words & punctuation
I am a postgraduate student in the Digital Communication and Culture program at the University of Sydney. As part of my coursework, I have chosen to do an independent research project on “The Authorship Game: Online content production in the age of the algorithm”. This thesis will be completed in June 2012.
I currently work at the university’s Writing Hub as a tutor and research assistant. I also wield a red pen and style manual as a freelance editor and writer.
Want to work with me? Let’s connect. My work experience includes editing, technical writing, creative nonfiction, publication management, web design, and social media. To learn more, please see my curriculum vitae.
featured work
Colours in My Hand is a book by Japanese artist Ayako Rokkaku.
The book is a showcase of Ayako’s art, with minimal text explaining her creative process. The text is Ayako’s own words, translated from Japanese to English by Hiyoko Imai. I then edited the translations for clarity, typographical errors, grammar, and punctuation. My primary goal as editor was to ensure that Ayako’s artistic spirit was not lost in translation. Colours in My Hand was published in June 2011. Image courtesy of rokkakuayako.com.
You Are Here: Writing for Tohoku is an ebook that came about in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit northern Japan (Tohoku) on March 11, 2011. Writers, editors, and designers who live or have lived in Japan shared their stories, illustrations, and photos to show the hospitality, beauty, and strength of Japan.
As a writer and editor living in Fukushima, this publication was one way for me to get involved and help. I shared a short story called “A Chance Encounter” and provided editing support: an initial edit of two stories, and then a final edit of two chapters. The Write For Tohoku project was conceived of and led by Annamarie Sasagawa, and the book was designed and published by Luis Mendo and Hiyoko Imai of the Goodfellas Network in April 2011. Image courtesy of fortohoku.org.
The London and Amsterdam City Reports are part of a series of illustrated city guides by editorial design consultant and art director Luis Mendo.
My role in these projects was as proofreader. I provided basic editing of the text, which included three edits throughout the publication process that dealt with typographical errors, grammar, punctuation, and style consistency. The London City Report was published in July 2010 in the Journal de Nîmes No 5. The Amsterdam City Report was published in November 2010 in the Journal de Nîmes No 6. Image courtesy of thecityreporter.com.
In 2008, I launched beyondwords with co-author Lindsey LaTour as an online space for professional writers to share, create, learn, and explore what it means to be a part of the professional writing community.
I write original content for the blog and manage features, design, and online promotion. One of the blog’s most successful series has been In the Workplace, where featured writers, editors, and designers give a glimpse into the work they do, from how they create and communicate in their job to how they define professional writing.
As Constituent Communications Manager for the American Cancer Society, I managed production of the Great Lakes Division’s monthly e-newsletter, Voices of the American Cancer Society.
This included leading the editorial board, conducting research and interviews, and writing and editing articles. The styles of writing varied, covering such areas as survivorship and volunteerism features, research-based articles, and education and resource highlights. As manager of Voices, I led an initiative to increase subscriptions through targeted constituent invitations, nearly doubling the number of subscribed readers. I also managed reader feedback and created a digital archive of the publication for easy access.
