Professional Writing & Editing

“As a Manager of Training, I’ve hired many freelancers in various roles, and nothing is harder to find than a really good writer. I can say without hesitation that Chanda is one of the best I’ve worked with. She understands the assignment, and delivers content that is both instructionally sound and audience friendly. The projects she has completed for us range from self-paced e-learning to video scripts, and she has been able to modify her approach and tone with (seeming) ease.”
Brian Hardin, Training Manager, Sally Beauty Supply

Professional Experience

20+ years of experience, staff and freelance
Corporate, government and small business|
Executive, B2B marketing, training, public involvement
Creative design and writing

What’s a “Professional Writer”?

There are a lot of writers in the world today. But a professional writer is a bit different. We specialize in the larger art and craft of writing and communications, not just one type of writing. We’ve spent years studying how writing and communication affect people’s thinking and emotions, and techniques to produce certain responses. We also study many forms of writing, so we can shift with ease between different forms, formats, styles and mediums, and apply advanced writing and storytelling techniques to any project.

I am often hired not just to write, but also to “fix” or salvage a project in trouble. Here’s a thought: Why not hire a writer who understands all aspects of your messaging and can help you see exactly what is (and isn’t) happening in your communication pieces and training materials — and hit your target the first time?

Writing Services

Presentations, Scripts and Storyboards

Presentations: Power Point and more
Scriptwriting: Video, audio, interactive, broadcast, and live events
Storyboards: Video, digital, eLearning
Storytelling and Narrative Design

Copywriting for Long-Form Projects

White papers
Training resources and workbooks
Reports and proposals
Books/booklets and guides
Newsletters, articles, large brochures, background handouts
Special projects

You might want to know . . .

I earned my M.F.A. in Professional Writing at USC where I focused on scriptwriting, storytelling, and novel writing, under the guidance of Hollywood and publishing pros.
I’ve written, edited and designed a wide range of communication tools in my twenty-plus years as a professional writer, including all those listed above.
In other words, this isn’t my first rodeo when it comes to writing, editing, design, training, and consulting.

What Else?

Conversion, Repurposing and Revision

I can help you convert and repurpose existing materials into new products and new formats/mediums. I can also show you how to design original projects for use across many formats and mediums.

Creative Writing

“Creative” can mean many things. In business, it may mean a new approach, a more innovative way of communicating or delivering training, or a better way to tell your story. In traditional terms, it means stories, novels, movie and documentary scripts, and creative nonfiction articles and essays. To see the broad range of my work and skills, see examples on my Portfolio and Storytelling pages.

Making Complex Topics Easy to Understand

I have a knack for making complex concepts easy to understand. How? By . .

Writing them well in the first place.
Keeping an eye toward cognitive load, audience knowledge and interest, and using design/images effectively.
Designing new, innovative and “creative” ways to make critical information more accessible and engaging for all audiences.
Training technical professionals how to communicate their knowledge more effectively.

Collaboration Skills

I’ve worked with a variety of creative professionals, subject matter experts, and cross-functional teams, and senior executives in both industry and government. As a teacher, as well as a consultant, I adapt to work effectively with different personalities and provide clear direction and support compassionate learning.

Not sure if your project is ready to go to the writing phase?
Consider my Consulting services first.

About Editing . . .

There are many kinds of editing. I specialize in Content and Developmental Editing across all media.

Content editing looks at drafts and existing materials to analyze things like the focus, structure, flow, tone, word choice, and many other aspects to ensure that your message is clear, concise, polished and fits your goal. In other words, I make sure your messages and training materials are doing what you think they are, and that they are working as effectively as possible for you. Developmental editing is similar but works with other writers to help them stay on track and strengthen their messages as they create them.

Copyediting is something different: it looks at grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, etc. It is a good deal more than proofreading. I generally do copyediting on regular business communication or training projects I work on. However, if your project is very large, complex or deals with regulatory topics, I recommend an expert copyeditor.

Stylebooks

I prefer Chicago Manual of Style, but I have also used AP, Gregg, and MLA, as well as clients’ own internal style books.

If your message matters, it should be the best it can be.
Contact me to discuss how you can take your messaging to the next level.

DOES YOUR TEAM NEED TO BRUSH UP ON THEIR
WRITING, PRESENTATION or COMMUNICATION SKILLS?
I provide training and coaching. Call me for more info.