Here are selected samples of my work.

 

 

Portfolio samples

If you don't see what you need here, don't despair - I may have been the writer, editor, proofreader or desktop publisher of something relevant to your project, field or organization! Please feel free to check by e-mail by clicking here or by calling 585-248-8464.

(FYI, I tend to use AP style here at my website, but can work in Chicago for you as well.)

Booklets

Author and publisher, Get Paid to Write! Getting Started as a Freelance Writer, current edition (updated for 2012):
"Getting Started"
Press release: Word document/PDF

Author, "Freelancing 101" for the Editorial Freelancers Association:
"Freelancing 101: Launching Your Editorial Business"

Here's some of what Diane Martinez said about it in the May 2010 issue of the Society for Technical Communication's Technical Communication journal:

"... The combination of Thaler-Carter’s honesty and her obvious veteran and expert status as a freelancer makes this booklet a motivating and valuable reference.
"From the start, Thaler-Carter is up front about the advantages of freelancing ... but she is also quite candid about the pitfalls that you may find yourself in if you do not think through the prospect of working for yourself carefully.
"... I find Freelancing 101 an inspiring, motivating, and practical resource that anyone with freelancing aspirations most definitely should read. ..."

Articles/Columns/Reviews

Feature article on workplace safety in Partners in Progress magazine (Sheet Metal Industry Labor Management Cooperation Fund):

"Take the Wheel: Be in control of safety on
the job site"

Columns for the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) blog or Toolbox department of SPJ's Quill magazine:

On starting out in freelancing

Coping with crises

Whither freelancer ethics?

Freelancing blog for the Society of Technical Communication:

http://notebook.stc.org/freelancing-basics-one-way-not-to-start-freelancing/

Feature article in Final Proof newsletter of Association Media & Publishing, about developing guidelines for submitting photos for publications:

"Member Photos: What Are You Looking For?"

Marketing columns for ImproMed, awebsite for veterinarians - relevant to any business:

"Springing Forward with Marketing Efforts"

"Social Media and Your Practice Marketing Efforts"

"Think like Your Clients to Make Marketing More Effective"

"Thinking about Marketing in a New Year"

"Barketing 101"

"Newsletters as Marketing Tools"

"Newsletters as Marketing Tools, Part 2"

"Newsletters as Marketing Tools, Part 3"

Profile of sculptor John Edward Svenson in Sculpture Review, magazine of the National Sculpture Society, Summer 2011 issue:
Profile of John Edward Svenson

(The lede sentence was dropped in production; the article should open with: "Going strong at eighty-eight, sculptor and National Sculpture Society Fellow John Edward Svenson turns out impressive works in wood and metals, but finds a special joy in working with wood.")

PDF of sculptor profile by Ruth E. Thaler-Carter

"Technically Speaking" column for Copyediting newsletter, on editors' websites, June-July 2011 issue:
"Editors reveal their approaches to their websites"

Reviews for Washington Independent Review of Books Dana Stabenow's Though Not Dead mystery novel::
http://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/
bookreview/though-not-dead-a-kate-shugak-novel

Received some of the highest numbers of hits! Comments include:"This is wonderfully written and makes me want to run out and get the book - which means your mission has been accomplished!," "I read your review and found it very rich and layered."

Daniel Friedman's Don't Ever Get Old: http://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/book-blog/snapshots-27/

Association magazine article about zoonotic diseases:
AAHA Trends feature article

and a related consumer version for one of the association's newsletters

Magazine feature articles for Life in the Finger Lakes:
"Museum of Play"

"Urban Falcons"

Four-part series of articles on eldercare -
First article in eldercare series

PDF of second article in eldercare series, Summer 2011

Third article in eldercare series, Fall 2011

Fourth article in series, Winter 2011

Association newspaper feature article on LA's North Valley area:
ACEBSA cover story

Magazine feature article on a glass artist and her wearable project:
Glass Line story about Carolyn Baum

In-depth profile of incoming new president of APPA/Higher Education Facilities Officers for APPA's Facilities Manager magazine:
Facilities Manager

Association newspaper feature article on fundraising success:
American College of Emergency Physicians News, April 2009

Feature articles and profile, for the magazine of the National Association of Black Accountants:
Spectrum magazine PDF

Company newsletter feature article:
Tree company feature PDF

School district newsletter feature articles about scholarship recipients:
BCSD News PDF

