Keywords
Username: vijuhegde
Location: India
Summary
Writing, editing, proofreading - in short, anything to do with the written word - are passions first and means of livelihood later. And as you will see, that shows in my work.
You want a story written, a sales letter done, a research paper prepared: consider it done. You set the tone and I'll do the rest.
I bid for only those projects which genuinely interest me and give each project my best. Because, am not here for a one-article deal, but would like to build a long-lasting relationship with my clients.
I do not juggle ten different projects at the same time, because I deliver what I promise: quality.
You want a story written, a sales letter done, a research paper prepared: consider it done. You set the tone and I'll do the rest.
I bid for only those projects which genuinely interest me and give each project my best. Because, am not here for a one-article deal, but would like to build a long-lasting relationship with my clients.
I do not juggle ten different projects at the same time, because I deliver what I promise: quality.
Experience
Skills
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Self-rated
Tested More Info
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Elance Admission Test
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British vs. American English
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English Grammar (U.S. Version)
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Business Writing Skills (U.S. Version)
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English Editing Skills - Chicago Style (U.S. Version)
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Creative Writing - Non-fiction (UK Version)
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Employment
Clear English India
2006-2008 - Editor
2006-2008 - Editor
The Telegraph
2005-2005 - Senior sub-editor
2005-2005 - Senior sub-editor
America Online
2004-2005 - Search Editor
2004-2005 - Search Editor
Businessgyan
2004-2004 - Editor
This was a part-time position.
2004-2004 - Editor
This was a part-time position.
Vijay Times
2002-2003 - Sub-editor
2002-2003 - Sub-editor
About Me
Profile Type: Individual
Year Founded: 2002
Number of Employees: 1
(Please find my latest newspaper articles here: http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=13134 and http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=13135 I was quoted in the New York Times here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/nyregion/01towns.html)
I am a trained copy editor and writer. I have a combined journalistic and non-journalistic experience of more than six years.
I started out as a sub-editor in Vijay Times, Bangalore. (The paper was acquired by the Times of India last year and is now Bangalore Mirror.) It was a new newspaper then and I was one of the founding staff.
Skills acquired here: Handling immense work pressure, editing at break-neck speed. and working with a team, Also, gained expertise in handling QuarkXpress: the software used to design newspages. I learned a lot through the never-ending shifts and ever-present deadlines.
I then took a brief break to finish my postgraduate diploma in environmental law. After that, I worked as part-time editor for a business digest in Bangalore called Businessgyan.
Skills acquired here: Learned to write business stories. This was different from the development stories that I had done till then. Also, had to co-ordinate with freelancers, urge them to turn in copy on time... the works.
Next came the job at America Online. At AOL, I was part of the Search team. AOL had pioneered into manual editing of search terms. The Internet Search industry had already become hot and so it became a really exciting experience.
Skills acquired here: Learned about the ins and outs of the Internet Search industry, and had fun doing that. I understood a lot about how search engines work and am still amazed by it.
I then moved to Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and worked for a short time at The Telegraph.
Skills acquired here: Feature writing, managing a team of columnists, etc.
But by this time it became clear to me that i didn't want to be a cog in a big wheel. Also, work had to be challenging for me.
Meanwhile, Jyoti Sanyal, my journalism guru, had started Clear English India, a firm dedicated to fight obsolete legalese and officialese in India. (Clear English India is sponsored by the Plain Language Commission, UK.) I joined it and worked for two + years until recently.
Skills acquired here: I gained immense experience editing Indian legalese, one of the toughest texts to edit; and became conversant with international plain language practices.
In the time I have worked on my own, these are some of the assignments I have completed:
1. Content management for a medical tourism company. The job involved web content writing and editing, SEO writing, and viral marketing.
