Emily C. Skaftun
Creative Content Editor at Stranger's Guide- Claim this Profile
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Bokmål, Norwegian Limited working proficiency
Topline Score
Bio
Becky Kruse Gjendem
I worked as a copy editor for Emily when she was editor-in-chief at The Norwegian American. She communicated deadlines and expectations clearly, and she is super organized. She breathed new life into the paper with a staff of contributors from around the world. She pulled it all together into an interesting and informative package for each issue. She’s also a wonderful writer, and I had the pleasure of copyediting some of the writing she did for the newspaper. I enjoyed working with her immensely. She’s a great leader.
Sarah Dale Schwald
Emily is an efficient and focused professional, as well as a creative and engaging collaborator. Fearless in the pursuit of identified goals, she's an asset to any team. I first utilized her editorial skills many years ago, and her work was excellent then and has only grown in her skill and speed. Her practical skills as an editor and writer are a solid foundation for her personal writing, which, engaging as the stories are, is further bolstered by her mastery of language. I would recommend her work completely.
Becky Kruse Gjendem
I worked as a copy editor for Emily when she was editor-in-chief at The Norwegian American. She communicated deadlines and expectations clearly, and she is super organized. She breathed new life into the paper with a staff of contributors from around the world. She pulled it all together into an interesting and informative package for each issue. She’s also a wonderful writer, and I had the pleasure of copyediting some of the writing she did for the newspaper. I enjoyed working with her immensely. She’s a great leader.
Sarah Dale Schwald
Emily is an efficient and focused professional, as well as a creative and engaging collaborator. Fearless in the pursuit of identified goals, she's an asset to any team. I first utilized her editorial skills many years ago, and her work was excellent then and has only grown in her skill and speed. Her practical skills as an editor and writer are a solid foundation for her personal writing, which, engaging as the stories are, is further bolstered by her mastery of language. I would recommend her work completely.
Becky Kruse Gjendem
I worked as a copy editor for Emily when she was editor-in-chief at The Norwegian American. She communicated deadlines and expectations clearly, and she is super organized. She breathed new life into the paper with a staff of contributors from around the world. She pulled it all together into an interesting and informative package for each issue. She’s also a wonderful writer, and I had the pleasure of copyediting some of the writing she did for the newspaper. I enjoyed working with her immensely. She’s a great leader.
Sarah Dale Schwald
Emily is an efficient and focused professional, as well as a creative and engaging collaborator. Fearless in the pursuit of identified goals, she's an asset to any team. I first utilized her editorial skills many years ago, and her work was excellent then and has only grown in her skill and speed. Her practical skills as an editor and writer are a solid foundation for her personal writing, which, engaging as the stories are, is further bolstered by her mastery of language. I would recommend her work completely.
Becky Kruse Gjendem
I worked as a copy editor for Emily when she was editor-in-chief at The Norwegian American. She communicated deadlines and expectations clearly, and she is super organized. She breathed new life into the paper with a staff of contributors from around the world. She pulled it all together into an interesting and informative package for each issue. She’s also a wonderful writer, and I had the pleasure of copyediting some of the writing she did for the newspaper. I enjoyed working with her immensely. She’s a great leader.
Sarah Dale Schwald
Emily is an efficient and focused professional, as well as a creative and engaging collaborator. Fearless in the pursuit of identified goals, she's an asset to any team. I first utilized her editorial skills many years ago, and her work was excellent then and has only grown in her skill and speed. Her practical skills as an editor and writer are a solid foundation for her personal writing, which, engaging as the stories are, is further bolstered by her mastery of language. I would recommend her work completely.
Experience
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Stranger's Guide
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United States
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Creative Content Editor
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Sep 2021 - Present
• Shaped the editorial voice by creating, editing, and designing call-out-boxes, timelines, and tour guides (“creative content”). • Designed and laid out the entire print magazine. • Procured rights to photographs and illustrations, liaising with artists, archives, and libraries; ensured illustration credits were compliant. • Managed researchers, fact-checkers, and other contractors. • Shaped the editorial voice by creating, editing, and designing call-out-boxes, timelines, and tour guides (“creative content”). • Designed and laid out the entire print magazine. • Procured rights to photographs and illustrations, liaising with artists, archives, and libraries; ensured illustration credits were compliant. • Managed researchers, fact-checkers, and other contractors.
