Changing How the World Works.
 
 
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Total oDesk hours:
0
Location:
Winter Park, United States (GMT)
English Skills: (self-assessed)
5.0
Member Since:
August 12, 2008
Last Worked:
 
Current Assignments:
0
Total Assignments:
0
oDesk Ready:  
Yes
 
 
 
 

Jon O. - Writer-Editor:: Tech+Web+Copy // + Graphics, more! )) - Freelance Technical Writer, United States

I offer expert, passionate work and advice for:  words + images + design:     I have extensive English writing, editing and publishing, plus creative (illustration and design) skills. I am here to offer public relations and blog writing, copywriting, project editing, and Web content writing and editing. Of course, I do technical writing and editing too. I am in pursuit of: building great relationships with clients and collaborators and providing solid experience in writing,...
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Recent Work History & Feedback
Buyer ID From/To Job Title Hours Feedback
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See All Tests Taken (5 items)
oDesk Tests Taken
Name of Test Score Percentile Date Taken Duration
Advertising Skills Certification 3.75 97% TOP 10% 08/13/2008 33 min
Organizational Behavior Test 3.00 95% TOP 10% 08/13/2008 39 min
English Test (Sentence Structure) 4.75 91% TOP 10% 08/12/2008 17 min
Technical Writing Skills Certification 3.60 82% TOP 20% 08/13/2008 29 min
Editing Skills Certification 4.00 81% TOP 20% 08/12/2008 18 min
Job Category Interests

Web Development

Writing

Administrative Support

Graphic Arts & Design
Skills
Skill Experience Level Last Used Description
Access 2 yrs 2.0 2008 I helped not in the develop of, but in the redesign/refinement, of an in-house Access program for scheduling and work tracking at a defense contractor company. I have had more broad experience using Filemaker.
Editing 11 yrs 4.0 2008 Articles I've written, not edited, specifically. Of course, most of my own work I have self-edited, and I do mean I edited it (since no one else was going to review it). I have done editing work on a variety of manuals and books, and many news articles. Here is one site I edited, for a plastic surgeon. Have a look at some writing work, at my own site: http://ringhorne.com/portfolio/words/
Filemaker Pro 3 yrs 2.0 2001
Graphics 16 yrs 4.0 2008 Since working with pencil and charcoal as a child, I have been involved with creative graphics. My skills include illustration, publishing, and digital artistry, from designing icons and site buttons to photo illustrations for magazine covers. I did engineering drawing and illustration work, too, in a technical capacity, at an aviaiton manufacturer and a defense contractor from 2005-2008. Please have a look at a variety of my work. I will post some technically-oriented material here once I ask permission from the customers.
HTML/DHTML 12 yrs 3.0 2008
Photoshop 14 yrs 4.0 2008
TCP/IP 4 yrs 3.0 2008
Technical Writing 3 yrs 4.0 2008
Writing 16 yrs 5.0 2008
Certifications
Date Earned Name Score Percentile Organization Description
No Certifications
Employment History
From To Company Title/Role Description
02/2008 07/2008 TAC Worldwide Professional Consultant / Independent Contributor Business Proposals Coordinator (Contract), at Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, Orlando, Fla.  
I support sales growth and sales training in a specialized division of the company, Automated Packaging Systems. 
- Create -- from an extensive group of packaging machinery -- sales proposals for a team of specialists throughout North America 
- Requires MS Office proficiency and engineering comprehension; creative, writing and planning for sales and training support
09/2005 02/2008 Adecco Technical Staffing - TAD PGS Technical Associate / Independent Contributor Technical Writer/Engineering Support (Contract), at Indra Systems, Inc., Winter Park, Fla., 2007 to 2008   
I was contracted to do documentation for defense contracts; duties evolved to include commercial and engineering support. 
-  Required MS Office proficiency, plus AutoCAD, Illustrator, image manipulation, flow chart and other computer skills 
- Defense work included technical documentation (following MIL-STD) for military flight simulation systems 
- Commercial work included tolling and ticketing systems proposals, graphics and press releases 
Technical Writer (Contract), at Piper Aircraft, Inc., Vero Beach, Fla., 2005 to 2006   
I was contracted to edit and write content, update page layouts and refine art and schematics for manuals. 
-  Researched, updated and edited the text and graphics of maintenance manuals for aircraft produced from the 1960s onward 
-  Earned a significant raise based on my work on a complete revision project
08/2003 12/2004 FedEx Kinko's Computer Services Specialist / Independent Contributor As a unique specialist at a top store (fifth highest revenue, 2004), I was the consultant for all document creation. 
- Essential assets for the job included advanced production know-how (Mac and PC), internal and external project management 
- I increased accuracy and flow of outsourced and in-house projects, including referrals and projects from other stores
01/2003 09/2003 Sun-Sentinel (Tribune Company) Assistant Editor / Team Lead I produced two different weekly sections (Broward and Palm Beach counties) that profiled and promoted nonprofit organizations. 
- Editing, writing and photography; fundraising event attendance and reporting; page design, image correction and proofing 
- Working with the leaders of a wide variety of nonprofit groups, local government and the Sun-Sentinel Company
11/2000 07/2002 City Paper, LLC Creative Production and Business Development / Manager Advertising & Layout Editor, 2001 to 2002    
I was manager for The City Paper advertising creative and production, and I planned every edition for editorial and advertising. 
-  Developed and managed reliable system for ad scheduling-design-edition layout; chief adviser for ad development 
-  Oversaw all ad production, including quality assurance and file troubleshooting; primary copywriter and ad designer 
Design Editor, 2000 to 2001 
I led the development and startup of creative and production aspects of The City Paper, a daily newspaper 
-  Meeting a tight launch date, initiated daily production while managing several designers and coordinating with all departments 
- Expert in Photoshop, Quark XPress, Illustrator, and troubleshooting; designed front, feature and national pages, classified and display ads
07/2000 11/2000 JRO Creative Production Consultant / Independent Contributor Adviser doing publishing concept development for Edge Communications, later to be City Paper, LLC. 
I was the adviser to experienced entrepreneur for design, print and production for developing a new daily newspaper. My broad experience in print media spurred a quick start to the publication; I joined The City Paper staff in late 2000.
12/1996 11/2000 Warehouse Multimedia Studios Design Chief/Videographer / Manager Mainly working on print and video projects, I was a sales and client adviser for media company during start-up phase. 
-  Implemented and oversaw print media studio; developed the video, Internet and audio operations alongside the owner
03/1998 06/2000 The Gazette / JRO Creative Founder and Managing Editor / Executive Launched and managed twice-monthly, digitally produced suburban newspaper; second-year revenue rose to 25 percent of first 
- Hands-on manager in all areas: office, advertising sales, content, prepress, distribution; public, civic and client relations 
- This hard-to-categorize experience honed broad-ranging skills in business, relations, managing, media production, and more
08/1994 03/1995 West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Public Relations Writer / Independent Contributor I wrote articles on school and state health initiatives, research and other topics for the school's publications and other purposes.
12/1992 08/1993 Mountain Messenger Editor / Manager I managed content and design facets of this weekly newspaper; I was involved in all areas of business. I assigned and edited all content; wrote at least two articles per issue; advised ad sales; took photos; trained staff in improvement of page design aspects.
Other Experience
Blogger and Letter-writer
I write up my thoughts on a variety of blogs. In addition, I write letters to governmental leaders regarding a variety of issues, from human rights to local problems.
Pencil artist
Since my early youth, I have been drawing, and I am currently working on placing some examples of these works on my Web site. My early interests in the arts led to my involvement, professionally, in media, writing, graphic design and illustration.
Education
From To School Degree Area of Study Description
08/1987 05/1992 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Bachelors Business Administration (Aviation) I studied business administration, and my major stressed aviation-centered subjects for electives, such as aviation safety and aviation insurance. I stressed writing and humanities in open and special electives. 

