Shining Some Light

I’m a writer, editor, and photographer. Here’s some of my work, most paid, others done for my own interest. A few items are, for reasons of confidentiality, similar to actual work I’ve done, but are made up.

I have a BA in history and religious studies from the University of Toronto, and a certificate in editing from Simon Fraser University. I believe promoting clarity and curiosity are important goals to keep in mind when writing and editing.

Videos I’ve Created

The video at the top of the page is a short overview of a book on Tantra. On a somewhat more mundane level, here’s a short video I created to illustrate the different levels of (text) editing are available:

The video used Blender animation software, as did this video in which I attempted to show why the number of prime numbers is infinite:

Books Written and Designed: Math and Word Challenges

I decided to write a math-quiz book, then another, and then a third one. For Operation Arithmetic I used Python to create a variety of multiple-choice questions, with the idea that perhaps readers would try to figure it out in their head before writing anything down.

I also explained some of arithmetic’s rules and strategies for mental math. Here’s the start of a chapter on fractions (the two pages are merged for ease of view here). Again, my goal was to take something complicated and make it as clear as possible.

And not to be left out, here’s my word-puzzle book, again using LaTeX, with Python taking care of figuring out how to place the words in the question grids. (You can also check out two cryptogram books, included on my author’s page on Amazon.)

News Summaries

I like summarizing just about anything, and news is a prime target. I do it for my own interest, as I feel to understand something is to create it. Also, it’s a way to help other people understand complicated events by presenting them in a simpler language.

I create my summaries using LaTeX for a professional look with precise typographical controls. Creating some LaTeX commands helped me meet a design challenge I gave myself: fitting each news item into a block paragraph that indeed looks quite blockish.

Proposals

Many businesses make much of their money by seeking out RFPs (requests for proposals) and tendering a bid, which can be quite an involved process. Here, in this hypothetical example, I’ve provided some snippets of how a company might introduce itself.

I then present a diagram I created to explain how vendor and client could communicate during the development process. Typically this kind of detail would be provided by an account manager so that the bid writer can be precise and accurate.

Now, just because there’s a diagram here doesn’t mean there won’t be text saying much the same thing. Although I like to keep things short and direct, taking the time to add equivalent text can be good because:

• Some readers might absorb information better in words while others like images
• Those readers who are fine with either format will get the message reinforced
• Diagrams can be easier to understand, but text can be made very precise

Employee Manual

Again my approach would be to make sure information is available both in words and images. People who want to see the forest can go straight there. Those who want to examine the trees are welcome to do so.

Naturally HR and other policy makers would need to come up with the basic ideas of what they want to say. I can help at any stage, whether with gathering and clarifying the points, and creating the wording that expresses them most clearly.

Bit of an Infographic

Here’s an infographic I prepared charting the rise, fall, rise, fall, and rise of Bitcoin as of late 2023.

Information Summation

So, to sum up, I like summing up. I like creating clear words and images conveying a message effectively and without wasting the reader’s or viewer’s time. If you can’t take the time to make it clear, then why should anyone else take the time to understand it?

I urge you to check out my LinkedIn page for further information and to contact me. For my more “philosophical” interests, feel free to take a look at my Bluesky profile.

Thank you for your time!