2. Editorial assistant for MothersWhoWork.co.uk
3. Re-writing of business articles.
4. Edited content for a yoga site, a hypnosis book, a training manual, and more.
5. Business editor for Business Special Report, Russia.
6. Travel writing for New Zealand publication Backpackers: http://www.backpackersnews.co.nz/index.php?page=fiji-sub-1 and http://www.backpackersnews.co.nz/index.php?page=fiji-sub-2
7. Researched on social issues in India for policy papers.
Because of such versatile experience, I am confident that I can take on any editing or writing job.
You are guaranteed that the text I edit or write will be in plain language, brief, and clear.
I am very happy to find a platform like Elance. I look forward to exciting assignments here.
I am a trained copy editor and writer. I have a combined journalistic and non-journalistic experience of more than six years.
I started out as a sub-editor in Vijay Times, Bangalore. (The paper was acquired by the Times of India last year and is now Bangalore Mirror.) It was a new newspaper then and I was one of the founding staff.
Skills acquired here: Handling immense work pressure, editing at break-neck speed. and working with a team, Also, gained expertise in handling QuarkXpress: the software used to design newspages. I learned a lot through the never-ending shifts and ever-present deadlines.
I then took a brief break to finish my postgraduate diploma in environmental law. After that, I worked as part-time editor for a business digest in Bangalore called Businessgyan.
Skills acquired here: Learned to write business stories. This was different from the development stories that I had done till then. Also, had to co-ordinate with freelancers, urge them to turn in copy on time... the works.
Next came the job at America Online. At AOL, I was part of the Search team. AOL had pioneered into manual editing of search terms. The Internet Search industry had already become hot and so it became a really exciting experience.
Skills acquired here: Learned about the ins and outs of the Internet Search industry, and had fun doing that. I understood a lot about how search engines work and am still amazed by it.
I then moved to Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and worked for a short time at The Telegraph.
Skills acquired here: Feature writing, managing a team of columnists, etc.
But by this time it became clear to me that i didn't want to be a cog in a big wheel. Also, work had to be challenging for me.
Meanwhile, Jyoti Sanyal, my journalism guru, had started Clear English India, a firm dedicated to fight obsolete legalese and officialese in India. (Clear English India is sponsored by the Plain Language Commission, UK.) I joined it and worked for two + years until recently.
Skills acquired here: I gained immense experience editing Indian legalese, one of the toughest texts to edit; and became conversant with international plain language practices.
In the time I have worked on my own, these are some of the assignments I have completed:
1. Content management for a medical tourism company. The job involved web content writing and editing, SEO writing, and viral marketing.
2. Editorial assistant for MothersWhoWork.co.uk
3. Re-writing of business articles.
4. Edited content for a yoga site, a hypnosis book, a training manual, and more.
5. Business editor for Business Special Report, Russia.
6. Travel writing for New Zealand publication Backpackers: http://www.backpackersnews.co.nz/index.php?page=fiji-sub-1 and http://www.backpackersnews.co.nz/index.php?page=fiji-sub-2
7. Researched on social issues in India for policy papers.
Because of such versatile experience, I am confident that I can take on any editing or writing job.
You are guaranteed that the text I edit or write will be in plain language, brief, and clear.
I am very happy to find a platform like Elance. I look forward to exciting assignments here.
Payment Terms
I request escrow payment for all projects, as this works out fairly for the employer and service provider.
Please fund all milestones before work begins.
Final payment must be made within 48 hours of project delivery.
Please fund all milestones before work begins.
Final payment must be made within 48 hours of project delivery.
Credentials
References
Thomas Sampathraj - Personal Reference
The Times of India, Chief Sub-editor
The Times of India, Chief Sub-editor
Shilpa Pai - Personal Reference - 2004
Yahoo, Manager
Shilpa was my boss at AOL India.
Yahoo, Manager
Shilpa was my boss at AOL India.
Education
National Law School Of India University, Post-graduate diploma in Environmental Law
2003 - 2004
2003 - 2004
Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Post-graduate diploma in Print Journalism
2001 - 2002
2001 - 2002
Karnataka University, India, BA in English Literature, Economics, Psychology
1998 - 2001
1998 - 2001
