Copy/Content Writing

I apply my command of English in my work almost daily for professional use.

• Ruthless editor of copy

• Technical writing

• Web copy (so many websites)

• Print copy (packaging, brochures, banners, etc.)

• Curriculum writing

• Copy for game manuals and instructional booklets

• Edited ~50 blog post recipes for a client

• Social media savvy
   

Booking/Curating
I learned a lot about writing persuasively by being an international agent at Satellite Booking.

• Pitch letters and band one-sheets sent worldwide

• All further negotiations to book 100s of shows

• Communiques with multiple "artists" at a time

• Hyper-logistics and planning

• Contracts, day-sheets, and routing work

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This directly helped when I co-curated the massive Nomadic Studio exhibit in 2010. Also wrote the retrospective in 2020.

• Large-scale event/festival planning

• Curation and organization

• Art writing

• Catalog and blurb writing

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Applied Writing

This is a quick run-through of some of the more interesting ways I've used my words.

• Lyricist - hundreds of songs written

• Liner notes, and track credits in spades

• Speak several languages to a professional degree

• Comedic writing - Gas Station Diaries

• Puns/plays on words/etc.

• Successfully Meme-d

• Interviewer (Tourism TV, Light Coma, Steve Albini)

• Grant writing - several successful arts grants

• Taught grant writing - GCE Lab School

• Guest blog posts for Studio Chicago, Center for Educational Technology, et al.

• Tour journals and travelogues

• Typography nut

• Rock poster designer

• Dabbled in fiction

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Critic
Crap/Not Crap - art, music, and cultural criticism

Zine reviews for Punk Planet in the 90s

Guest: Writing Critically about Food at GCE Lab School

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Moderator

Moderated dozens of in-person discussion panels, but most notably moderated the Electrical Audio Forum of 17K users for 15 years. I've written over 18K posts.

 

Educational Writing
It's almost odd not to include my teaching in this list, as written communication is integral to my practice. I can hook and engage a learner regardless of content, age, or experience.

• Taught English for 26 years

• Almost an MA in English [cough] Left to tour Spain

• Teach Creative Branding and Design for the Masters School of Communications at Northwestern

• Countless written critiques for students

• Crisis simulation development and character-driven improvised written responses

• Taught Math for 26 years- Calc, Trig, Algebra, etc.

• Have taught Science, Architecture, and Comics

Publications

While I've written a clutch of print pieces, most of my published work revolves around my experimental community art project, Musical Chairs.

Musical Chairs Activity Book (2008)

MC featured in Artadia's 5 cities 41 Artists (2009)

and 25 Years of Stockyard Institute (2021)

 

Odd Credits
These are all pretty fun stories about how my words have had real impact. If we get a chance, I'd be happy to share.

• Went to State in debate in both Lincoln-Douglas and Policy formats. Twice.

• I’ve been made a verb on Urban Dictionary

• A credit in Barron’s Dictionary of American Idioms

• Raised 25k for a tribe in Africa using persuasion and mathematics (long story)

• Quoted by Joey Ramone on David Letterman