Resume

Terry Plowman
11 Bay Harbor Drive
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
(302) 227-0639
terrypl@intercom.net
 
 

OVERVIEW
  • I am an experienced writer, editor and manager with a wide range of communication and management skills developed during more than two years as a freelance editor and writer, five years as editor for a busy newspaper company and 10 years as a successful entrepreneur.

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  • For more than two years, I have been independently creating all kinds of publications and documents, taking them from concept to content development to pagination.

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  • Having edited the work of a wide range of writers, from novice to experienced, I am skilled at repairing raw copy, improving good copy and polishing well-written copy. I can edit for spelling and grammar, for continuity and meaning, and for errors and potential libel. I can also write compelling copy and produce camera-ready publications.

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  • I am currently doing freelance copy editing, writing and other special projects.

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  • For details of my experience, click the "back" button to check the other pages in my online portfolio.


EXPERIENCE

Freelance Editor, Project Manager and Writer
January 1999 to present

For more than two years, I have provided editing, writing, publication management and other communications skills for various clients. I have created all kinds of publications and documents, taking them from concept to content development to page layout. Examples of these publications can be viewed by clicking the "back" button.

These projects include:

  • A major policy statement edited for the Delaware State Planning Office, titled "Shaping Delaware's Future: Managing Growth in 21st Century Delaware." This document, signed by Gov. Thomas Carper, will affect how the state guides development through its spending decisions. My contribution included editing the work of several policy writers, rewriting large portions, proposing changes to improve content, streamlining the flow, creating shorter versions of larger documents, and other related work. State Planning Office director David S. Hugg III called the policy statement "the most readable planning document I've worked on in my 30-plus-year career in state planning."

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  • The production of two 52-page magazine-style publications about the Delmarva Peninsula for Thomson Newspapers. I planned, designed, paginated and oversaw production of "Delmarva Millennium, Vol. I and II," which featured a comprehensive overview of the region's past and a look into its future. I wrote most of the copy, assigned, edited and rewrote other stories, gathered art, developed the overall design and paginated camera-ready pages for the printer.

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  • Full-length feature stories for Delaware Today magazine based in Wilmington, Del. I have written on such topics as deforestation, historic preservation, real estate and coastal evacuation, among others. (Click to see writing samples.)

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  • Two 32-page "issue books" on water pollution in Delaware's Inland Bays and the Nanticoke River. A project of the University of Delaware, the Center for the Inland Bays and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, these issue books were designed to promote discussion at public forums on pollution control. My contribution included helping to define the content, editing the work of several writers, rewriting large portions, streamlining the flow, creating charts and graphs and creating shorter "issue briefs" from the larger documents. I also designed and paginated the publications.

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  • Editing, writing and rewriting for a 52-page descriptive booklet about a large housing development planned by Carl M. Freeman & Associates, of Bethany Beach, Del. Developed for a community called Americana Bayside, the planning guide included vision statements, descriptions of the various neighborhoods, an overview of environmental techniques, market analysis and other information.

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  • Production of the 2000 annual report and other official documents for the Delaware Nutrient Management Commission.

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  • Substantive editing, indexing and page layout for an 80-page handbook for educational administrators written by retired union representative Chet Elder.

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  • Production of the bimonthly newsletter for the Rehoboth Beach Film Society.

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  • Production of a full-color brochure for Delaware's Center for the Inland Bays. For this project I did research and interviews to gather information for the text, wrote the text, gathered photos and other art, designed and paginated the brochure and oversaw its printing.

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  • In addition to these independent projects, I taught newswriting at Delaware Technical and Community College in Georgetown, Del., in the fall of 2000.


Editor, Delaware Coast Press
December 1993 through December 1998

  • Directed a staff of editors, writers and photographers to produce the area's most widely circulated weekly newspaper. During my tenure as editor, I, and staff members under my supervision, won numerous awards for writing, photography and design.

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  • Wrote all editorials, as well as some news and features. Designed and paginated more than half of all weekly editorial space.

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  • Implemented the paper's first redesign in years. Guided staff from old-fashioned "wax-and-paste" production methods into state-of-the-art computer pagination system.

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  • Supervised development of the newspaper's Web sites. As the company's first venture into the Internet, this project required extensive on-the-job training in Web site maintenance.

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  • Developed and met annual budgets, interviewed and hired staff members, worked closely with the production and advertising departments and was second in command to the general manager.


Editor and Managing Editor, Delaware Beachcomber

  • During tenure as editor of the Delaware Coast Press, I also supervised production of the Delaware Beachcomber, the largest entertainment weekly in the resort area. Initially as editor in charge of its complete production, then later as managing editor, I oversaw improvements to both the design and content of this publication.


Editor of special publications for the Delaware Coast Press

  • As editor of the Delaware Coast Press, I directed the production of numerous special publications throughout the year. This included planning subject matter, assigning stories to staff and freelancers, editing copy and overseeing actual production of these publications, which covered such topics as the opening of a new medical facility, the rapid growth of the resort area, senior citizen lifestyles and ecotourism.


Owner and operator, The Front Page Restaurant
April 1984 through April 1994

  • Conceived and opened a restaurant-bar in Delawareís prime resort, and, with my wife, managed it to success.

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  • Skills honed during my 10 years of small-business management include (but are not limited to) planning and budgeting, concept development, training and motivation of staff, advertising and promotion, bookkeeping, inventory control, public relations and customer service.

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SKILLS AND OTHER EXPERIENCE
  • In addition to the various abilities detailed above, I have professional photography skills, as well as specialized computer skills, including:

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    • Proficiency with both Macintosh and PC computers, and such software as Quark Xpress, PageMaker, Microsoft Word and WordPerfect.

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    • Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe PageMill (for Web page design), Adobe Acrobat and assorted other applications.

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  • In addition to the journalism experience detailed above, I also have worked as the staff photographer for the Star-Democrat in Easton, Md., and general manager for the Delaware edition of Oceana Magazine, based in Ocean City, Md. I also have done freelance writing and/or photography for such publications as USA Today, the News Journal and the Delaware State News.


EDUCATION

  • Bachelor of Arts, Loyola College, Baltimore, Md.
  • Graduated cum laude with a degree in Communications Arts, which included studies in writing, photography and art at Loyola, film at Johns Hopkins and television at Towson State (now Towson University). Awarded Communication Arts Medal of Achievement for being the graduate with the highest average in the department.


REFERENCES

  • Marsha Mah, Delaware Today, (302) 656-1809
  • David S. Hugg III, UD Institute of Public Policy, (302) 831-8971
  • Katie Finneran, Carl Freeman & Associates, (302) 537-8255
  • Bill Rohrer, Delaware Nutrient Management Commission, (302) 698-4555
  • Joe Farrell, University of Delaware (water pollution project), (302) 645-4250


    • Click here to view brief comments from these references.


SAMPLES OF WORK