Gillian Freney
communications
writing
editing
strategizing
About Me
I'm Gillian Freney, a word nerd with a mission. I believe clear communication can make the world a saner and safer place. I've worked in public health communications for more than 10 years, and in the nonprofit sector for 20. I've seen first-hand how the right words, used wisely, can make all the difference.
People are complicated. That keeps things interesting. It also means insights tend to arrive in an untidy tangle of facts and feelings. My gifts lie in distilling the meaning from the mess. I help people express complex ideas with compelling clarity.
Services
WRITING
Good writing demands good listening. I ask questions. Lots of them. Once I'm clear on your goals, I deliver the text you're after, in the tone you want. With well-crafted prose elevating your message, you are free to focus on the bigger picture.
EDITING
Synthesizing information is my superpower. I shape words to your purposes. I am at home with any editing task, from simple proofreading to a complete content overhaul. Nothing makes me happier than turning word salad into coherent copy.
STRATEGIZING
Good work is compelling. Tasks mushroom, and time runs short. It's all too easy to put off thinking broadly about who you want to reach, and how best to reach them. I help people clarify their communication goals and chart a course forward.
Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subject only in outline, but that every word tell.
William Strunk and E. B. White
THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE
deliverables
web copy
case studies
patient stories
policy statements
profiles
issue briefs
data & evaluation reports
ghostwriting
press releases
donor appeals
grant reports
annual reports
white papers
human interest stories
reviews
recipes
subjects
public health
health care
patient experience
health literacy
advocacy
nonprofit management
volunteers
fundraising
adoption
children & families
higher education
literary arts
fine arts
cooking
pets
food & wine