Lori Straus: Your Freelance Writer, Editor, and Translator

Headshot of Lori Straus, freelance writer, editor, and translator
Photo by Erin Watt Photography

The Pre-Quill to Freelance

Before I opened my freelance business, I studied and travelled a lot: two academic degrees in Canada and three years of living in Germany (two of those teaching English). I began marketing for arts organizations in Kitchener, Ontario, in 2005, and got bitten by the marketing bug.

In 2009, I switched sectors and joined OpenText, Canada’s largest independent software company, where I worked with customers, sales reps, consultants, and marketers from all over the world. I wrote how-tos, managed the then-new customer e-newsletter, edited white papers, and helped market the annual conference.

Four years later, I moved to a German Studies research centre and took care of its digital and print marketing, working with the centre’s director and the university communications teams to market a wide range of events, from lectures to new publications to reading groups. My job also entailed keeping an eye on trends in academic discourse and research and sharing those via social media.

The Present: Freelancing

I started freelancing in 2010, when a magazine accepted my query, and my list of clients has grown since.

What have I written? Lots. Blog posts, web copy, brochures, info sheets, feature articles, how-tos, social media posts, and profiles. I’ve translated marketing collateral, genealogical documents, moderately technical articles, German media coverage, and more. You can check out my portfolio for some samples, but please do contact me if you don’t see what you’re looking for. Much of what I write is gated content, and my clients understandably don’t want me posting that online.

And for whom? Tech companies, arts organizations, start-ups, corporations, small businesses, and individuals. I focus now on business owners and marketing professionals selling services and/or software solutions.

I published my first book in July 2016 and contributed a chapter to a book on local history that is set for publication in 2021. In the fall of 2018, I released my first novel, Between Worlds 1: The Move. The second came out in time for Christmas shopping that same year, and I received a Waterloo Region Arts Fund grant in 2020 to research Between Worlds 8. That book will be published in 2021. These titles are all published under Lori Wolf-Heffner.

Continuing education is important for a writer: you can’t write if you don’t learn. I stay current on social media and copywriting trends, have taken courses in conflict mediation, and began my Trauma Certificate in 2020.

Call Me for Your Freelance Writing, Editing, and Translation Needs

I’d love to answer whatever questions you have or to give you a quote for an upcoming project.

In need of a writer?

  • I’m currently available to work for companies from Canada, the US, Germany, and Austria.
  • loristraus@loristraus.com
  • (519) 503-7098

Copyright© 2023 Lori Straus

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