“The devil is in the details.”
— Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (maybe)
I’ve written across a diverse range of styles and purposes. As a journalist, I connected with readers through engaging human interest stories. As a manuscript editor, I polished content for clarity and accuracy while preserving the author’s voice. And, as a technical writer, I translated complex concepts into accessible, user-friendly language. These disciplines demand clarity, structure, and audience awareness, and I draw on these skills to deliver writing that is both precise and impactful.
Journalism
I wrote more than 50 AP-style feature and news articles for monthly newspaper Jewish Rhode Island, with a focus on interviews and personal profiles. Among my subjects were local politicians, artists, educators, and businesspeople.
I love asking questions that reveal people’s ideas, passions, and humanity. It’s an honor to share their voices with the world, and an obligation to represent it accurately.
An archive of my articles can be found here.
“Your words were woven together in such a lovely way.
They caught much of my essence and displayed your talent.”
— Deena Liffmann, Providence Tours by Deena
“Michael’s attention to detail is second-to-none, and I can always depend on him to
go above and beyond in assignments…and his sense of humor will make your day a little brighter!”
— Fran Ostendorf, Editor, Jewish Rhode Island
Manuscript Editing
I edited more than a dozen manuscripts for BearManor Media, a publisher of show-biz histories and biographies. In that role I ensured that submissions were accurate, engaging, and well-organized, and that any necessary changes maintained the author’s original voice. My credits include:
- Mel Blanc: The Man of a Thousand Voices, by Ben Ohmart (708 pages).
- Radio Pro: Radio Pros & Legends Share their Secrets to Success, by Joe Martelle (742 pages).
- Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions, 1966–1985, by Mark Arnold (604 pages).
“Michael’s skill as an editor is why I trusted him to work on my own manuscript.
He is diligent and insightful, and he was an asset to us and our authors.”
— Ben Ohmart, Publisher, BearManor Media
Technical Writing
I write rulebooks for hobby board games. These games feature multiple interdependent systems, so if one thing breaks, everything breaks. It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen.
These games are complex. Their rulebooks often span dozens of pages, and are filled with detailed mechanics and nuanced interactions that must be precisely communicated. This requires imagination, a deep understanding of game systems, and a lot of attention to detail. Patience is also essential, especially since I often work on rules that have been roughly translated into English from other languages.
I take a meticulous approach to this work, ensuring that every instruction, term, and example is clear and consistent. My final edits become the definitive version of a game’s rules and provide a reliable foundation for translation across languages.
Samples of my work are linked below. For a partial list of my credits, click here.
- Cthulhu Wars – Final Onslaught (217 pages)
- Europa Universalis: The Price of Power (48 pages)
- Carnegie (20 pages)