Website column about marketing: "The Heart of Networking": http://www.adhub.com/columns/ruth_thaler_carter03.html

Website column about coping with challenges: "Making Lemonade from Life's Lemons": http://www.adhub.com/columns/ruth_thaler_carter02.html

Association newsletter articles:
Meeting coverage, service announcement, quoted on new year's plan

Blogging for Brighton: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/blogs/brighton

Co-authored and copyedited book for LifeBridge Healh:
"The Who, What and Where of Elder Care: A handy,
step-by-step guide to help navigate the maze of caregiving"

Blog opinion article: "It's a wonderful life - How 2 celebrate being a writer, even in downtimes":
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/4-ruththalercarter.php

Article for AdHub, about planning a conference: http://www.adhub.com/columns/ruth_thaler_carter01.html

Association convention program booklet and newspaper articles:
"AARP"

Association newsletter profile of scholarship recipient:
"Scholarship recipients embody achievement and commitments"  

Magazine feature about apartment complex, July-September 2006:
"Jewel on the Genesee-Corn Hill Landing"

Association magazine feature article:
"Federal Grants Abound for Homeland Security Programs"

Newsletter feature article, Editorial Eye:
"Editing Matters - Boilerplate Isn't Bulletproof"

Newsletter feature article, Editorial Eye:
"Second Thoughts - Are There New Readers Out There?"  

Newsletters and DTP

Creator, writer, editor, desktop producer of Brighton Schools Alumni Association's newsletter:
The 13th Corner

Writer, editor, desktop producer of Decorative Arts Society newsletter:
DAS Newsletter, Fall 2009
DAS Newsletter, Spring 2009
DAS Newsletter, Summer 2008

Writer, editor, desktop producer of the newsletter of the Editorial Freelancers Association:
EFA Freelancer newsletter, Nov.-Dec. 2012
EFA Freelancer newsletter, Mar.-Apr. 2010
EFA Freelancer newsletter, Sept.-Oct. 2009

Creator, editor, desktop producer of newsletter for a Baltimore public elementary/middle school that partners with a foundation

Designer, editor, desktop producer of the newsletter of the Rochester, NY, Quaker meeting:
Meeting Memo, March 2010

Writer, editor, desktop producer of American Institute of Architects/Delaware monthly newsletter:
AIA DE Archi*Type monthly newsletter

  Writer, editor, desktop producer of Ms. Foundation for Women newsletter:
Voices/ Voices/ Voices

  Creator, writer, editor, desktop producer of Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems quarterly newsletter:
Connections

  Creator, writer, editor, desktop producer of Institute for Real Estate Management-Rochester electronic-only newsletter:
E-newsletter

  Creator, writer, editor, desktop producer of Mosaic Community Services newsletter:
Mosaic Community Services

Website writing and updates

Communication Central www.communication-central.com

Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists www.stlouisblackjournalists.com (www.gslabj.org)

Encampment for Citizenship www.efcalumni.com

Brighton Schools Alumni Association: http://brightonalumni.org

Gargoyle magazine, http://gargoylemagazine.com

Editing and proofreading

    Ask me for client references.

Jaffe PR (public reputation management firm serving law firms)

Glass Line (magazine for glass artists)

Washington Gardener magazine

Tuvel Communications (articles, case studies, proposals)

Nixon Peabody (law firm with offices around and outside the USA )

International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (quarterly magazine)

WebsterHenrietta Publishing (children's book)

B'nai Brith magazine  

Presentations

See When ... for upcoming speeches and seminars.

2010 programs

Three workshops for the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) in DC in April, on editing and proofreading basics, getting started in freelancing,and websites for freelance businesses.

Speech on "Expand Your Writing Territory" at the Cat Writers Association (CWA) conference.

Session on "The Freelance Option for Copy Editors" at the 2010 conference of the American Copy Editors Society (ACES), which received complimentary coverage at the ACES site and in its newsletter. Very rewarding!

2009 speeches

Session on freelancing at the national conference of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) in August 2009.

Workshops for the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) — on freelancing, in Seattle in October, and on websites for colleagues and on getting started in freelancin,g in May in DC, yielding gratifying expressions of appreciation.

