Résumé

Marie Look

Writer | Editor

www.marielook.com

Summary – I am an Arizona resident and a full-time freelance professional who specializes in writing and copy editing for the web and for print. My professional writing career began with a BA in journalism in 2006 and continued at a national magazine from 2008 to 2010, where I was an on-staff writer and the lead copy editor. A full-time freelancer since May 2010, I am able to bring to my work an insider’s perspective of the media industry, as well as a thorough understanding of editors’ needs and preferences.

Expertise – As a writer and editor, I specialize in beauty, fashion, luxury, travel and environmentalism. As a copy editor, I have worked across an ever-widening range of subjects.

Experience –

May 2010 – present: Freelance Writer, Blogger, Copywriter, Copy Editor, Proofreader / Phoenix, AZ

• Work on a variety of projects for clients on a contract basis

Positions Held as a Freelancer

November 2011 – present: Contributor / myCosmeticBag (beauty, makeup; online publication)

• Contribute product reviews and beauty tips

July 2011 – present: Contributor / iPhone.AppStorm (iPhone apps; online publication)

• Review iPhone apps in the categories of finance, productivity, education, lifestyle gaming and others

September 2010 – present: Senior Consulting Copy Editor / Modern Luxury (luxury & lifestyle; national print publications)

• Copy edit content and collateral for more than a dozen individual print publications produced by Modern Luxury across the United States

September 2010 – present: Lead Copy Editor & Contributor / Rebel (men’s lifestyle; national print publication)

• Copy edit content and collateral and write features

July 2011 – April 2012: Lead Copy Editor & Contributor / Jetset Magazine (travel, luxury & lifestyle; national print publication)

• Copy edited content and collateral and wrote features related to travel, beauty, luxury, fashion and other subjects

April 2010 – May 2011: Phoenix Editor / Haute Living (luxury & lifestyle; online publication)

• Reported on luxury lifestyle topics related to Phoenix, including automobiles, beauty, celebrities, cuisine, events, fashion, fitness, nightlife, resorts, spas, sports and others

April 2009 – September 2009: Contributor / Earth911 (environment, recycling; online publication)

• Wrote features related to the how-to’s and benefits of recycling, including an extensively researched series called “Trash Planet,” which reported on the waste management systems of different countries, including Germany, China, Brazil, India and the United Kingdom

Positions Held In-House

March 2008 – May 2010: Copy Chief & Contributor / 944 Magazine (lifestyle print publications) / Scottsdale, AZ

• Promoted from copy editor to lead copy editor and head of department in September 2009
• Copy edited content (in Adobe InDesign and in text files) for 10 individual publications: Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Orange County, Phoenix, San Diego and San Francisco
• Drafted/copy edited content for press kits, client and house ads, special publications and internal bulletins to agree with preferred industry standards and company-specific styles
• Worked with editors and writers in order to improve and polish articles
• Drafted and updated editorial calendar for distribution
• Pitched and wrote articles for both print and the web; this involved attending events,
  conducting interviews and research and requesting press materials and images
• Networked for interviews with personalities and talent for 944 feature stories
• Produced a monthly beauty feature for every issue’s national section
• Copy edited, posted and managed content on 944.com and on the 944 blogs
• Collaborated with editorial staff on upcoming issue concepts and regularly updated the
  department on how to resolve discrepancies in style and format
• Coordinated meetings with editorial and production departments to delegate tasks and
  provide project updates
• Trafficked content to the printer’s site as materials went to press each month
• Promoted the 944 brand at every opportunity

October 2006 – March 2008: Proofreading Legal Assistant / Morris, Hall & Kinghorn (estate planning law firm) / Phoenix, AZ

• Drafted and edited living trust documents, attorneys’ books, web copy, manuals, letters and memorandums for 10 offices
• Coordinated the intentions of the attorneys, clients and other paralegals to ensure the accuracy of clients’ trust documents
• Set guidelines to correct the firm’s discrepancies in spelling, grammar, punctuation and formatting
• Created legal language for special requests and circumstances
• Updated and maintained a database of special legal language resources
• Trained new hires in trust administration language and formatting styles
• Researched a wide variety of subjects as needed by the clients and attorneys
• Performed administrative tasks, set appointments and corresponded with clients
• Coordinated client satisfaction surveys and compiled feedback

March 2006 – August 2006: Editorial Intern / World Literature Today (literary journal) / Norman, OK

• Researched featured authors and wrote profiles to appear in issues
• Contacted publishers for graphic art and other press materials
• Researched potential topics for issues, wrote and distributed reports
• Aided in planning and execution of 2006 Puterbaugh Conference to honor Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk

May 2006 – July 2006: Copy Editor (Summer Staff) / Oklahoma Daily (daily newspaper) / Norman, OK

• Copy edited stories and wrote headlines and photo captions
• Verified accuracy of information with staff reporters and reference resources
• Created page layouts using InDesign

March 2006 – May 2006: Poetry Editor / Windmill / (prose and poetry journal) / Norman, OK

• Copy edited journal’s poetry section, contacted authors to make necessary changes, served on journal’s selection and award committees

Education –

• University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
• BA in Journalism and Mass Communication, May 2006
• Overall GPA: 3.47
• Major: Professional Writing
• Minors: German, Sociology/Criminology

Skills –

• Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office and Microsoft Works applications, including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as Adobe Photoshop, Acrobat, Reader and InDesign
• Proficient in both Microsoft and Mac operating systems
• Familiar with AP, MLA and Chicago styles
• Experience in: posting content to the Web, blogging, basic HTML, SEO, widgets, instant
  messaging platforms, Twitter and social networking and bookmarking sites
• Studied German at the Braunschweig University of Technology in Braunschweig, Germany, March – July 2005
• Passed the Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (German Exam for College Admission), a language proficiency exam qualifying individuals to study at German higher education institutions, 2005

Services – I find satisfaction in delivering a product that meets or exceeds my client’s expectations, no matter the project. Examples of services I can provide include:

• articles
• blog posts
• Web content
• copy editing
• proofreading
• cover letters
• social media management

Writing Samples – To view samples of my work as a writer, please visit my Bylines page.

Contact – If you would like to discuss how I could make a positive contribution to your upcoming projects, please feel free to contact me at marie@marielook.com.