Audrey Downs

Background

About Audrey Downs

See my PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO for work samples! https://acdownsportfolio.wordpress.com/ I've always had a passion for the written word. Creative writing was my first love; as early as elementary school I was designing characters, framing plot-lines, and writing my own stories. As I grew older, this casual hobby evolved into an unceasing urge to write that drove me to pursue a Writing and Rhetoric degree at Oakland University. The study of rhetoric is about learning how to use writing to connect with audiences on a deeper level. It’s not enough to know spelling and grammar. A truly effective writer takes the time to understand the intended audience: their needs, expectations, and emotions. Then, by harnessing those insights, an effective writer can compose copy that resonates with the audience to strengthen engagement and retention. I’ve carried this knowledge and these skills into my professional career. My specialties include wrangling difficult subjects and transforming complex concepts, information, and processes into copy that’s understandable to all audiences. I’ve had the opportunity to write and edit a wide variety of written pieces, including press releases, social media content, marketing materials, detailed explanations of technical subjects, in-depth analyses, and far too many emails to count. My highly detail-oriented nature makes me a skilled copyeditor, and the go-to for proofreading and editing any type of collateral. It turns out that a side-effect of having such a passion for writing is that I also have a passion for improving any written piece I can get my hands on. There are few things I enjoy more than taking a metaphorical red pen to a piece and making it the best it can be. I pride myself on presenting a professional air in the workplace and maintaining strong relationships with colleagues and clients. I strive to have an open mind and am constantly learning from those around me to improve my skills and broaden my horizons. In my free time I enjoy creative writing and blogging, papercrafts, video games, collecting, antiquing, baking, singing along to my favorite music, and going on walks. Soft skills: reliability / teamwork / open-mindedness and willingness to learn / attention to detail / creativity / proactivity and problem-solving Hard skills: copywriting and copyediting / project management / data entry and analysis / marketing campaign management / corporate communications / coordination and collaboration / Microsoft Office / Google Analytics / MailChimp / Insightly CRM / Wrike / Snag-It / HTML