Meet Alana Garrigues, freelance writer and editor.
As a writer, I believe in the power of words. To educate, to inform, to entertain, to inspire.
As an editor and beta reader, I believe in polishing and uncovering the truth and talent of writers and their stories and honoring the writer's voice while sharpening up the quality of content.
While I specialize in journalism and creative non-fiction, I also write for companies who need a little extra oomph or pizazz in their marketing materials and I dabble in the art that made me fall in love with writing - children's literature.
JOURNALISM
I am a regular contributor to The Beach Reporter, a weekly newspaper serving Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. I am also published in the Daily Breeze.
As a journalist, I take my role as the conduit for other people's stories seriously. I pride myself on extensive research and the ability to accurately quote and convey the thoughts, feelings and opinions of my subjects. I find joy in breaking complex subjects down into comprehensible form and revealing all sides of a story.
I also write newsletter articles and create marketing material for various community organizations and sit on the Board for the Children's Book Writers of Los Angeles as Publications Editor.
CREATIVE NONFICTION
I am currently writing and researching a full-length manuscript about the life and projects spearheaded Sarah Chapman, the woman behind Build a Better Benin. The book will be a humorous account of her journey into the African bush to educate and improve the lives of women and children in Benin, West Africa. Anything can, and does, happen to a foreigner living in the jungle with no knowledge of the Yoruba or Fon language!
EDITING
In October 2013, the Children's Book Writers of Los Angeles released a writing resource and anthology entitled Story Sprouts Writing Day Exercises and Anthology 2013 through CBW-LA Publications. I composed the narrative based on a Writing Day Workshop created by my co-editor, Nutschell Anne Windsor, and edited 38 incredible stories submitted by published and emerging authors - 19 about the writing life and 19 fictional accounts inspired by a photo prompt.
BUSINESS WRITING
Some of my business clients include Cilantro Grill in Torrance and Happiness Transforms Art Studio in Irvine, California. I love the challenge of taking factual information about a business and serving it up as a compelling story for web content, company biographies and press releases.
MY BACKGROUND
I studied marketing, mass communications and international business at the University of Washington in Seattle and Scuola di Amministrazione Aziendale in Turin, Italy. I am a member of Children's Book Writers of Los Angeles (CBW-LA) and the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP).
BLOG
I am also the author of the blog "writercize," featuring both fiction and non-fiction writing exercises and activities for anyone with ten minutes to pick up a pen or tap away at a keyboard and write. There are more than 250 free writing exercises in the archives.
Hire Me to Write:
Also available as a content editor and beta reader.
Rates start at $125.
To propose a writing assignment, kindly send a message to alanagarrigues@gmail.com or call or text 310-465-5126.
Please visit and like my Facebook fan page for regular writing updates.
Board member: Children's Book Writers - Los Angeles
Graphic arts freelance partner: Garrigues Graphics
As an editor and beta reader, I believe in polishing and uncovering the truth and talent of writers and their stories and honoring the writer's voice while sharpening up the quality of content.
While I specialize in journalism and creative non-fiction, I also write for companies who need a little extra oomph or pizazz in their marketing materials and I dabble in the art that made me fall in love with writing - children's literature.
JOURNALISM
I am a regular contributor to The Beach Reporter, a weekly newspaper serving Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. I am also published in the Daily Breeze.
As a journalist, I take my role as the conduit for other people's stories seriously. I pride myself on extensive research and the ability to accurately quote and convey the thoughts, feelings and opinions of my subjects. I find joy in breaking complex subjects down into comprehensible form and revealing all sides of a story.
I also write newsletter articles and create marketing material for various community organizations and sit on the Board for the Children's Book Writers of Los Angeles as Publications Editor.
CREATIVE NONFICTION
I am currently writing and researching a full-length manuscript about the life and projects spearheaded Sarah Chapman, the woman behind Build a Better Benin. The book will be a humorous account of her journey into the African bush to educate and improve the lives of women and children in Benin, West Africa. Anything can, and does, happen to a foreigner living in the jungle with no knowledge of the Yoruba or Fon language!
EDITING
In October 2013, the Children's Book Writers of Los Angeles released a writing resource and anthology entitled Story Sprouts Writing Day Exercises and Anthology 2013 through CBW-LA Publications. I composed the narrative based on a Writing Day Workshop created by my co-editor, Nutschell Anne Windsor, and edited 38 incredible stories submitted by published and emerging authors - 19 about the writing life and 19 fictional accounts inspired by a photo prompt.
BUSINESS WRITING
Some of my business clients include Cilantro Grill in Torrance and Happiness Transforms Art Studio in Irvine, California. I love the challenge of taking factual information about a business and serving it up as a compelling story for web content, company biographies and press releases.
MY BACKGROUND
I studied marketing, mass communications and international business at the University of Washington in Seattle and Scuola di Amministrazione Aziendale in Turin, Italy. I am a member of Children's Book Writers of Los Angeles (CBW-LA) and the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP).
BLOG
I am also the author of the blog "writercize," featuring both fiction and non-fiction writing exercises and activities for anyone with ten minutes to pick up a pen or tap away at a keyboard and write. There are more than 250 free writing exercises in the archives.
Hire Me to Write:
- ad copy
- business plans
- company bio
- English/Italian translation
- magazine articles
- marketing collateral
- newsletter content
- newspaper articles
- online content
- press releases (Beach Cities businesses excluded)
- slogans
- training material
- writing exercises
Also available as a content editor and beta reader.
Rates start at $125.
To propose a writing assignment, kindly send a message to alanagarrigues@gmail.com or call or text 310-465-5126.
Please visit and like my Facebook fan page for regular writing updates.
Board member: Children's Book Writers - Los Angeles
Graphic arts freelance partner: Garrigues Graphics