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Girl Friday Productions
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United States
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Book Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Freelance Writer
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Apr 2021 - Sep 2021
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Clarion West Writers Workshop
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United States
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Writing and Editing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Copywriter
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Feb 2021 - May 2021
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Digital Unicorn
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United States
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Media Production
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Creative Director
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Dec 2020 - Feb 2021
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The Norwegian American
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United States
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Media Production
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1 - 100 Employee
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Fiction Editor
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Sep 2019 - Dec 2019
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Editor in Chief
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Jan 2014 - Sep 2019
Transformed a moribund ethnic newspaper into something lauded even by non-Norwegians as “surprisingly interesting.” Managed all aspects of the publication: hiring freelance reporters, editors, artists & staff; maintaining budget, editorial calendar & production schedule; developing effective marketing drives using direct mail, email, print/web ads, events & social media. Designed and created 196 issues of the paper, each more attractive than the last.key achievements:• Reimagined the publication, renaming, redesigning & restructuring it from weekly to biweekly, updating its look, and continually improving its content.• Forged relationships with Norwegian news outlets to secure high-quality content.• Improved SEO rankings, time on page & click-through rate by updating, rebranding & streamlining digital edition.• Launched weekly email newsletter with a 40% open rate.• Increased customer retention by over 30%.• Planned and managed festival exhibitions that were a key driver of new subscriptions. Show less
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Freelance Editor
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Mar 2008 - Feb 2015
Delivered developmental & line editing to professional and self-published authors. Enhanced clarity, style & interest by delivering developmental edits and recommending rewrites. Ensured consistent and reliable content by editing and organizing fiction and non-fiction. Confirmed consistency across stories by collaborating team of producers, writers & co-editors. key achievements: • As editor of the fiction arm of Canadian transmedia project Animism, created The Book of Emissaries, an anthology of bestselling authors and amateur contest winners. Solicited candidates with appropriate style, name recognition, and audience. • Provided feedback to 40+ authors, at least 7 of whom published their novels. Countless more sold their short fiction to leading magazines. Show less
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Editor
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Nov 2011 - Feb 2014
• solicited work from professional fiction writers with appropriate style, name recognition, and audience • provided developmental editing to professional authors and contest winners • collaborated with producers, writers, and co-editor to ensure consistency across stories and a blend of voices that complement and enhance each other • solicited work from professional fiction writers with appropriate style, name recognition, and audience • provided developmental editing to professional authors and contest winners • collaborated with producers, writers, and co-editor to ensure consistency across stories and a blend of voices that complement and enhance each other
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Every Day Fiction
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Canada
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Editorial Assistant
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Jan 2011 - Jun 2012
• read fiction submissions to determine their suitability for publication • provided constructive feedback on each story • worked cooperatively with authors and co-editors to develop work • read fiction submissions to determine their suitability for publication • provided constructive feedback on each story • worked cooperatively with authors and co-editors to develop work
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Victor Valley College
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United States
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Higher Education
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400 - 500 Employee
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Associate Faculty, English
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Feb 2009 - Jun 2011
Taught courses including ENGL 101: English Composition & Reading, and ENGL 104: Critical Thinking & Composition. In accordance with established SLOs, planned classes, selected textbooks, and instructed through lecture, discussion, and writing exercises. Taught courses including ENGL 101: English Composition & Reading, and ENGL 104: Critical Thinking & Composition. In accordance with established SLOs, planned classes, selected textbooks, and instructed through lecture, discussion, and writing exercises.
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Chaffey College
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United States
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Adjunct Faculty, English
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Aug 2008 - Jun 2011
Taught courses including ENGL 450: Fundamentals of Composition, ENGL 1A: Composition, and ENGL 1B: Advanced Composition & Critical Thinking. In accordance with established SLOs, planned classes, selected textbooks, and instructed through lecture, discussion, and writing exercises. Taught courses including ENGL 450: Fundamentals of Composition, ENGL 1A: Composition, and ENGL 1B: Advanced Composition & Critical Thinking. In accordance with established SLOs, planned classes, selected textbooks, and instructed through lecture, discussion, and writing exercises.
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University of Redlands
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United States
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Instructor, English
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Aug 2008 - Dec 2008
Taught ENGL 100: Expository Writing, and ENGL 101: Writing Tutorial. Participated in department work, including evaluation of placement and final exams, and regularly conferred one-on-one with students Taught ENGL 100: Expository Writing, and ENGL 101: Writing Tutorial. Participated in department work, including evaluation of placement and final exams, and regularly conferred one-on-one with students
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Roosevelt University
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United States
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Adjunct Instructor, English
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Aug 2007 - Dec 2007
Taught two sections of ENG 102: Argument, Analysis, & Research. Taught two sections of ENG 102: Argument, Analysis, & Research.
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Editor/Managing Editor
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Sep 2005 - Dec 2006
publications: Oyez Review and Michigan Avenue Review • negotiated with co-editors to select art, fiction, and poetry • set editorial guidelines • designed Michigan Avenue Review website • completely re-designed Oyez Review styles and logo; laid out magazine in Quark XPress • designed and managed spreadsheet of submissions, authors, and stories bought • worked with writers to push their fiction and poetry to the next level • copy edited and proofread all stories publications: Oyez Review and Michigan Avenue Review • negotiated with co-editors to select art, fiction, and poetry • set editorial guidelines • designed Michigan Avenue Review website • completely re-designed Oyez Review styles and logo; laid out magazine in Quark XPress • designed and managed spreadsheet of submissions, authors, and stories bought • worked with writers to push their fiction and poetry to the next level • copy edited and proofread all stories
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Education
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2004 - 2007
Roosevelt University
MFA, Creative Writing, Fiction -
1999 - 2003
University of Redlands
BA, Theatre Design & Creative Writing
Community
