A FORK IN THE ROAD
I’d just started college, majoring in literature with a minor of comparative mythology, when I was sternly warned against choosing the life of a writer. “You’ll end up cutting off your ear for peanuts because you can’t afford to eat, like Vincent Van Gogh! Get a job in computers!” Against my better instincts, I did what I was told.
Embarking on a journey of self discovery, I wove my way through the office sector, working in administration, graphic design, and tech support. Straying from the water cooler and cubicle, I joined the staff of a kitschy grocery store with one of the best culture centric branding models of all time. I worked there for nearly a decade. It was my job to live, breathe, eat, drink, and be the brand. Embodying a brand gives you an inherent understanding of its nature and culture.
BEYOND WHERE I STARTED
Management recruited me to their upper ranks. Every aspect of my life benefited from what I learned there. The next thing I knew I landed in the art world working for a prominent, world-collected photographer and mixed media artist. As her studio manager and marketing consultant, I helped further define and promote the culture of her brand.
I could lay blame on that ill advice I received thirty-something years ago for delaying my writing career. Yet, it was the beginning of my journey, not the end. That road provided me a skill set I otherwise wouldn’t have.
who is this man?
He was born in New York, raised in Los Angeles, is from Seattle, and now lives in Philadelphia. He is a prolific writer of hundreds of poems, short stories, and seven novels. At home in the rabbit hole of research, he thrives on adventure (read or experienced) in the past, present, and future, as well as the remote corners of the globe.
Spreading The Word
Taking pride in turning content into conversations, he writes everything with a reader’s favorite subject in mind, themselves. One writes what they love. If an editor is what you need, he’s got you covered, from line edits to book doctor.
With an extensive background in business management, branding, and marketing, he takes a systems approach to every aspect of any project. Randall Downey puts his all in, helping each client spread the word. The core of success is delivery.
HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING
One could say I started my career taking part in multiple writers’ workshops back in college. This eventually transitioned to me hosting them, which opened the door to me offering my coaching and editing services. Since relocating from Seattle to Philadelphia, I stepped back from a long career in business management and transitioned to becoming a full-time professional freelance ghostwriter and editor, bridging eight countries across multiple topics and genres in both fiction and non-fiction.
Playing with words is my ultimate passion. I approach every piece of work I edit or proofread like a puzzle. Some are easy, but the trickier ones I enjoy more. Whether it’s rearranging language to say the absolute most in the fewest words, enhancing readability and transitions, or smoothing out every bump and stumbling block to its flow, I’ll rip through it like a master at sudoku. Doing this kind of work never feels like work to me. I have fun doing it and the time flies by. The end product delivered through this lens is of the highest caliber.
I take the tools of my trade seriously, and those investments speed up the process. I have the capabilities of modifying any document to multiple formats, including epub and mobi. I am an obsessive researcher, and produce nothing but original materials when approaching any project. I never miss a deadline and work fast.
If I’m able to do my job and help someone out at the same time, that’s a good day. Lucky for me, that’s pretty much every day.