About My Work

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Though you can read background information about me in the “About Cerulean Sanctum” tab at the top of the blog body, I still receive e-mails from time to time from readers trying to get a handle on what I do for a living.

I work as a freelance commercial copywriter and copyeditor. My company is Ethereal Pen Productions. People hire me on a contract basis to write for them. By nature, this is a hand-to-mouth business. Some clients return to me again and again for different kinds of writing work. Some jobs are one-time opportunities. As a freelancer, I must always be looking for ways to bring in work.

The type of writing I do is primarily commercial. In other words, I write for businesses. Sometimes I work for a company directly, while other times I’m brought in by graphic design firms or Web site developers to write the text they use in the material they create for others. This makes me a subcontractor for those types of jobs.

What I write consists mostly of marketing materials: brochures, informational pamphlets, corporate Web sites, annual reports, PR, taglines, radio and TV ads, and the like. I also write tech manuals, training materials, speeches, or any other type of written material.

I’ve written material for a number of companies and organizations, including Apple, Inc., NASA, Procter & Gamble, Cintas, LCA-Vision, and more. My clients have included large companies, mom & pops, colleges, non-profits, and ministries—any organization that needs well-crafted documents that capture their essence and communicate their vision to others.

For those looking for written ministry materials, I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Christian Education from Wheaton College. I’ve written hundreds of classroom hours of curriculum for churches and Christian camps. If you need quality material catering to a specific ministry need, I can write it for you.

In addition to my writing, I do copyediting work, cleaning and tightening material written by others.  In this role, I often go beyond corporate writing to include editing services for aspiring novelists and non-fiction authors. I’ll doctor manuscripts and polish proposals. If you want to be published but feel your work needs that additional je ne sais quoi, I can help. One recent book proposal I edited helped secure a five-figure advance from a major publishing house for my client.

If you or anyone else you know needs professionally written documents that sizzle, I can help. No job is too small. If you’re part of a ministry that needs to expand its reach, I can write materials to help you. When reviewing their interactions with me and the quality of work I produce, clients continue to laud the following:

  • My expertise in capturing brand essence and corporate voice
  • My flair for reaching postmodern audiences through unique marketing strategies, including the use of narrative
  • My ability to complete projects ahead of schedule and within budget
  • My relational skills, not only when dealing with companies directly, but also how I interact with their clients
  • My flexibility to adapt to changing project needs and scope.

If you have a copywriting or copyediting need, please contact me at Ethereal Pen Productions.

6 thoughts on “About My Work

  1. Dave Block

    For those of us who have benefited from this blog, or think it’s important to help other believers, we ought to see if we can assist Dan by discovering people and companies that could benefit from his services. Let’s ask people at church who work in the business world or at nonprofits. If you don’t know what your fellow churchgoers do, find out! We should want to know others in our churches better anyway. If these folks don’t need this kind of freelance work, let’s ask them if they know others who do. We should be talking to other friends. We should be talking to coworkers, if applicable. We should be asking alumni from our alma mater with whom we have, or have had, a rapport.

    Why not send some emails to those who might be interested, but whom you don’t see face to face often? To shorten Dan’s thorough description of what he does, you may want to email a message like this:
    Hi ______,
    [friendly opening] I’m writing to ask whether [name of company/nonprofit] freelances out any copywriting or editing. I know someone based in Ohio, Dan Edelen, whose expertise includes marketing collateral, web site text, blog content, press releases, product manuals, speeches, training materials, proofreading and redaction, etc. His clients have included Apple, NASA, and P&G. Would you or anyone you know have any need for services like his now or in the future? If so, where should he email samples of his work and contact information? Thanks.

    Dan writes, “By nature, this is a hand-to-mouth business.” Like the old White Heart song goes, “We are His hands.” Let’s take some time to help someone who’s such a blessing to so many people!

    Gal. 6:10 “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”

  2. Dave, et al.,

    Thank you! Your initiative is a blessing to me. I hope each of us will take this same perspective with others.

    I know an excellent Web guy named Rich Tatum. He’s looking for full-time work at a business, organization, or ministry. I’d like to help Rich any way I can. If anyone reading this has need of someone who understands new media and the Web, let me know.

    • Dave Block

      Hey Dan,

      This is almost too strange — I came across Rich’s profile on LinkedIn just a few minutes ago via a question he asked on that site. I was just about to email him about you since you’re both Charismatic writers/editors who have a Christian blog.

      My church may be hiring a part-time webmaster soon. I’ll try to keep Rich in mind.

  3. Peyton

    I can attest to the quality of Dan’s writing. He took our self-centered brochure, spent some excellent time interviewing us, and came back with an excellent tri-fold brochure describing our ministry, and a cover letter to send to pastors. If he is willing, I can post our website address, where you can see the material on-line.

    Peyton

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