Needed Writer

My parents tell me that I was scribbling on scraps of paper before I even knew the alphabet. Apparently, writing has always fascinated me.

At the age of fourteen, I started composing sloppy poems and songs full of melancholy and angst. They offered some relief from my hopeless crush on a girl named Rachel with blue eyes and honey-colored ringlets. Though I finally succeeded in kissing her our senior year of high school, the kiss could not possibly live up to four years of anticipation. Such is the life of an adolescent male.

I earned a B.A. in English from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, and taught English at a private high school for a year, then moved to Knoxville to pursue graduate studies and teach First-Year Composition courses at the University of Tennessee. After finishing my M.A. in Literature and Writing, I took a job as a writer and account executive at Morris Creative Group, a marketing and advertising firm.

My writer and poet friends joked that this made me a sell-out. Oh well. They could keep their ivory tower pretensions: I loved the challenge of writing copy that got results.

Writing a great ad is closer to writing poetry than prose. It requires cleverness and art.

Though Morris Creative still hires me for writing projects, I now work full-time as a freelance writer with clients mostly in the Southeast. My experience stretches from 150-word e-newsletter teasers to full-length book manuscripts.

Clarity, elegance, and substance characterize my style, even when I’m writing eBooks, SEO content, and other forms of writing for marketing purposes.

Anyone can write drivel and get paid for it, but creating something of lasting value is more satisfying for everyone involved. I wouldn’t do what I do unless I was good at it, and believed that I was truly helping people.

When I’m not bringing home the bacon, I enjoy reading, running, fly fishing, traveling, and writing poetry and creative nonfiction. You might get a few laughs reading my blog, gu.e (pronounced “goo”), where I push my crazy family under the proverbial bus. They don’t mind.

I’m a real person. I live in Knoxville and have hazel eyes. My favorite foods are sushi, buffalo chicken, and pizza. My favorite color is green. You’ll find that I’m easy to work with. I strive for excellence but like to laugh along the way.

If that sounds good to you, let’s talk. Fill out the contact form, and I’ll get back to you.