Have you ever stopped to look at how your experiences have added up to where you are now? It’s quite invigorating and encouraging when you connect the dots between all you’ve done. The patterns that show up, the passions that emerge… It can be very valuable information into what you truly desire to do. In fact, it could create a map to show where you’re heading.
Well, come to find out, telling stories (and polishing them up!) has always been at the heart of the work I do.
When I sat down to reflect on my work history to see how my previous experience bolsters my credibility as a book editor… I came up with quite a bit, and I’m excited to share it with you!
The Road That Led to My Editing Career: A CV
As an IT assistant during college…
I got to assist in writing a cybersecurity newsletter that broke down complex technical stories into actionable ways to protect yourself online. Just a couple of years of this work led to me taking over the helm of that monthly newsletter to this very day, sharing important cyber news stories and tips for a 50,000+ organization to bolster cybersecurity awareness and to protect their employees and company assets.
In my university’s sports media office…
I learned the importance of editing while writing athlete feature stories. I also learned that the red pen can be wielded for good to create more powerful language choices for compelling stories.
My speedy keyboarding skills were also put to the test in transcribing interviews for sporting news updates (85+ WPM, thank you very much).
In the newsroom…
I got to help curate stories from the endless influx of news submissions and also write news stories for the web.
But my favorite part of that job was proofreading broadcast lower third headlines (the ones at the bottom of the screen) as well as cleaning up and creating a better flow to the scripts for the anchors, so they wouldn’t stumble over their words or mispronounce names.
Although not entirely PC, I did earn the moniker among colleagues as the “AP Nazi” for keeping the station’s web & broadcast content aligned with the Associated Press guidelines. I even remember a producer saying, “Did Mikael take her pass yet? Then, we’re good to go.”
As a communications coordinator for a state business association…
I got to write about all things business for social media, email marketing, radio spots, and website content—while proofreading anything the association sent out. I became fondly known as “The Machine” for punching out efficient proofreads in a pinch for almost all of the departments within the chamber.
I also took tremendous pride in being the head curator and editor for their annual magazine, Life in Utah, for the two years I was there before taking the leap to move to New York City to explore performance opportunities.
They even trusted me enough to keep me on as a contract editor for subsequent issues and important documents after my departure. (And colleagues from that office still call me on occasion for quick proofreads!)
As an actor & performer…
I literally got to put on a show telling all kinds of stories. I got to tap into characters, their motivations, how they change through a story, and emotionally dive into what it takes to make their story seem real and relatable on stage. And this is critical to understanding characters and story arcs in books!
When those gigs led to teaching music and performance to elementary students, I got to create story plans to keep the littles engaged in learning the fundamentals of music (all while singing silly songs!). Getting to know the stories of the children I got to teach was a new kind of thrill (and so was their excitement for my weekly visit).
As a freelance writer & editor in the Big Apple…
I got to connect with a wide variety of entrepreneurs and businesses to translate their messages and stories into about pages, blog posts and articles, press releases, and other web copy and content. I got to offer college essay & SAT/ACT essay prep feedback to students preparing for their next stage of life.
This is where I learned copywriting and writing on the fly (Fiverr is a whole thing, my friends). My quick typing and ability to break down complex concepts into relatable and understandable stories really came in handy!
And now, as a book editor and copyeditor…
Editing and proofreading seemed to always be one-off jobs… Until I got the invitation to become a contract book editor from a friend, who also helped edit my own book, that would light a fire deep within me that just couldn’t be squelched. My career focus was found!
Now I take content and stories and make them shine, by cleaning up the text to keep readers engaged in the moment and in the story. I bring consistency and polish to dialogue, characters, and narrative arcs, so it all makes sense to your audience.
And the message you’re trying to communicate? It actually reaches them so they say, “I really needed to read this right now.”
Because… We all have a voice. We all have a message. And we all have a story.
And that brings me to one of the mottos of The Intuitive Editor:
Your story matters. Your message matters.
Your words matter.
And your story deserves to be told in a way that you’re proud of.
So, ultimately, my favorite thing is polishing up words & stories to make them shine and work for you rather than against you.
It took a while, but eventually I discovered that this is the work I can get utterly lost in because I love it so much. Improving others’ writing (even my own) has been a lifelong passion, and sharing ways to create a more impactful statement or message? My version of Turkish delight.
Believe me, I know it can be so nerve-wrecking to put your words out there, and my hope is that my storytelling and editing expertise will improve your writing and storytelling abilities while instilling the confidence to share your message without fear of looking inexperienced or unprofessional.
You deserve to be seen and heard in your full glory, and it’d be my utter pleasure to help you proof & polish your story to help you share it with the world.
If you’d like to work with me, discover my editorial services over here. I look forward to discovering your story & helping you to proof & polish it!
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com
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