Lynda Twardowski Wheatley
Writer • Editor • Content Strategist

Executive Editor
Northern Express
May 2017–March 2022
 

• Planned, managed, and produced a 90K-circulation weekly magazine covering the arts, lifestyle, news, and travel/recreation in 13 counties in northwest Lower Michigan.
   

• Created annual editorial calendar and planned each weekly issue's lineup. Researched, developed, assigned, edited all feature articles; edited, fact-checked, and proofed each issue's articles, columns, and non-syndicated copy according to in-house and AP Style rules).
   

• Wrote multiple features per month as well as front-of-book copy.
   

• Worked closely with art director to brainstorm, select, and collaborate on layout and design of cover and interior editorial content.
   

• Wrote and generated Northern Express' twice-weekly digital newsletter, as well as uploaded each issue's stories and art to maintain the publication's website and limited social channels.
   

• As the lone editorial staffer, I managed and worked closely with our art director and a rotating team of 15+ freelance writers/ photographers of varying skill levels. 

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Senior Copywriter 

ECI Healthcare, a Schumacher Clinical Partner

​2012–2017

 

• As part of the company's 2012 rebranding, I drove the overall content strategy to support the recruiting and new business development arms of a national healthcare company and its subsidiaries (Emergency Consultants, Hospitalist Consultants, Clinix medical practice management software, and SymMetric Revenue Solutions medical billing and coding services). 
   

• Ensured quality and accuracy in all written content, but just as importantly (a true rarity when medicine, hospitals, and Medicare are involved) made certain that all content that I touched transformed complicated topics (e.g., Do Your Hospitalists Deliver ROI for HFMA magazine) into the most engaging, info-packed content possible—a way of treating the often-overwhelmed physicians, executives, or patients we targeted like human beings with specific problems to solve, rather than potential clients with time and money to waste. 
   

• Developed annual and quarterly content calendars and wrote all print and digital content (including but not limited to print and online articles, company's rebranded and SEO-supercharged website, blogs, white papers, case studies, infographics, ebooks, print and digital ads, landing pages, UX copy, social media, and sales collateral) to support ECIHP and its subsidiaries' B2B and B2C needs.
   

• Assisted the executive team by writing and/or editing thought leadership articles, speeches and presentations, video scripts, annual reports, etc.

 

Editor in Chief

Traverse City Business News & The Ticker e-news site

​2009–2012

 

​Researched, concepted, assigned, edited, and wrote editorial content for monthly business journal (Traverse City Business News) and hyper-local daily e-news (www.theticker.tc) website. Managed a team of 20+ freelance writers; ran The Ticker’s social accounts; edited and voiced on-air news segments for local radio stations; spearheaded the publication’s 2009 redesign; assisted in planning and hosting of monthly and annual special in-person events.

 

 

Travel Editor

Traverse Magazine

​2004–2009

 

Concepted and wrote monthly “Travel Insider” department and full-length feature articles detailing vacation travel in northern Michigan; wrote and edited monthly front-of-book pieces and full-length feature articles showcasing the people, places, nature, and lifestyle unique to the region; concepted, wrote, uploaded fresh daily copy and video for magazine's companion website, MyNorth.com. 

Additionally: Served as assistant editor, co-planning, writing, and co-editing Traverse's bi-monthly home magazine, Northern Home & Cottage; annual specialty retail-focused publication, Northern Holiday; and bi-annual business travel magazine, Meetings North.