Meet Lecy Beth
pronounced Lee-see (she/her)
Lecy Beth is a freelance writer focusing on the topics of chronic illness and disability, mental health, relationships, creativity, books, and food. Her work has been featured in various print and digital publications.
She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains where she is currently working on two books. She spends her free time cooking, reading, practicing yoga, traveling with her partner, cuddling her two cats, managing a chronic illness, and bingeing on The West Wing.
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My love of the written word started early in my childhood, stapling together handmade books complete with illustrations in crayon and marker. I became official at eight years old when I had my first story published in the school newspaper. After that, I was always writing short stories and poetry. I was the editor of my high school paper, and in college, I made money writing research papers for fellow students. Throughout my professional life, I’ve found ways to incorporate writing into my 9 to 5 jobs, many times, letters appealing denied medical insurance claims.
Now, I focus on writing for a living, letting my words tell a story for clients. In addition to being available for freelance work, I also write creatively, publishing personal essays in several print and digital magazines, as well as on Medium, and a blog here on this website. In my spare time, I’m drafting a novel and a nonfiction book about sibling grief.
In October 2022, I joined the planning committee for the Women’s Mental Health Conference at Yale and served as chair of the marketing subcommittee, where I created branded content and marketed over forty speakers for their two-day hybrid event.
In 2010, I was diagnosed with a life-threatening chronic illness after years of countless unexplained symptoms and fruitless consults with doctors. During this time, I suffered a lot of medical gaslighting which caused complex PTSD. I had to learn to speak up about my symptoms when dealing with physicians who were minimizing my experience.
The diagnosis changed my life in a massive way and forced me to put my health and well-being above all else. It also opened my eyes to the discrimination that those with chronic illnesses and disabilities face every day. In addition to promoting awareness of invisible illness and disability, I’ve extended my advocacy a step further to include making sure there is diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of my professional projects. This has become an important part of my mission and something I strive to highlight in my work.
Currently, I live in the mountains outside of Washington, DC with my partner, Frank, and our two cats, Moto and Kawi. We enjoy a quiet life, but one filled with adventure, including travel, food, and hitting up our local independent bookstores.
→ Related: Self Image | 2020, a mini biographical blog post ←
For queries about my work or for my press kit and writing samples, please contact me via email.
