WEB, TECH, AI
A Career That Combines Words with Code
As well as writing the words, I'm adept at publishing the words electronically. My interest in electronic remote communications began in 1990 when I was the first reporter, then working at the San Francisco Chronicle, to interview civilians in real time and under fire in Saudi Arabia and Tel Aviv during Operation Desert Storm. I plugged in by MS-DOS computer to the "bulletin board" (a BBS system) on the server used by employees of Aramco — using the international operator and a 2400-baud modem to get connected. Not many people understood then what I had done, mainly because my early attempt at online interviews had been upstaged by the launch of the fax machine. I have a feeling not that many reading this now will understand what a 2400-baud modem is. Or an international telephone operator who told she had no idea what a modem was. Times and the way we communicate marches on.
Websites & Macworld
I left the newspaper industry for web publishing at Macworld magazine, which was building Macworld Online, a pioneer publication in pairing the electronic to the print brand.
Work with Macworld Online was an education in HTML and, later, WordPress. While I have backed off from building new websites, I bring a complete package approach to clients who need help creating content for a new or updated website: how to match design with readability to create a site that meets SEO while also bringing a visual connection to the words on the page.
Silicon Valley Clients
A newspaper colleague and I formed a corporate communications partnership that we named Editrope. Our clients included:
- Hewlett-Packard. We developed, produced and wrote a daily newsfeed for HP’s enterprise sales department. The idea was to prime their day with news on what partners and competitors were up to. We also created the branding and deliverables for the rollout of HP’s Microsoft Services division.
- Genencor Int’l. The biotech company in Palo Alto was a pioneer in cellulosic fuel and commercial enzymes. We were hired to create and manage an HR-sponsored campaign to market the company’s generous benefits and service programs. The long-term goal was to entice employees to vote the company a “best to work for” employer as deemed by Forbe’s magazine. We did it. The third year they won second place. The fourth year they took it all.
- Genencor was bought by Danisco, the second-largest enzyme producer in the world at the time. We stayed on with Danisco until it was sold and Genencor went to DuPont.
AI as a Writing Tool
Never used to write a story, I do use AI to transcribe my Zoom interviews and create outlines and graphics as needed to further clarify points made during the conversation. I compare my notes and the Zoom recording itself to ensure accuracy. I also use AI to check facts that I then confirm. I use it to verify phrasing in lieu of a copy editor to ensure grammatical accuracy. I use Adobe Firefly, an AI tool, to create simple graphics for stories I write that are self-published on Substack.