Her articles appeared in various publications, including the Housewife, Housekeeper, Housekeeper's Weekly, Christian at Work, Demorest's Monthly Magazine, Arthur's Lady's Home Magazine, The Youth's Companion, the Congregationalist, the Portland Transcript, Ladles' World, Good Cheer, The Philadelphia Press, the Chicago Ledger, the Golden Rule, the Household, Good Housekeeping and St. Nicholas Magazine.

[2] Colby was of English descent on both sides of the family and inherited literary talents from ancestors connected with Daniel Webster.

[4] Later, she wrote considerably for juvenile publications, and she was also an acknowledged authority regarding domestic topics.

Her articles appeared in the Housewife, Housekeeper, Housekeeper's Weekly, Christian at Work, Demorest's Monthly Magazine, Arthur's Lady's Home Magazine, The Youth's Companion, the Congregationalist, the Portland Transcript, Ladles' World, Good Cheer, The Philadelphia Press, the Chicago Ledger, the Golden Rule, the Household, Good Housekeeping and St. Nicholas For five years, she served as fashion editor of the "Household."

A staunch advocate of temperance and equal rights for both sexes, she furthered these through her writing.