When the Writing Matters, Experience Matters
I take personal responsibility for the writing from start to finish — understanding the problem, the audience, and the objective; asking the right questions; doing the research; finding and making the point; shaping the argument; and turning it into clear, concise, credible, and compelling writing.
I work with executives, corporate communications leaders, and public relations agencies on thought leadership, executive and corporate communications, and brand and editorial content. My job is not simply to produce words. It is to determine what needs to be said, make sure it is said well, and ensure it connects with its audience.
Good Writing Starts With Knowing What Is Worth Saying
Producing the words is easy; creating something worth the reader’s time is the challenge.
Strong original writing has a reason to exist. It brings something new or important to the reader — a brand-new idea, information worth knowing, or a point of view worth considering.
That kind of writing requires more than fluent, polished prose. It requires expert judgment about what matters, what will make the communication credible, and what will make someone want to read it – and then remember it.
What I Write
Different assignments require different approaches, but my standard is the same: Fully understand what the communication needs to accomplish and then create original writing that gets it done.
01
Thought Leadership
Bylined articles, point-of-view pieces, essays and other substantive content that turn expertise and ideas into credible thought leadership with a distinctive point of view.
02
Executive Communications
Speeches, presentations, executive messages, letters, statements, and other communications that help leaders communicate clearly, credibly, and in their own voice.
03
Brand & Editorial Content
Case studies, white papers, website content, brand stories, blogs, and other material that communicates what an organization knows, what it does, and what it stands for.
04
Public Relations & Corporate Communications
Press releases, corporate announcements, newsletters, media materials, and internal and external communications.
05
Other High-Value Writing
Not every important assignment fits neatly into a category. If the writing matters to your organization, your leadership, or your audience, let’s talk about it.
Looking for Help Creating Authoritative Content?
Whether it’s a single assignment or a broader program, I can develop authoritative content across formats and channels.
Selected Writing
The examples below show how I communicate complex subjects for business and professional audiences. Much of my executive writing and strategic communications work is confidential; these selected writings represent only the work that I can share publicly.
Quantum — Technology Case Study: “Video Archiving for Tapeless HD Production“
A technology case study written for Quantum that earned a Computerworld Honors Program® Laureate Award, recognizing the work as part of an international program honoring significant uses of information technology. The piece demonstrates my approach to translating complex technology and business issues into clear, credible content for a professional audience.
Fujifilm — Corporate Brand Profile: Written for America’s Greatest Brands
Written for Fujifilm for America’s Greatest Brands, this corporate brand profile tells the story of a complex global company spanning consumer and professional imaging, technology, and information products. The assignment required distilling Fujifilm’s market position, innovation, history, products, and brand values into a clear,authoritative narrative demonstrating the company’s breadth of leadership across the imaging and information technology industries.
How I Approach the Work
The writing starts before I write.
Before I start writing, I want to make sure I know what the assignment is really trying to accomplish. Who needs to read it? What do they already know? What do they need to know? What should they think, understand, or do after reading it?
Then I look for the point. What’s the hook? Why should anyone care? What is genuinely important or interesting? What information supports it? What is missing? What doesn’t belong? And what is the clearest and most compelling way to tell the story?
Research is part of that process. Asking questions is also part of it. So is checking facts, challenging assumptions, looking for gaps, and understanding the subject matter well enough to know what matters.
Judgment comes into play at every stage. It determines what deserves emphasis, what needs more support, whether the argument holds together, whether the voice is right, what should be cut, and whether the writing is clear, credible, and worth the reader’s time.
Then I write, rewrite, and simplify. I organize the material, sharpen the language, eliminate what isn’t necessary, and keep working until the writing does what the assignment needs it to do.
The process isn’t complicated. But doing it well requires experience and judgment.
The Experience Behind the Writing
I’ve spent more than four decades writing and editing professionally as a journalist, writer, editor, and editorial leader. I was a senior vice president in the consumer and technology practices at Edelman, where I also served as the first Head of Edelman Editorial. I also was a senior vice president in the technology practice at Ruder Finn.
That experience has taught me to approach writing from three perspectives: as the writer responsible for every word; as the editor asking whether the piece works; and as the communications executive who understands the larger objective it needs to serve.
Today, my clients get that experience directly. I do all of the writing myself.
“He is a solid thinker and an even more solid do-er … Further, he is a skilled writer of all forms.”
— Steve Hoechster, Former Executive Vice President & General Manager, Technology Practice, Edelman
“When asked to create content, he produces deliverables on time and on budget with little input needed from us.”
— Kim Nelson, Former Public Relations & Customer Reference Manager, Quantum
Related Insight
Make Sure Your Authentic Content Has Something to Say
In an environment defined by abundance, the advantage no longer comes from producing more. It comes from producing authentic content anchored in real experiences and shaped by writers who use their judgment to refine and position ideas that really matter to a company’s key audiences.
Let’s Talk
Have something important that needs to be written?
If you need an experienced writer to take responsibility for an assignment from start to finish, let’s start with what you’re trying to accomplish.