Sessions on "Finding, Hiring and Working Well with Freelancers" and "Getting Started as a Freelance Tech Communicator" at the 2009 Society for Technical Communication (STC) national Tech Comm Summit, in Atlanta on May 5 and 6 – very flattering to have my first-ever proposals accepted for the prestigious national event.

Presentations on freelancing and on websites for freelancers at the Region 3 conference of the 2009 Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) in Philadelphia in April. All but three of the conference attendees were in the room for the freelancing session, which probably says as much about the state of journalism as it does about my presentation skills. The websites session also drew a good crowd with very good questions.

April 2009 speech on "Getting Started as a Freelance Tech Communicator" for the 50th annual spectrum conference of the Rochester, NY, chapter of the Society for Technical Communication being included in the chapter's special event this year was a real honor.

2008 speeches

Panelist in newsletter session at 2008 Society of National Association Publications (SNAP) spring management conference in Washington, DC. To purchase a copy of the PowerPoint slides and handout, contact me at Ruth@writerruth.com.

Presenter of first-ever DC seminars for the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), on "Opportunities in Newsletters" and "Getting Started in Editorial Freelancing."

Session on "Finding, Hiring and Working with Freelance/ Contract Writers and Editors" at the 2008 Society for Technical Communication (STC)-Rochester spectrum conference, on March 28 in Rochester – it was fun to offer something from the perspective of the employer! Asked back after making two presentations for spectrum 2008 because I'm a "power presenter"!

Taught "Basics of Proofreading and Editing" class at Rochester's Writers and Books in April.

Discussed ways to make nonprofit newsletters more interesting in webinar for the Nonprofit Marketing Guide:
http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/webinars/fixboringnewsletter.htm

2007 presentations

Opening session panelist at 2007 Communication Central "Build Your Communications Business" conference.

Taught classes for Writers and Books (Rochester, NY) on "Getting Started in Freelancing" and "Basics of Proofreading and Editing" in January, February and June that went so well, I was asked to do them again in the fall and in the new year.

Session on"Finding and Working Well with Freelancers" at the 2007 Society for National Association Publications (SNAP) preconference program in June 2007 in DC andSNAP's Chicago conference inNovember 12-13.

Presented "Getting Started in Freelancing" program at the National Writers Union/DC Local in Washington, DC, on June 14.

Offered a "Getting Started in Editorial Freelancing" workshop for the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) in March in NYC.

Made first-ever presentations at spectrum, annual conference of the Society for Technical Communication-Rochester, on March 23 - "Newsletters are Not Technical Manuals! Tips for Newsletter Success"
and
"Sink or Swim: How to Take the Plunge into Freelancing" - went very well and gave me a chance to retune these topics for a new audience.

2006 speeches

Presented a session on "Get Your Business Going" at first-ever Communication Central "Build Your Communications Business" conference, September 29-October 1 in Rochester, NY.

Offered "Getting Started as a Freelance Writer" session on April 20, 2006, at National Writers Union/DC Local.

Presented "Newsletters that Work"at B'nai B'rith in DC on April 21. My detailed handouts were a big hit!

Offered first-ever "Getting Started in Editorial Freelancing" workshop for the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) educational program, on March 25 – a new twist on my popular "Getting Started as a Freelance Writer" program, focusing on building a business in various kinds of editorial work, above and beyond writing.

Participants came from Boston, DC, NYC and Connecticut – very flattering!

Presented session on "Entering New Markets" at the Editorial Freelancers Association's first national conference in 10 years, which I chaired, held in October 2005 in New York City.

Guest expert on webinar about newsletters www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/webinars/fixboringnewsletter.htm

Conference coverage

    EFA National Conference 2005

    Editing sessions at SNAP and IABC 2005

Quoted in blogs

About freelancing:

http://novelfriend.livejournal.com/?skip=40

http://www.freelancesurvivor.com/interview_with_a_freelancer_ruth_e_thalercarter_writer_a.htm

About writing press releases:

http://theeditorialadvantage.com/?p=14

About protecting yourself from scams:

http://www.youngwidowsandwidowersblog.blogspot.com/

About making more money as a freelancer:

http://theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting/archives/91

About writing effective "ledes":

http://theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting/archives/88#more-88

About apartment living:

http://ohmyapt.apartmentratings.com/comment/reply/284

About training new employees:

http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/07/25/building-a-team-with-inexperienced-online-freelancers/