FREE-LANCE

  editorial & design

2002-present  scribeJM

INDEPENDENT EDITORIAL & DESIGN SPECIALIST
Providing editorial and graphic design services to individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations, including manuscript consultation, beta reading, content and line editing, copyediting, feature and copy writing, graphic design, publication design, data management, research and documentation, also website design, maintenance and hosting. See Client List link for partial list of clients served.

  QUALIFICATIONS

• Professional copy editor (novels, short stories, features, news) 
• Published features writer, beat reporter and public relations copywriter

• Advanced research and documentation skills

• Extensive working knowledge of AP style
• Publication design from concept and content to layout
• Logo design, feature graphics, line illustration, brochure and ad design
• Website design and content management

  MACINTOSH PLATFORM

• Advanced user of MS Word, BookWright, Quark XPress, Adobe Photoshop, Wix website design 


  CORPORATE HISTORY

  editorial & design

1/90-5/02 TVData, Queensbury, NY 
(Initially hired by United Media, the company eventually sold to Tribune Media Services.)
An international syndicator providing print and interactive TV programming information

and editorial features.

   11/99-5/02 SENIOR COPY EDITOR, Features Department, Publishing Division, TVData
     Full-time staff (long-distance telecommuter from 8/98-5/02)
     • Origination editing of major entertainment features for national and international syndication.
     • Copyediting of text to correct errors in grammar, spelling, verification, usage and style.
     • Composition of headlines and captions. Rewrites of copy to tighten and smooth awkward transitions.
     • Design for magazine prototypes from concept to layout,

       including content structure, composition of headlines and headers, and copyediting content

       for style and fit.
     • Design of corporate brochure, product logos, feature package layout, sellsheets and promotional art

      for several departments, including international sales, cable sales, national ad sales and publishing.
    • PATENT PENDING: Invention: Television programming with rapid lookup capabilities

    8/95-11/99 SENIOR EDITOR, Copy Desk, Editorial Division, TVData
     Full-time staff
     • Copyediting of national and international listings and features. 
     • Database maintenance with input on improving the system.
     • Assist in daily and long-range management of 15-person copy desk.
     • Co-author of TVData stylebooks, also publication design.
     • Key authority on TVData and AP style for copy desk, editorial, pagination and various

       department managers, initiating and implementing additions, exceptions and revisions.
     • Initiate and coordinate new procedures, streamline established procedures,    

       including workload distribution, coverage and revision systems.
     • Monitor and evaluate individual and team performance.
     • Design and author column for copy desk newsletter (company-wide distribution).
     • Achieved special recognition in 1997, 1998 and 1999 for outstanding achievements in accuracy.
     • Design graphics and layout for various departments on an on-call basis.

    9/90-1/95 COPY EDITOR, Copy Desk, Editorial Division, TVData 
     (promoted to Senior Editor January 1995)
     • Copyedit of national TV listings and features, including database content maintenance.
     • Assist in ongoing development of TVData style and standards.
     • Assist in ongoing development of new database functions and format, including beta testing.
     • Train new copy editors, organize and assign team workload.

   1/90-9/90 COMPOSITION SPECIALIST, TV Update Division (United Media) 
    (division sold and relocated 1990)
     • Composition of weekly TV book prototypes to client specs for national sales staff.
     • Preparation of special design projects and prototype layouts.

1986-90 The Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY  
A 35,000 circulation daily serving the New York Adirondack region.
   STAFF WRITER & ARTS COVERAGE COORDINATOR
    • Establish regional arts beat, schedule and assign all arts coverage.
    • Write features focusing on the arts, local culture, interviews, reviews of touring

      theater and concerts, and local news stories.
    • Stories regularly submitted by managing editor for media achievement award competitions.
    • Train, supervise and copyedit the work of free-lancers and interns on my beat.
    • Achieved special recognition for improved graphic design of TV magazine Encore.
 

1985-86 Regency Pubications, Saratoga Springs, NY

   EDITOR and ART DIRECTOR

    • Determine content, assign writers,and edit all copy

    • Design magazine brand, all layouts and graphics

    • Work closely with photographers to create visual accompaniment to articles

    • In charge of interviewing, hiring and mentoring contributing writers

1984-85 Glen Street Publishing Co., Glens Falls, NY 

(later sold to Regency Pubications)

   ASSOCIATE EDITOR 
Bi-annual regional magazines covering Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties of New York.
    • Write lead features for regional magazines
    • In charge of interviewing, hiring and mentoring contributing writers
    • Content advisor
    • Design all layout, including creation of specialty graphics

1982-84 The Warrensburg-Lake George News, Warrensburg, NY 
Denton Publications 
Regional weekly newspaper for the upper Adirondack region. Later evolved into The Adirondack Journal
   ASSOCIATE EDITOR 
    • Copyediting for all content
    • Interview, hire and mentor contributing writers
    • Design special layouts and graphics 

1981-82 The Chronicle, Glens Falls, NY  
Regional weekly newspaper for the upper lower Adirondack region.
   ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
    • Design ad layouts and feature headers 

    • Create orignal graphics for publication, ads and layouts

1980-81 Adirondack Scenic, Chestertown, NY

    free-lance APPRENTICE PAINTER
    • Scenic design for a variery of theatrical productions on and off Broadway, and across the United States and Canada.

1981-82 miniscule productions, Glens Falls, NY  
A small format, non-profit small format film production company specializing in animation.
   CO-DIRECTOR
    • Animation in 3-dimensional clay and 2-dimensional paper; pixilation of objects and people

    • Animate short films for personal commissions, commercial and educational outlets
    • Childrens workshops in animated filmmaking, from story boarding to creation of short claymation films of their own design.

    • Demonstrtions for public school systems, libraries and youth organizations

  EDUCATION

SUNY Adirondack, Queensbury, NY 12804 
   English and theatre majors
    • English tutor on campus, mentoring students in the classroom and writing lab. 
    • Co-teach Freshman English alongside professor and substitute teach for the English department.

 

    HONORS
    Dean’s List, Special Service Citation (for achievements in English), Who’s Who in American Colleges

East Islip High School, Islip Terrace, NY 
   Graduated with a NYS Regents Diploma

 

    HONORS
   EIHS Scholarship Pin, Honor Roll, Honor Society

  SUPPORT

  & volunteer

• RIF (Reading Is Fundamental)
• Habitat for Humanity
• Connecticut Humane Society
• Connecticut Food Bank
• Make-A-Wish
• Special Olympics
• The National WWII Museum