Melanie Spiller and Coloratura Consulting
Copyright 2020 Melanie Spiller. All rights reserved.
Resume for Melanie Spiller
Melanie Spiller and Coloratura Consulting
Professional Highlights:
Freelance
Editor/Writer:
Specializes
in
technical
writing,
especially
working
with
those
who
do
not
already
write
well.
Writes
several
blogs
about
music
theory,
music
history,
vegan
recipes
for
one
person,
and
the
writing/revising/getting
published
process.
Writes
historical
fiction
with
a
focus
on
medieval
musicians.
Writes
non-fiction
about
music
history
(“Musical
Innovators”
came
out
in
2020).
Edits technology, marketing materials, and fiction.
Previous Employment Highlights:
As
a
self-employed/freelance
editor
and
writer,
wrote,
edited,
proofread,
and
desktop-published
technical
articles
and
test
questions
on
Microsoft
products,
wrote
and
edited
articles
for
Anaplan,
CODE
Magazine,
and
Conscious
Dancer,
edited
websites,
articles,
and
brochures
for
Feldenkrais®
technique,
singing
and
performance
technique,
education,
retail
advertising
copy,
historical
references,
resumes
and
theatrical
biographies,
performance
programs,
fiction,
and
poetry.
Began
writing
a
guide
for
high-tech
authors
based
on
my
blog
(now
defunct
but
that
morphed
into
the
Writing
Workbook
at
Microsoft).
Clients
as
diverse
as
software developers and historical fiction.
As
a
Content
PM
at
Microsoft,
looked
into
new
ways
of
producing
content
by
looking
at
community,
delivery
processes,
prioritizing
which
documents
to
produce,
and
creating
new
teams
across
feature
sets.
Specialized
in
terminology
and
localization
issues.
As
a
Technical
Editor,
worked
with
neophyte,
struggling,
and
non-native
English-
speaking
writers
to
hone
skills.
Wrote
“Writing
Workbook”
and
led
workshops about the craft of writing.
·
As
Documentation
Manager
at
myCFO,
hired
and
managed
three
technical
writers
and
editors,
wrote
and
edited
user
documentation,
marketing
materials,
online
content,
and
client
communications,
managed
third-party
content
authors
(seven
vendor
writers).
Worked
with
engineering,
design,
marketing,
senior
management,
client
acquisitions,
product
marketing,
usability
staff,
Web
development,
and
financial experts to build content. Responsible for corporate voice.
·
Acquired
and
developmentally
edited
at
Sybex
Computer
Books
for
databases,
ERP,
CAD,
presentation,
drawing,
and
music
notation
software
books.
Responsible
for
finding
authors,
guiding
organization,
focus,
and
structure
of
new
books,
training
new
authors,
and
helping
existing
authors
improve
their
books
thorough
analysis
of
their
work,
competitive
works,
and
the
existing
market
for
both
software
and
books.
Frequent
ghost
writing
for
authors
on
database
topics
and
CAD
products.
Provided
support
for
book
projects
through
editorial
and
production
process,
including
CD
creation
and
new
series
designs.
Over
200 books in print.
·
Edited
lab
reports
and
articles
published
in
twelve
Ziff-Davis
computer
magazines.
Also
at
Ziff-Davis,
created
and
maintained
personnel
database
for
the
Lab
division,
created
and
maintained
technical
and
software
libraries
and
their
associated
databases.
Freelance
substantive
editing
for
PC
Week
(a
Ziff
publication)
with
an
emphasis on networking products.
·
Wrote
text
for
and
instructed
a
Business
Communication
course
at
the community college level.
·
Literacy
tutor
at
minimal
security
youth
prison,
maximum
security
adult
prison,
and
private
tutoring,
including
at
a
drug
rehabilitation
center in Berkeley, California.
·
Over
eight
years
of
increasingly
responsible
experience
in
materials
management
and
the
documentation
of
policies,
procedures,
and
training with four major high-tech manufacturing organizations.
Professional Summary:
·
July 2011-present
Freelance
Editor/Writer:
various
employers,
including
vendors
for
Microsoft,
Anaplan,
A23
Consulting,
CODE
Magazine,
fiction
writers,
poets,
and
programs
for
musical
performances.
Maintain
a
blog
and
website
about
writing
(fiction,
music
history,
and
music
theory).
Maintain
and write a recipe blog.
·
June 2006–July 2011
Microsoft:
Content
PM:
Researched
Content
Model,
SEO,
alternative
page
designs,
community
contributions,
and
channels
for
content
types.
Primary
Localization
contact
and
Terminology expert for SQL Server UE, including Windows Azure and SQL Azure.
Technical
Editor
II:
Edited
SQL
Azure,
Entity
Data
Model,
Entity
Framework,
PHP,
JDBC,
SQL
Compact,
Velocity,
SQL
Server
BOL,
Oracle,
ADO.NET,
WCF
Data
Services,
and
SNAC.
Wrote
“Writing
Workbook”
to
improve
tech
writing
skills
of
the
team.
Specialized
in
editing neophyte, troubled, or non-native English-speaker writers.
·
May 2001–June 2006:
Freelance
Editor/Writer:
Clients
include
Office
Zealot,
MCW
Tech,
Informant,
Inc.,
CODE
Magazine,
BrainCore,
A23
Consulting,
Electric
Head,
GISTICS,
Tribal
Brands,
Village
Heartbeat,
Macy’s
West
(Federated),
and
individual
(non-corporate)
writers.
Created
a
blog
about
writing
for
technical
people
and
established
a
website
containing
those
blogs
and
other
helpful items.
·
April 2000–May 2001:
myCFO, Inc.:
Documentation Manager, Corporate Editor
·
February 1995–March 2000:
Sybex, Inc.:
Acquisitions and Developmental Editor
·
March 1992–February 1995:
Ziff-Davis Labs:
Copy Editor/Librarian, Freelance Editor
·
June 1991–August 1991:
Masters Institute:
Business Communications Teacher
·
September 1989–June 1991:
Sacramento Neighborhood Study Center:
Literacy Tutor in prisons and privately
·
Summer Jobs 1987–1991:
Olsten Temps:
Personnel Clerk, Purchasing Agent, Administrative Assistant
TechAid Temps:
Master Scheduler, Senior Planner, Expediter
·
March 1979–May 1987:
Applied Materials, Inc.:
Planner II, Planner I, Expediter, Departmental Assistant
·
June 1978–March 1979:
Roberta's Temps:
Document Control (assigned to Applied Materials), Stock Clerk
Education
:
B.A. in English, California State University at Sacramento, 1991
Copyediting Courses at U.C. Berkeley Extension, 1993
Technical Writing Course at U.C. Berkeley Extension, 1993
CBEST-Qualified to Teach Music, English, and History in California and Oregon, 2003
Awards
:
Golden Key National Honor Society
Sigma Tau Delta (an International English Literature Honor Society), Lambda Omega Chapter
Dean's List consecutive terms 1987–1991
APICS certified in MRP and Production Planning