Talk to Me about Freelance Writing and Editing Services for the Social Impact and Creative Sectors
| “I had a fantastic experience working with Heather. Her editorial insight is top-notch and greatly enhanced my manuscript. She is knowledgeable, communicative, and thorough, and my work flourished as a result. I would highly recommend Heather’s services to anyone hoping to take their writing to the next level.” – Author Jacob Thomas Austin |
I love to write poetry, fiction, and personal essays, but I am also an editorial professional with 30 years of experience helping social impact organizations tell their stories. And I am now available as a freelance writer, editor, and publications manager for both social impact organizations and creative writers. I excel at crafting compelling stories out of challenging content and at helping authors refine their language. And I am ready to help you!
My Story: After my former employer needed to cut more than half of its staff (1500+ people) due to the illegal dismantling of USAID, I found myself without a job for the first time in decades. As the only breadwinner for a household of four, a sudden job loss late in my career came as quite a shock. But I know my worth. Like thousands of other DOGE casualties, my layoff had nothing to do with the quality of my work.
BUSINESS WRITING & EDITING SERVICES
My employer and colleagues valued me for my ability to improve content operations while translating complex ideas into clear, engaging publications that build credibility and drive engagement. I have partnered with hundreds of subject matter experts in public health, education, law, international development, and the arts. I bring clarity, structure, and strategy to every stage of the publishing process.
Experience Highlights
- Directed production of 100+ publications annually for global health initiatives, elevating content quality and production efficiency.
- Established editorial standards and streamlined content operations across 300+ international and domestic programs.
- Regularly strengthened stakeholder engagement through targeted knowledge-sharing efforts, such as a newsletter reaching over 20,000 practitioners, policymakers, and educators.
CREATIVE WRITING & EDITING SERVICES
I love to help creative writers of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction hone their language and see their work from a different perspective. As someone who has published work in all of these genres, I can offer developmental and copy editing. I have reviewed the work of poets, authors of short fiction and essays, and children’s book authors.
Experience Highlights
- Provided feedback and edits for chapter books published by Capstone and middle grade fiction published by Penguin
- Edited poems for national award-winning poets
- Edited personal essays and blog posts
- Edited book of speculative horror short fiction
Contact Me!
I’m now seeking a freelance work in 1) communications or editorial strategy within associations, universities, think tanks, NGOs, foundations, or health systems, and 2) as a copyeditor for creative fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
If you or your organization values clarity, creativity, credibility, and efficient publishing, let’s connect: hdavis349@yahoo.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherdaviswriter/
Testimonials
“Heather Davis is a champion of clear and concise communication with whom I have worked for more than 10 years. As my editing colleague, I turned to Heather, who has also been my informal mentor, for clarification and confirmation. When uncertain, Heather finds answers by rapidly scanning and disregarding numerous unreliable sources and identifies those that are credible. She excels at synthesizing and organizing information and has used these skills develop and finalize project-specific and company-wide style guides. She is highly organized and manages scores of deliverables with competing priorities. As a supervisor, Heather is calm in situations in which others panic. She responds immediately and is extremely patient. In addition to all her practical skills, Heather is extremely reliable and ethical.” —Julie Ray, Senior Editor, JSI
“I first worked with Heather when she was the Editorial Director of a complex, multi-country nutrition project. I was so impressed with the content and publications management systems and tools she had created and the resulting publications. I had the opportunity to work more closely with Heather when she brought that strategic thinking to the organization’s communications team to help refine and lead our editorial processes. I’ve learned a lot from her technical writing and editing expertise as well as her ability to bring people and teams together.” —Shaina Bauman, Senior Communications Advisor, JSI
Heather Lynne Davis 