Deborah Aker Email & Phone Number

Silver Spring, Md, Us

For Keylime Academy’s proposal training programs, I developed and co-facilitate sessions on persuasive writing. In these sessions, I draw on my experience as an editor, good and bad examples from proposals, and the insights of communication professionals to help participants unlearn the complex, wordy, and often over-the-top writing that earned them high marks in school. We brainstorm to improve sample text, critique proposal graphics, discuss challenges, and solve problems as participants seek ways to keep their writing compelling and readable.

As an editor, I improve the structure, logic, and readability of many types of documents while respecting page limits and deadlines. I guide authors to bring out the best in their writing and work with them to untangle ambiguities and meet requirements. I can enter the editing and manuscript development process at any stage to make substantive contributions that improve readability, clarify information and messages, and harmonize the work of multiple writers. While my current work focuses on proposals and reports for international development practitioners, I've also worked on style guides, white papers, articles, chapters, book-length manuscripts, technical documentation, web content, restaurant menus, marketing collateral, resumes, and other materials. I have written and edited documents that present an organization’s voice, identity, messages, and information clearly and persuasively.

Washington, D.C.

I edited proposals to a range of government agencies and nongovernmental organizations. To ensure completeness and responsiveness to submission requirements, I put myself in the position of the intended readers as I reviewed proposal sections and made detailed recommendations. I collected and edited elements common to multiple bids as the basis of a boilerplate library to help streamline proposal development. For editorial consistency, I spearheaded the creation of an editorial style guide geared to proposal development.

I edited proposals, project reports, success stories, newsletters, corporate communications, training materials, exhibition materials, recruitment announcements, and other documents. Serving as a communications resource for writers and projects around the world, I worked with home- and field-office staff (including those whose native language is not English) to guide and shape communication materials. I developed and presented training on topics including outlining and writing; organizing material for readability; and using Microsoft Office functions to enhance efficiency and present information effectively and attractively. I coached and mentored beginning writers to develop informative and persuasive documents that were responsive to requirements. I edited and shaped Web content for readability and user-friendliness.

I provided high-level editing, research, and quality assurance for proposals, project reports, and other lengthy documents as well as shorter materials. I ensured that documents conformed to Chicago, GPO, or AP styles and to project- or company-specific formats, including those that I developed. I wrote training texts, documentation, correspondence, and marketing materials. As the final reader, I ensured that materials represented their writers and organizations accurately and positively.

I wrote, edited, and managed content for specific sections of realtor.org and provided strategic and editorial guidance to content owners and stakeholders. I advised stakeholders on creating content to ensure timeliness and attract readers.

In the first of two stints at EEI, I edited proposals, articles, manuals, newsletters, documentation, bibliographies, websites, interactive online courses, and other kinds of documents for government, nonprofit, and corporate clients. I conducted research and developed, rewrote, and edited material to conform to plain language principles and appeal to low-literacy readers.

For APCO's Technology Consulting practice, I wrote and edited web content to support branding, communicate messages, and motivate online actions. I worked closely with clients to ensure the quality and accuracy of site content. My work included defining and documenting standards and editorial styles for consistent, user-centered sites.

Certificate

Education record

Ba