Services

I provide services to help you perfect your messaging and reach your strategic goals, which helps strengthen your brand.

Copy editing

Good editors are knowledgeable, well-read, curious and empathetic. Our job is to understand the context in which something was written, the context in which it is likely to be read, and the best ways to connect the two. It’s the question we consider with every piece of copy we’re tasked with editing, and the more expansive our frame of reference the better our work will be. There’s rarely only one right answer, and no two editors edit exactly the same. Because good copy editing is subjective. It’s an art.

I specialize in copy editing for corporate and marketing communications. My breadth of experience has fuelled my success editing books, magazines, advertising and packaging copy, and websites. I have particular expertise in Canadian localization and refining French-to-English translations, and have developed in-house style guides for a number of organizations.

Copywriting

There are an endless number of ways to approach a writing project. Understanding what you’re trying to say, and to whom you’re saying it, is key—the words you choose determine the tone you set and the response it elicits in your readers. How do you advertise a new heartburn medication without turning people’s stomachs? What makes people respond to a fundraising ask? How are the cool kids talking to each other these days?

My education in literature and linguistics helps me get all the nerdy stuff right, like syntax and spelling and proper punctuation. But it’s just as important to know when to bend the rules in order to connect with readers. I have a knack for adapting to different voices, and have written compelling copy for advertising, magazine articles, newsletters, websites, internal communications, social media and other corporate collateral.

Publication production

There’s no point in crafting the perfect prose if no one is going to read it—presentation is just as important. You want your print materials to look professional and engaging, which means working with the best designers and printers to get the right results. Publications are physical objects that people see and hold before they read, and sometimes just changing a cover can have a striking effect on revenue.

I’ve published a number of business books and overseen projects from conception to production and distribution. I also have experience as the managing editor for a national health magazine, which included sourcing content, securing advertising and art direction. I know how to use design to increase revenue and readership.

Strategic communications

Every organization is different, and each has different measures of success. Your communications need to align with your strategic goals in order to be effective, and it’s important to know that there’s no cookie-cutter approach that will work for everyone.

I’ve worked in-house for a number of marketing departments, from international Fortune 500 companies to small not-for-profit organizations. This has provided me with a unique perspective on scale and finding the best marketing mix for the right budget. I’ve worked on global product launches and local public relations, intimate special events and gala fundraisers, national magazines and internal newsletters—no project is too big or too small, it’s just a matter of customizing for a perfect fit.