Cynthia Ahlquist

Editing • Content Design • Knowledge Management

Editing and Writing

Check out my portfolio to see samples of my work.

Editing

There are a lot of “soft skills” in editing, although that term belies how complex applying those skills can be. A good editor needs to be able to build rapport and trust with writers and stakeholders while guiding them toward a better end product. I lean toward collaboration and communication while always keeping my eye on timelines and budget.

I can provide editorial help at any stage of your content process, from ideation through developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, fact-checking, proofreading, and publishing—for digital and print.

Some of my strengths are:

  • Coaching and supporting writers
  • Plain English and accessibility for people with disabilities
  • Copyrights, permissions, and trademark protection

I’m also proficient with these style guides:

  • Chicago Manual of Style
  • Associated Press (AP)
  • American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual
  • Modern Language Association (MLA) Style
  • Various in-house styles, such as Microsoft

Style and Voice Guides

I have more than 20 years of experience writing style and voice guides. I can lead a team of stakeholders through a collaborative process to determine how extensive you’d like your style and/or voice guide to be, create a first draft, refine it, and present it in a format that works for your team.

Copy Writing

I can write compelling, clear copy to inform, entertain, convince, or inspire. Some of projects I’ve worked on are:

  • Marketing copy, including blog posts, emails, and e-commerce content
  • Policy and advocacy content
  • General readership informative articles
  • Educational and training materials

My goal is always to understand user needs and meet readers where they are. And I’m not afraid to do a deep dive into something new to build understanding of the topic.

I can also provide writing coaching for content creators, one-on-one or in online or in-person workshops. One of my workshop specialties is brand voice and tone.

UX Writing

I can collaborate with your designers and engineers to craft UX content that guides users seamlessly through their product or site journey, with a focus on:

  • User and business needs
  • Continuity
  • Clarity
  • Accessibility
  • Your brand voice

I can also help your organization create UX writing guidelines so your content creators, engineers, and designers are all using the same principles and voice in microcopy.