Professional Experience
Quick Links
| • | Intranet Lead |
| • | Freelance Editor |
| • | Web Editor 1 2 |
| • | Trade Books Editor |
| • | Literary Agent |
| • | Managing Editor |
Intranet Project Lead, Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade • 2008
I am currently leading a rebuild of the HR portal to improve client satisfaction and streamline HR branch's communications.
Responsible for: Developing a client-focused information architecture for the HR portal, providing guidance to directors and senior management on Intranet content, promoting a coordinated approach to site maintenance within HR branch, updating stale content and coordinating all material for the portal.
Duties: Edit and write Intranet content and other communications material, announce updates and site improvements, supervise part-time staff, develop and implement style and Intranet policy, coordinate feedback from Intranet revitalizing team, provide HTML code to the Web Publishing team.
Freelance Editor • 2000–2007
As a freelance editor I have enjoyed repeat business from every client.
Responsible for: Maintaining and growing a home-office business to service clients’ publishing needs.
Duties: Research, write, provide substantive edit or copyedit as required; establish and meet deadlines.
Projects: Market analysis reports, annual reports, financial and business books, popular non-fiction and history, photography and illustrated books, travel magazines.
Clients: Dept. of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Gov’t of Canada), Copyright Branch at Heritage Canada, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, International Vaccine Institute, Harper Collins, Macmillan Publishers, and others.
Senior Content Editor, Little Fox Co., Ltd. • 2005–2006
I raised the quality across all of Little Fox's online and print content by recruiting an international network of professional freelance writers, copyeditors, and proofreaders.
Responsible for: Developing, assigning, and editing new content for a highly successful online EFL publisher in Korea, including fictional animated series, retold classics, and regular non-fiction articles.
Duties: Assign stories, provide feedback on drafts, and manage deadlines for freelance writers and proofreaders in Korea, United States, and Canada; edit and adapt texts for diverse language and learning levels; edit accompanying educational materials; advise on design and content of printed books; advise CEO and Director on business plans, including copyright issues and contracts.
Web Editor, Posnayko.com • 2002
As the North American Editor I implemented consistent style guides and standards across the web site to improve brand identification.
Responsible for: Editing and writing texts for web-based magazine; ensuring language, design, and content meet North American standards.
Duties: Edit static and revolving text for web site, correcting grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and idiom for translated English; develop and maintain style and design guides for writers, artists, and programmers; provide feedback on logic and design of web site; review monthly storyboards for proposed issues; research curriculum guidelines and early childhood educational goals to guide product development.
Trade Books Editor, Key Porter Books • 2002
At Key Porter I project-managed a demanding load of books on impossibly tight deadlines.
Responsible for: Editing and managing trade books published under the imprints Key Porter, Lester & Orpen Dennys, and Sarasota Press, working directly with the Vice President and Editor in Chief.
Duties: Assess submissions and proposals from authors and agents; provide substantive edit of book-length manuscripts; assign, schedule, and oversee copyeditors, proofreaders, indexers, and designers; manage project budgets; write promotional copy and create marketing materials.
Projects: Financial books, popular non-fiction, political biography, alternative health, and humour.
Literary Agent • 2001
I successfully negotiated new publishing contracts for 70% of Blizzard Publishing’s authors when it closed.
Responsible for: Developing and selling book projects to publishers.
Duties: Maintain network of contacts with acquisition editors; generate new book ideas with publishers and locate suitable authors; assist authors to develop outlines, sample chapters, and presentation materials; present book ideas and manuscripts to acquisition editors; negotiate publishing contracts.
Projects: Popular non-fiction, alternative health, academic books, theatre scripts, humour, and others.
President & Managing Editor, Blizzard Publishing • 1987–2001
I co-founded Blizzard Publishing and grew it into an award-winning literary press.
Positions held: President & Managing Editor, 1991–2001; Co-President, 1990–1991; Founding Partner, 1987–1990.
Duties:
Editorial: All stages of editing; acquire manuscripts and develop authors; clear copyright permissions; book design; establish and manage production schedules; subcontract print manufacturing, including tendering to suppliers and evaluating quotes.
Sales and Marketing: Sell foreign rights and co-publishing deals; negotiate distribution and export arrangements; develop and implement marketing strategies and budgets; meet sales targets; monitor and support commissioned sales representatives; organize and promote author tours, book launches, and media events; create and lead presence at trade shows; design and produce sales kits and catalogues.
Business Management: Manage annual budget of $250K; hire and direct staff; accounting and financial reporting; royalty payments; grant applications and reports.
Co-publishing clients: Simon & Schuster, Scholastic, and others.
Projects: Academic books, popular non-fiction, history, theatre scripts, illustrated children’s books, young adult fiction, and photography books.
Awards and Successes:
• Winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama in 1990 and 2000 (nominated 5 times)
• Manitoba Publisher of the Year (1989) and Manitoba Book Publishers Award (1992)
• Winner of the Alberta Writers Guild Drama Award (1989); Arthur Ellis Award, Best Play (1994); nominated for the Julia Childs Cookbook Award (1996); shortlisted for the Roloff Beny Award (2002)