Qualifications
Writing
Professional writer for over a decade with experience in magazine, business, and technical writing. Author of over thirty articles in three national magazines and two regular columns in two other national magazines.
Editing
Assistant Editor of C3, a Sri Lankan print magazine. Edited various corporate and business materials (including user manuals, proposals, brochures, and web content). Experienced in copyediting, content editing, and proofreading.
Business and Corporate Writing
Developer, writer, editor, and designer of a wide range of business materials including brochures, company profiles, press releases, human resources manuals, job training manuals, policies & procedures manuals, accounting procedures manuals, press releases, and web content.
Technical Writing
Write software user manuals.
Internet, HTML, and Desktop Publishing
Webmaster for my own sites (http://www.laurieashton.com and http://www.lmashton.com). Familiar with HTML, css, php, and ftp using Dreamweaver and FrontPage . Familiar with desktop publishing programs for both electronic and print publishing, including Publisher.
Work History
Assistant Editor – August 2007 to present
C3 magazine
- Editing including copy editing (spelling, punctuation, grammar), style editing (to conform to C3 magazine’s in-house style), and content editing (clarity, flow, organization, and meaning). Reviewing proofs, both digital and print. Writing articles, columns, and other content as needed. Acquire products to review.
Freelance Writer – May 1996 to present
Vancouver and Kelowna, BC, Canada and Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
- Wrote documentation and edited and proofread existing documentation as needed.
Freelance Accountant – May 1996 to August 2003
Vancouver and Kelowna, BC, Canada
- Accountant for small and very small businesses. Performed all day-to-day accounting needs – accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank reconciliations, general ledger including month- and year-end journal entries, preparation of year-end financial reports for tax accountants. Set up accounting systems, switched clients from a manual accounting system to a computer accounting system, and changed clients from one accounting computer system to another on an as-needed basis. Provided computer, software, and accounting training as needed. Hired staff as needed.
Computer/Technology Skills
Website Design & Management
- Design – Dreamweaver and FrontPage – creating and editing templates with html, css.
- FTP – SmartFTP, FileZilla, CuteFTP.
- Website management – cPanel, SMF (Simple Machines Forum), Joomla CMS, Mambo CMS, Community Builder.
- Blogging – WordPress, Blogspot, MovableType, Blog.
Word Processing / Publishing
- Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, Microsoft Publisher, Adobe Acrobat.
Other
- Operating Systems – MSDOS 2.0 to 6.2; Windows 3.x, 95, 98, 2000, XP; Mac OS X Leopard.
- Image Managers & Editors – ACDSee 6-10, PhotoShop CS2, ImageReady CS2, and more.
- Accounting – Simply Accounting, MYOB, Intuit Quickbooks, Intuit Quicken, Intuit QuickTax, TurboTax, Microsoft Money, Conac Accounting Software, Remanco Back Office Systems, and more.
- Other – Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Groove, Mindjet MindManager, and more.
