Overview

I have over 15 years of editorial experience working in business-to-consumer and business-to-business environments including, small, mid-sized and Fortune 500 companies, in various industries, from publishing, investment management, pharmaceutical, financial services, utility, to retail.

In my work as a freelance editorial consultant, I have had the wonderful opportunity to provide strategic copy development and editorial insight for a broad base of clients ranging from major educational institutions to small business startups.

Much of my freelance work recently has been copyediting non-fiction books on a wide range of topics, including: memoirs, parenting, entrepreneurship, health/wellness, estate planning, etc.

I believe that a copy editor and proofreader are the last line of defense... ensuring all copy a writer creates is accurate, consistent and supports the writer’s intended message and voice.

My reputation as a copy editor supports the qualities listed above. And my success is based on that skill set, but focused on the ability to accomplish those goals in deadline-driven environments, with assurance and grace.

Services

Languages

Non-Fiction

• Copy edited all marketing communications for Advertising and Brand Strategy department.
• Proofread, edited and consulted on brand standards for ads, bill inserts, electronic newsletters, Web pages, emails, etc.
• Managed and updated internal trademark usage by collaborating with Xcel Energy legal department and intellectual property attorneys. Served as a liaison between internal clients and outside counsel—conducting research on trademarks, communicating U.S. Patent and Trademark Office deadlines, etc.
• Maintained the corporate communications and brand guidelines.
• Launched the MOOD (Marketing Operations on Demand) project management tool by conducting new user training and customizing the online tool to address the needs of Xcel Energy. Managed the day-to-day administration and maintenance of the tool, providing one-on-one assistance to individual users.

• Edited interactive educational materials (SMART Notebook & ActivInspire—Promethean software).
• Edited traditional classroom lesson plans and online storyboards in a Web-based environment.

September 2011–December 2011 and July 2010–December 2010
• Proofread advertising and marketing collateral for weekly inserts.
• Wrote headline and technical copy for weekly circulars.
• Consulted with marketing, merchandising and traffic partners to obtain accurate, production-ready pricing and product descriptions.

• Provided copy editing and brand consultation on collateral in all mediums including online, direct mail and internal/external communications for Corporate Branding Creative Services department.
• Applied expert-level discretion to ensure high-quality product on multiple dimensions, including accuracy, consistency and sales impact of collateral.
• Evaluated layouts and proofs for clarity, organization, brand adherence, legal compliance, grammar/usage, punctuation, spelling, style and format.
• Educated team members, internal business partners and new staff on the proper use of service marks, legal disclosure, copy standards and branding guidelines.
• Collaborated with legal department to ensure all collateral adhered to legal standards.
• Maintained and updated the corporate style guidelines.

(Un)Skirting the Issues: A Guide for the Well-Intentioned Man in Today's Workplace

Bonnie Fetch, Jessica Poliner

Foreword by Dr. Steve Robbins, author of What If?: Short Stories to Spark Diversity Dialogue. Men are from Mars and women are from Venus--but when it comes to the workplace, everyone needs to come down to Earth (at least in the workplace).While countless books are aimed at teaching women to thrive in business, very few are simply aimed toward helping men to lead the journey toward gender inclu... read more

Foreword by Dr. Steve Robbins, author of What If?: Short Stories to Spark Diversity Dialogue. Men are from Mars and women are from Venus--but when it comes to the workplace, everyone needs to come down to Earth (at least in the workplace).While countless books are aimed at teaching women to thrive in business, very few are simply aimed toward helping men to lead the journey toward gender inclu... read more

Unbridled Spirit: Lessons in Life and Business from Kentucky's Most Successful Entrepreneurs

Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

Famous for college basketball, horse racing, bourbon, coal, and bluegrass music, the Commonwealth of Kentucky is also home to industries and opportunities not normally associated with it. Compiled by the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, Unbridled Spirit shares the success stories of twenty of its members—business leaders who dared to think beyond the region’s best known institutions—to enco... read more

Famous for college basketball, horse racing, bourbon, coal, and bluegrass music, the Commonwealth of Kentucky is also home to industries and opportunities not normally associated with it. Compiled by the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, Unbridled Spirit shares the success stories of twenty of its members—business leaders who dared to think beyond the region’s best known institutions—to enco... read more

