more?

The question is fundamentally flawed.

When I made the decision to start freelancing, the first thing I had to do was realistically figure out my rate.

Here’s the method that I created (From someone who’s been employed her entire 15+ years career)

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who is behind sum on sleeve?

Katharine Chan is an author of three books and a Top 30 Vancouver Mom Blogger. She has over a decade of experience working in British Columbia’s healthcare system, leading patient safety incident investigations, quality improvement projects and change management initiatives within mental health, emergency health services and women’s health.
Her blog, Sum (心,♡) on Sleeve is a raw and honest look at self-love, culture, relationships and parenthood. She shares personal stories to empower others to talk about their feelings despite growing up in a culture that hides them. She’s appeared as a guest on CBC News Radio and Fairchild TV News and contributed to HuffPost Canada and Scary Mommy.

As seen in

Writing samples

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Featured story

When I became a mother, it challenged me to take a stance.

Now that I’m in my parents’ position…what do I want to preserve for the next generation? What values, beliefs and priorities do I want to instill in my kids? How certain am I that who I am is who I want to be?