Writing

Let's start with a few questions: What do you want to say? How do you want to express your mission and goals? What's your story? 

A good story is key to growing your business or organization. Author and editor Brian Doyle wrote that “information and data is useful at best, but no more than that; whereas a story (and the best stories are always about people) engages, thrills, horrifies, inspires, moves, startles, stuns, shocks, hilariates, and causes readers, while weeping and laughing, to throw money at you.”

I want to help make your clients and readers weep, laugh, and throw money at you.

I apply my journalism experience and integrity to the task of telling your story. I’ve penned newspaper, magazine, and website articles; ghostwritten blogs, op-eds, press releases, email communications and speeches; and written website copy for colleges, small businesses, nonprofits and more.

Whoever the audience may be, the best way to get anyone to invest – be it dollars, time, or emotions – is to tell them the stories of real people, people who are breaking the mold, asking the tough questions, and challenging the status quo. 

People like you. 

It would be my pleasure and privilege to tell your story. 

Editing

Let's say you're a good writer, or you think you are. You know how to tell a story. You've developed a style, your own flair. 

You still need an editor.

Ever heard the saying “a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client”? Likewise, the writer who relies only on his or her own editing skills is also foolish.  

A good editor is your first line of defense, another pair of eyes. Your editor can tell you if you’re off-tone, losing the thread, writing above readers’ heads, being repetitive, repeating yourself, or just being really boring, pompous, long-winded, etc. A good editor represents your reader. She’s there to help make sure your writing can reach your audience in the way you want it to.

Your editor is also there to cover your … behind. When you are trying to convince people to do something, buy something, or believe something, a tiny mistake can hurt your whole message. I’ve read thoughtful essays or convincing arguments, but been put off by the author using the wrong form of a homophone or misplacing an apostrophe.

And lest I seem to be passing myself off as someone who is immune to errors, I once sent a carefully worded cover letter describing what an excellent contribution I could make TO THE COMPANY'S MAIN COMPETITOR. Yes, in the course applying for many jobs, I once forgot to make sure I was using the correct company name. This error taught me a lesson I will never forget:  Even a professional writer needs an editor.