Angela Hylland
Freelance Copywriter & Editor Extraordinaire

Syntax Sorceress

As the copywriting team lead at the game and toy company Cranium, I was officially known as the Supreme Sorceress of Syntax.

But you can call me Angela.

I now wield my formidable writing and editing powers in the freelancing realm.

In addition to Cranium, I've lent my editorial prowess to Hasbro, Microsoft, Xbox, Starbucks, Ubisoft, and Bungie, among others.

Let me put my magic to work for you.

"In addition to being an amazing manager and mentor, Angela was one of the most talented, efficient, and organized copywriters I've ever had the pleasure of working with. Angela gets things done, on time, and with style. Her friendly and outgoing attitude makes her a joy to work with, and her consistently positive and patient demeanor helped our team through many obstacles. I cannot sing her praises enough - and I am confident that anyone who is fortunate enough to work with her will say the same." June 4, 2008

Geraldine DeRuiter, Editor, Cranium, Inc.

"Angela's ability to juggle numerous projects under some of the most difficult situations and unreal time lines and to remain cool, calm and collected, well, I would recommend her for any writing job. It was a pleasure to read what she wrote, and a pleasure to work with her." June 6, 2008

Holly King, Traffic Manager and Product Development Associate, Cranium, Inc.

"Angela is one of those copywriters who really understands and knows how to communicate with her target audience. I loved working with Angela because I could brief her on the needed copy and she always knew the best way to get the message across, even at a moment's notice." June 5, 2008

Brenda Fisher, Product Marketing Manager, Cranium, Inc.

I am on a quest to find freelance writing and editing jobs that are interesting, challenging, and rewarding.

Video games are my passion, but I also spend my leisure time traveling, fixing up my house, trying different crafts, enjoying Seattle's art scene, playing with my dog Pavlov, cooking, reading, and enjoying the great outdoors.

I'd love to take on freelancing jobs that are as varied as my interests.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, MEDILL SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM June 1998

• Bachelor of science degree in journalism
• Minor in English
• Concentrations in sociology, comparative literary studies, and Spanish

CRANIUM, INC. Copywriting Team Lead Seattle, WA 6/05 - 4/08

• Managed all copy development for product names, taglines, and packaging as well as retail ads, point-of-sale catalogs, Cranium.com, and all company promotions
• Established a creative, consistent brand voice applauded by company management
• Served as an expert resource for brand messaging initiatives company-wide
• Worked closely with leaders of the sales, marketing, design, and play experience teams to convert creative strategy and marketing goals into attention-grabbing copy
• Utilized advertising trends and consumer surveys to strengthen product messaging
• Moved quickly and comfortably between multiple projects, while maintaining high levels of creativity and consistently beating deadlines
• Continuously drove process improvements and championed for greater efficiency
• Worked closely with the editorial manager to develop the expertise of the copywriting team and push the quality bar to ensure excellence
• Trained and managed copywriting team members and freelance writers

MICROSOFT, VOLT SERVICES GROUP
Xbox.com Senior Web Editor Seattle, WA 12/02 - 6/05

• Wrote copy and teasers for events, promotions, news alerts, product pages, biweekly newsletters, product release e-mails, and advertisements
• Edited articles, promotional materials, event information, news alerts, and press releases published on Xbox.com and partnering sites
• Created, updated, and enforced the Xbox.com Style Guide
• Drove the Microsoft.com headline submission project, which brought an average of 17,000 additional users to Xbox.com per week in 2003
• Monitored response rate tools to track, evaluate, and improve site content
• Gathered information about the consumer from industry Web sites, gaming publications, and focus groups to determine site tone and editorial style
• Created meta data for all Web pages published by Xbox.com Marketing

VCAPITAL, INC. Lead Editor Chicago, IL 5/00 - 7/02

• Created copy for brochures, client mailings, press releases, and ads
• Coordinated a complete overhaul of the Vcapital Web site, including reorganizing, rewriting, and editing all public and process copy
• Managed the biweekly e-newsletter--from creating the editorial calendar, assigning articles, and editing all content to tracking response rates and managing distribution
• Conceptualized and developed new online resources to better meet customer needs
• Developed, distributed, and enforced corporate editorial guidelines
• Tracked all Web pages to monitor traffic and ensure messaging consistency

NEAR NORTH NATIONAL GROUP Communications Coordinator Chicago, IL 4/98 - 5/00

• Managed all stages of production of the company's internal newsletter
• Handled ongoing responsibilities for corporate ads, press releases, department-specific newsletters, trade shows, and corporate events
• Developed copy, layouts, and graphics for the corporate Intranet site
• Worked with upper management to improve company meetings through creative content, multimedia aids, and informative cross-sell videos

SKILLS:

• Exceptional writing, editing, managerial, and problem-solving skills
• More than 10 years editorial experience across a diverse array of media
• Familiarity with both The Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style