Agile People: A Radical Approach for HR & Managers (That Leads to Motivated Employees)

Pia-Maria Thoren

Corporate cultures, global mindsets, and employee priorities are changing, which means management and human resources departments must also evolve. To ensure teams are well crafted, motivated, and successful, managers and HR professionals must step outside their comfort zone and adapt to younger, newer ways of thinking—they must become Agile. In Agile People, management consultant Pia-Maria Th... read more

Corporate cultures, global mindsets, and employee priorities are changing, which means management and human resources departments must also evolve. To ensure teams are well crafted, motivated, and successful, managers and HR professionals must step outside their comfort zone and adapt to younger, newer ways of thinking—they must become Agile. In Agile People, management consultant Pia-Maria Th... read more

The Leadership Manifesto: Eight Steps for Professional Development

Bill Hicks

Having a supportive mentor as one moves up the company hierarchy can make a career-changing difference—between becoming a good leader or a great one. Without a guide or the knowledge of how to truly encourage talent, aspiring leaders and seasoned executives alike can flounder. After thirty years of professional success, Bill Hicks has lived the life of corporate leadership. In The Leadership M... read more

Having a supportive mentor as one moves up the company hierarchy can make a career-changing difference—between becoming a good leader or a great one. Without a guide or the knowledge of how to truly encourage talent, aspiring leaders and seasoned executives alike can flounder. After thirty years of professional success, Bill Hicks has lived the life of corporate leadership. In The Leadership M... read more

Lift Like a Girl: Be More, Not Less.

Nia Shanks

You sweat, burn, and fast until you’re exhausted...only to fall into a tailspin of stress, overindulgence, and blame. If you’re like most women, you’ve been through this vicious cycle more times than you can count. But what if fitness wasn’t about fixing flaws and shrinking sizes? What if your workout could be uncomplicated, energizing, and even fun?Fitness coach Nia Shanks has helped countles... read more

You sweat, burn, and fast until you’re exhausted...only to fall into a tailspin of stress, overindulgence, and blame. If you’re like most women, you’ve been through this vicious cycle more times than you can count. But what if fitness wasn’t about fixing flaws and shrinking sizes? What if your workout could be uncomplicated, energizing, and even fun?Fitness coach Nia Shanks has helped countles... read more

Notes to a Young Entrepreneur: Everything a High School Student Needs to Know About Turning an Idea Into a Successful Business

Gary Nealon

You don’t have to be over twenty-one, a college grad, or even out of high school to come up with a brilliant, marketable business plan. You’re never too young to get started, and there’s no time like the present. Gary Nealon has written an essential how-to handbook for teenage visionaries who are not afraid to dream big and are ready to leave their mark on the world.A self-taught serial entrep... read more

You don’t have to be over twenty-one, a college grad, or even out of high school to come up with a brilliant, marketable business plan. You’re never too young to get started, and there’s no time like the present. Gary Nealon has written an essential how-to handbook for teenage visionaries who are not afraid to dream big and are ready to leave their mark on the world.A self-taught serial entrep... read more

Who is Carter?: An Unexpected Journey of Tragedy and Miracles

Matthew Abbott

On July 30, 2010, Matt and Emily were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby boy, Carter Matthew Abbott. Just six days later, Matt and Emily were faced with the decision to either take Carter off of life support or continue down a path with little to no hope of a life or future for their newborn son. Who Is Carter? is the true story of how the Abbotts embraced possibilities over limitations,... read more

On July 30, 2010, Matt and Emily were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby boy, Carter Matthew Abbott. Just six days later, Matt and Emily were faced with the decision to either take Carter off of life support or continue down a path with little to no hope of a life or future for their newborn son. Who Is Carter? is the true story of how the Abbotts embraced possibilities over limitations,... read more

Win-Win Revolution: An Insider's Guide To Investing In the Secondary Mortgage Market

Bill Bymel

Nearly a decade after the subprime mortgage meltdown of 2008, tens of billions of dollars’ worth of real estate remains in distress, and there are sizeable profits to be made by investors in the secondary market. Purchasing nonperforming loans (NPLs) from banks at rock-bottom prices doesn’t make you the “bad guy.” Resolving this debt doesn’t have to come at the expense of the people who defaul... read more