I was twice elected Editor-in-Chief  by the staff of the student newspaper; also served as Managing Editor and Campus Editor. I was on the board of the student government, chosen to be a member of the Society of Collegiate Journalists. I was also on the selection committee of the creaitve journal and in the drama club.
 
  • Project Title: Design, packaging, pages
  • Attachment: none
  • Completed: 08/20/2008
  • Category: Graphic Arts & Design > Other - Graphic Arts & Design
  • URL: http://ringhorne.com/portfolio/designs/index.html
  • Description: For design work: Page and print designs, packaging, brochures, menus, and all-around publishing.
 
  • Project Title: Advertising, Illustration
  • Attachment: none
  • Completed: 08/20/2008
  • Category: Graphic Arts & Design > Other - Graphic Arts & Design
  • URL: http://ringhorne.com/portfolio/images/index.html
  • Description: Portfolio section for many things that involve IMAGE: ads, logos, branding and more.
 
  • Project Title: Creative Portfolio
  • Attachment: none
  • Completed: 08/20/2008
  • Category: Graphic Arts & Design > Illustration
  • URL: http://ringhorne.com/portfolio/index.html
  • Description: Images & Design :: Graphic design, logo design, photography, photo illustration, print/page design or other such work, please visit my portfolio pages for many examples of work.
 
  • Project Title: Nature series for a city magazine
  • Attachment: none
  • Completed: 06/13/2005
  • Category: Writing > Blog / Article Writing
  • URL: http://ringhorne.com/portfolio/words/
  • Description: I wrote a series of pieces about the Everglades: animals, plants and people and how all three have influenced the River of Grass. See these work examples.  I wrote under a subject-inspired pseudonym the editor and I fashioned, "Gator" Wade.
    This series, Everglades Respite, is on the left column of portfolio collection.
 
  • Project Title: Dr. Jack Fisher :: surgeon
  • Attachment: none
  • Completed: 10/30/2003
  • Category: Writing > Website Content
  • URL: http://www.drjackfisher.com/main.htm
  • Description: In collaboration with a Nashville studio, I edited and revised the content for a plastic and reconstructive surgeon's Web site. (Please open the link in a new window; the site auto-sizes the window.)
 
  • Project Title: Animal Blood Banks
  • Attachment: none
  • Completed: 12/24/2002
  • Category: Writing > Blog / Article Writing
  • URL: http://ringhorne.com/portfolio/words/onlinenews/ANCAnimalBB-122002.html
  • Description: Web news article for Animal News Center, no longer operating. Like any journalistic or research-oriented writing that I do, I did a good amount of study and revising to achieve this simple, concise article about blood banks for animals.
Hourly Assignment History
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Fixed-Price Assignment History
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oDesk Tests Taken
Name of Test Score Percentile Date Taken Duration
Advertising Skills Certification 3.75 97% TOP 10% 08/13/2008 33 min
Organizational Behavior Test 3.00 95% TOP 10% 08/13/2008 39 min
English Test (Sentence Structure) 4.75 91% TOP 10% 08/12/2008 17 min
Technical Writing Skills Certification 3.60 82% TOP 20% 08/13/2008 29 min
Editing Skills Certification 4.00 81% TOP 20% 08/12/2008 18 min