Copywriting & Freelance Writing
Magazine Journalism
I have written and published articles in a wide variety of magazines, ranging from Texas Monthly to The Saturday Evening Post. Over the years, I've described the shuttle program at NASA, investigated the art of making pool cues by hand, and looked into the history of the Panhandle grasslands, to list only a few topics I've covered.
I especially like writing the personality profile, and to that end I've interviewed astronauts, opera singers, famous actors, and prize-winning authors. I love to report people's stories.
A partial list of magazines in which Jan's articles have appeared:
- The Saturday Evening Post
- Poets & Writers
- Texas Monthly
- Texas Highways
- Houston Town and Country
- Houston City Magazine
- Ultra Magazine
- Corpus Christi Business Journal
- Wyoming Wildlife
- Texas Magazine (of the Houston Chronicle)
- Vital Magazine
- Houston Home & Garden
- Third Coast Magazine
- Spirit Magazine of Southwest Airlines
Following are a few articles I have written recently.
Windows Magazine is published by Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and edited by Randal Whittington. I wrote a profile of Carroll Pickett, former death-row chaplain at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville for the magazine. This is the resulting article.
After my husband San and I traveled to Turkey with a group called the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue, I published a short piece about the experience in the Austin American-Statesman. Read it here. See David Sterrett's video about the trip.
Coming this spring: Geologist Owen Hopkins was given an international public service award by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, honoring him for a program he launched for placing geologic maps in thousands of elementary schools nationwide. My biographical article on Owen will appear in the AAPG Magazine this spring.
PR / Advertising Copy
Because PR copy, news releases, and advertising copy are pervasive
in the modern world, it is challenging to find a fresh voice for this
kind of writing. When I write ad copy, I always imagine I'm making
a recommendation to a friend.
I've written ad copy for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Texas Monthly, MCS Creative PR Solutions, and many others.
Web site editing
In the 21st Century, companies and service organizations reach a wide audience through the Internet, and the same standards of excellence must apply to Web narratives as to printed text.
In fact, concise language and clarity of thought may be even more pressing for busy online readers.
In late 2006, two educational accountability organizations with national scope merged. Just For the Kids and the National Center for Educational Accountability came together under a single umbrella to raise academic standards in the public schools. Just4kids and NCEA rely heavily on their Web site as a means of disseminating information.
When the two Web sites merged, dozens of people contributed to the resulting text. I was hired to edit the extensive Web site, to standardize all text on the site, and to provide consistency and clarity of voice. Please visit www.just4kids.org/en/ for an idea of this aspect of my work.
Madison Benefits is a highly successful Employee Benefits brokerage firm in Houston. I edited their extensive Web site, as well as their company brochure. Please visit www.madisonbenefits.net for a look at this tasteful and comprehensive Web site.