About Me
Breaking Out
of the Print Box
I spent more than 10 years as a newspaper journalist writing stories that won awards, held officials accountable and, in my home state of Mississippi, helped change state law. I left the newsroom for the classroom in 2016. As a graduate student at Elon University in North Carolina, I learned about graphic design, user experience, content strategy, branding, coding, and other aspects of multimedia storytelling. Now, my storytelling toolbox includes much more than ink, paper, and even words. (This website is an example of my work. I built it using a WordPress child theme I manipulated with custom HTML and CSS.)
I geek out about a good spreadsheet and a user-friendly interface. I am always learning.
My Work
Click the search icon on any of the following images to get more details about my experience.
(Note: You do actually have to click “on” the icon, not around or near it.)
Coding
Content Strategy
Journalism
Multimedia Storytelling
Social Media Management
Brand Stategy
Photography
Webinars, e-Newsletters, etc.
My Skills and Tools
I write. I design. I’m comfortable with HTML and CSS. More important, perhaps, is I figure things out — quickly — and thrive when I have the space and freedom to be creative.
Developmental Editing
Everybody needs a good editor. That’s true whether writing energizes you or saps your soul. I collaborate with writers — pros and noobs alike — to help them express themselves and demonstrate thought leadership in ways that are authoritative yet conversational and true to their authentic voice.
Writing (Creative, Strategic, News, and Ghostwriting)
Writing was my first love. I started out as a child drafting poems and short stories. Then I spent 10 years as a journalist, writing news articles that explained complicated issues, held elected officials accountable, and in my home state of Mississippi, prompted a change to state law. My portfolio now includes industry analysis, user personas, and more.
HTML & CSS
Before 2016, the only HTML I knew was a p-tag for paragraphs. That year, I participated in ProPublica’s inaugural data institute. Then I enrolled in graduate school and learned even more, including a number of frameworks such as Foundation and Ratchet. I have used HTML and CSS to produce an e-newsletter three times a week for a national nonprofit organization.
Adobe CC
I earned a master’s degree in interactive media from Elon University in North Carolina. The curriculum included instruction on design, photography, and different facets of video production. I’m comfortable using Photoshop and Illustrator. I have experience with Premiere, Audition, and After Effects.
Content Management and Strategy
I was immersed in instruction on user experience and user interfaces as a graduate student. As a graduate student, I worked as the information architect and editor for a team that revamped websites for two nonprofit organizations in Costa Rica. After grad school, I used these skills produce newsletters, marketing emails and journalistic articles for national nonprofit organizations. I also drafted strategies for editorial campaigns for those organizations as well as a magazine owned by a Fortune 500 company.
Brand Management and Strategy
My graduate studies include learning about branding and marketing. The coursework included completing case studies and a detailed brand strategy for a business or organization.
Research
In addition to my decade of experience as a journalist, I have a long history of embracing research and analysis. In 2017, I presented research at an international academic conference in Greensboro, North Carolina. While working for a content marketing agency in Washington, D.C., I produced quarterly marketing insights briefs for a Fortune 500 company.
Etc.
I’m a creative problem-solver. I’m always learning. I’m an eager learner. I don’t allow myself to be limited by what I don’t know. I also have a wide range of skills honed in college (undergraduate and graduate levels).
Let’s Connect
I am available for freelance writing, editing, and storytelling strategy consultation. Contact me about opportunities and my rates. For a faster response, send me a direct message on LinkedIn or email me at bymarquitabrown(at)gmail.com.