Nearly a decade after the subprime mortgage meltdown of 2008, tens of billions of dollars’ worth of real estate remains in distress, and there are sizeable profits to be made by investors in the secondary market. Purchasing nonperforming loans (NPLs) from banks at rock-bottom prices doesn’t make you the “bad guy.” Resolving this debt doesn’t have to come at the expense of the people who defaul... read more

Rise: The Reincarnation of an Entrepreneur

Michael Erath

When the housing market crashed in 2009, Michael Erath lost everything. Due to a combination of declining sales, betrayals from key staff, and personal shortcomings, Michael went from owning two multimillion dollar businesses to almost destroying his marriage, losing his home and companies, and struggling to make ends meet. But he didn't let failure keep him down. Instead, he learned from his ... read more

When the housing market crashed in 2009, Michael Erath lost everything. Due to a combination of declining sales, betrayals from key staff, and personal shortcomings, Michael went from owning two multimillion dollar businesses to almost destroying his marriage, losing his home and companies, and struggling to make ends meet. But he didn't let failure keep him down. Instead, he learned from his ... read more

Savvy Estate Planning: What You Need to Know Before You Talk to the Right Lawyer

James L. Cunningham Jr.

Too many people make the wrong choices when it comes to estate planning. If it’s not done properly, you could leave your loved ones facing trouble when you pass away or become incapacitated.Fortunately, you can learn from others’ mistakes and be prepared before speaking to a lawyer about your future.In this no-nonsense guide, attorney James L. Cunningham, Jr. shows how to avoid the top-ten mis... read more

Too many people make the wrong choices when it comes to estate planning. If it’s not done properly, you could leave your loved ones facing trouble when you pass away or become incapacitated.Fortunately, you can learn from others’ mistakes and be prepared before speaking to a lawyer about your future.In this no-nonsense guide, attorney James L. Cunningham, Jr. shows how to avoid the top-ten mis... read more

Skip College, Start Programming: The Complete How-To Guide to Teaching Yourself Software Development

Sam Hinton

The world today is filled with technology that allows us to interact with nearly every aspect of our lives. In this digital landscape, it's no wonder that so many people have ideas for computer programs. But contrary to what many professionals claim, creating apps and software doesn't require a degree in computer science. Anyone can learn how to code--and Sam Hinton can show you how.Skip Colle... read more

The world today is filled with technology that allows us to interact with nearly every aspect of our lives. In this digital landscape, it's no wonder that so many people have ideas for computer programs. But contrary to what many professionals claim, creating apps and software doesn't require a degree in computer science. Anyone can learn how to code--and Sam Hinton can show you how.Skip Colle... read more

Rocking the Ship: Turning Corporate Managers into Business Model Mavericks

Uli Grothe, Mat Lock

If you want to future-proof your business, you need to challenge the status quo. Rocking the Ship enables you to create and implement groundbreaking innovations.You will... Understand why your company struggles to create business innovations Learn how to develop disruptive business models systematically Attain intellectual leadership by virtually and playfully attacking your own industry Creat... read more

If you want to future-proof your business, you need to challenge the status quo. Rocking the Ship enables you to create and implement groundbreaking innovations.You will... Understand why your company struggles to create business innovations Learn how to develop disruptive business models systematically Attain intellectual leadership by virtually and playfully attacking your own industry Creat... read more

I Call Bullshit: Live Your Life, Not Someone Else's

Joshua Miller

Joshua Miller wants you to be happy. Not just getting by, not just successful by society’s standards, but can’t-wait- to-wake- up-every- single-day happy. If you’re shaking your head, convinced that this is impossible for you, Joshua calls bullshit. The life you want is attainable—you simply need to reconnect with the person you really are.I Call Bullshit: Live Your Life, Not Someone Else’s ta... read more

Joshua Miller wants you to be happy. Not just getting by, not just successful by society’s standards, but can’t-wait- to-wake- up-every- single-day happy. If you’re shaking your head, convinced that this is impossible for you, Joshua calls bullshit. The life you want is attainable—you simply need to reconnect with the person you really are.I Call Bullshit: Live Your Life, Not Someone Else’s ta... read more