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Archive for the ‘Editing’ Category
My Dogspired Story
April 6th, 2013
Dogspired is a popular blog that was launched in 2009 by two entrepreneurial friends in the D.C. area. Their goal was to build an 
online community around a popular (and growing) subject — dogs. Eager for original stories, they put an ad on Craigslist that said simply, “Dog Blog Writers Wanted.”
When I saw the ad I was a technical writer living with three dogs. Without really knowing what a blog was, or how much it might pay to write for one, it seemed like a dream come true. I answered the ad with a big pitch for my years of writing and editing experience, as well as my years as an animal advocate.
What’s the Point?
March 1st, 2013
Writing web copy is different than writing copy for print material. I’ve written both, and here’s what I’ve found.
Readers take only seconds to assess whether a web page is worth pursuing or not, so you can’t linger on a thought. Get to your point quickly by making each word count.
1. Keep it short.
- Use short words, short sentences, short paragraphs, and short pages.
2. Keep it simple.
- Include only one or two ideas in each short paragraph.
- Use simple language and common words, even with technical subjects, so readers have to scan less to determine what a page is about.
My Company, Working Words
December 7th, 2011
I just created the website for my new company, Working Words. The domain name is myworkingwords.com. The tagline for the company is Words that work for you. Working Words offers compelling content for websites and blogs, readable technical documentation, and resumes for all professions.
Here are some highlights of my site:
Welcome – You have a website that needs some compelling content, or you have a new product and need documentation to go along with it, or maybe you need a resume for an upcoming interview. If you hire me for any of these projects, I will make sure the text is tight and just right.
Pet Site Writer
October 6th, 2011
This article by me was published on the site Best Pet Jobs. Hopefully, it inspired others to take on the job of being a writer for pet-related sites.
I am and have been a writer and an editor for a number of websites and blogs. It’s not a great way to pull in continuous income, but the rewards are endless.
For example, as Chief Editor for Dogspired, I come into contact with all sorts of authors who have all sorts of stories to tell about their dogs. I edit them, apply social media strategies, and also write some of my own articles. Along with personal stories, I publish current news articles about dog rescue and adoption, and those that take a hard look at animal welfare. Mix that in with product and book reviews, tips for dog owners (such as how to deal with separation anxiety or how to give your dog a bath), fun doggy photos and dog events, and I’ve got almost a fulltime job trying to get it all published.
How to Write Good Web Copy
October 5th, 2011
This article comes from a discussion on Linkedin. I wanted to add and share it on my blog, as it has important information about what I already do and should look forward to doing as a web content writer myself.
Writing for the Web
Writing for the web is unlike any other kind of writing. Whether you’re an author or a marketer, knowing how to write good web copy is a valuable skill. Besides the basic principles of good writing, two things make online content “good”: how easy it is to find and how well it persuades readers to take a desired action. Use the following ideas to improve your web writing skills.
Today’s Editing News
April 30th, 2011
For all of the people perusing my blog, I’d like to say that this site is not only about dogs. I write about events that happen to me, as well as writing about a compelling variety of web content. This isn’t a resume or a sample of my work, although it does show that I can write and convey a topic that is current and promising. One is web 3.0, which I will discuss in another blog post.
Recently, I have been applying to a number of Content Editor and Content Writer positions around the Seattle area. If there is a part-time gig around, it would let me work on the web sites I currently write and edit for.
Big news for me in the editing world. I am now a member of the Northwest Independent Editors Guild. I sent them my resume and application, along with a check for thirty dollars, and they got back to me just yesterday. There is a plethora of topics on the site that have to do with editing.
I read the topics covered yesterday and today, and found all sorts of information about editing blogs. Here are the ones listed:
New York Times newsroom
http://topics.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/after-deadline/
John McIntyre at The Baltimore Sun
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/mcintyre/blog/
Developmental editing -
Alan Rinzler’s The Book Deal
http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/
Author-Editor Clinic’s blog
http://theeditorspov.blogspot.com
Among other news, I’m going to add an RSS feed to my own blog. I also added the category “Editor” for this site.