Writing Service Samples by Viqi French

8/9/2019 Writing Service Samples by Viqi French

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Viqi French | http://viqifrench.tumblr.com | [email protected] 1

I’d love to write

for you.

Viqi French

Writer & Publicist

News & Culture Commentary | Press Releases & Distribution | Tutorials & E-course Content




BBlloogg CCoonntteenntt || WWrriittiinngg SSaammpplleess

By Viqi French

http://viqifrench.tumblr.com | [email protected]

Greetings,

I’m a Chicago & St. Louis-based freelance writer-publicist who hopes to serve as a contributing writer

for your wonderful website.

The majority of content creation I do is for private clients, primarily ghostwriting long-form sales copy,how-to ebooks (numerous niches), and website marketing copy.

I also ghostwrite some for clients with social media news and digital photography websites.

In addition, I’ve started my own blogs over the years via Blogger and Wordpress. Currently, I’m

focused and excited about building my new culture-politics-photography blog here on Tumbler:http://viqifrench.tumblr.com.

I’ve worked as a freelance writer-publicist for four years. Prior to that, my career revolved aroundpositions at advertising and public relations agencies in Chicago and Philadelphia. My decade-plusexperience involved PR, copywriting and brand strategies for numerous national promotions. Ourclient-accounts included McDonald’s, Toyota, ExxonMobil, Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, and Fannie Mae.

Most of the writing samples selected for this presentation don’t reflect the “corporate” tone I oftenmust use (available on request). What I’ve chosen for you primarily are upbeat, news commentary-style blog posts, interspersed with a few how-to tutorials and e-course material.

I enjoy writing nearly every topic imaginable, from art and politics to photography and

health. Please contact me if you’d consider me for your writing team. I’m a fan of your site, and I’meager to contribute in any way you need!




Table of Contents

Twitter: Saving the World One Crisis @aTime | Page 4

Pianist Condoleezza Rice to Share Stage with ‘Queen of Soul’ | Page 5

Bill Clinton Mentions Possibility of A-Bomb to Stop BP Oil Spill | Page 6

Beauty, Naturally: The LUSH Boutique at Macy’s Chicago | Page 7

Chicago Artist Andrea Harris Opens Art Exhibit with Gallery Talk | Page 9

Chris Brown: The Man in the Mirror | A Deconstruction | Page 11

14 Cool Ways to Recycle Office Products | Page 12

Michael Jackson: A Time for Tears & Memories | Page 15

Sarah Palin Debate: In the Spotlight, In an Altered State | Page 16

Photography E-course Module | What Is Photojournalism? | Page 18






Pianist Condoleezza Rice to

Share Stage with ‘Queen of

Soul’

Dearest Dr. Rice,

Hate to admit it, but I sooo miss you making headline news. I

miss writing about you, your bringing the world to its knees.

But mostly, I miss your shocking dominatrix style.

Hope you’re happy (now).

Mission accomplished? We

hear relatively little from

you these days. Why, you

don’t even send tweets to

your snarky (fake) Twitteraccount any more. LOL

Funny, you crossed my

mind just yesterday . . . and

today I awakened to this delightful news: you’re performing

a highbrow piano concert in Philadelphia next month

with none other than the Queen of Soul, Miss Aretha Franklin.

Now that, good doctor, is cooler than Condi-boots –

something that Americans of every stripe can R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Enigmatically your fan,

Viqi




Bill Clinton Mentions

Possibility of A-Bomb to

Stop BP Oil Spillany observers of the BP oil catastrophe long ago

realized that A-bombing the broken pipeline, as quiet

as it’s kept, might be the best hope for “plugging the

damn hole,” as President Obama once said.

Actually, there’s a growing number of people online who’refretting this possibility as if their hair’s on fire, frantically

blogging and tweeting about it like its 1999. Or 2012.

Now, someone in an “official” capacity has uttered those

dreaded words, has dropped not an f-bomb, but an A-bomb.

Former President Bill Clinton has made a brief but potentially

explosive public utterance, planting a real seed of possibility

about how the federal government might at last arrest BP’s

unstoppable oil spill.

Clinton’s quoted here, in a Reuters article on hurricane-

related issues that may exacerbate matters in the Gulf of

Mexico. It’s this little paragraph near the very end that grabs

more attention than all the worrisome points made about

hurricanes:

On Monday, former President Bill Clinton told CNN Obama was getting “a

bum rap.” The failed well is a “geological monster” and if efforts to cap

the leak should fail, thethethethe U.S.U.S.U.S.U.S. NavyNavyNavyNavy mightmightmightmight havehavehavehave totototo blowblowblowblow itititit upupupup, Clinton added.

Wonder if Clinton’s mention of bombing the Gulf was

sanctioned by the Obama administration, or if he accidentally

let the cat out the bag.

M






sensuous, lilac-colored flower pond.

Another example of what I can vouch for: the Fresh Farmacy

Facial Cleanser Soap. Containing chamomile and calamine

powder, the soap looks like hardened Pepto-Bismol with herb

stalks inside. But my, it works well as a pore minimizer! Since I

started using Fresh Farmacy (and drinking lots of pomegranate

juice), I've gotten quite a few compliments on my smoother-

looking complexion.

So if you work downtown near Marshall Field's -- I mean

Macy's -- and have refused to give the new store a chance, just

take a few steps inside the Cosmetics area. I promise thatonce you experience LUSH -- which, by the way, is mighty

generous with its product samples -- you'll start to embrace

Chicago's sassy, new kid on the block.















Viqi French | http://viqifrench.tumblr.com | [email protected]

Michael Jackson: A Time for

Tears & Memories

ost of the world is in shock and mourning the death of

music legend Michael Jackson, who died June 25, 2009,

of cardiac arrest. Those who were in any way remotely

involved with Michael Jackson are bombarding the airwaves withremembrances, recounting moments of having breathed the same

air as The Gloved One, for better or for worse...

It feels almost prescient now, my Michael Jackson moment three

days ago. I was in a supermarket, searching for cooking

vermouth, when the vintage Jackson Five 1970 hit "The Love You

Save" suddenly filled the air. And there I was, zoomed way back

in time and singing along with Michael more loudly than was

appropriate. I had FUN singing while pushing my cart; I knew

every word.

I'd made a weird but powerful momentary connection with mychildhood -- and Michael's. In a way, it was almost the sheer high

-- the joy and jubilation -- that people feel when they're lifted by

the spirit in church... Very strange. Nothing like that's ever

happened to me before -- and certainly not in a grocery store.

And then yesterday came: Michael Jackson died. Poof! No: Not

Michael...? A huge chunk of so many people's childhood has beenSHOOK... Our feet haven't touched the ground yet on hearing

this news.

But despite the shock and sadness, something beautiful is

occurring. Suddenly, the whole world is having the same kind of

powerful Jackson 5 moment I experienced the other day --

throngs of J5 fans are being whisked away by Michael's melodious

voice to a more innocent time... feeling pure joy and completely

forgetting (for about 3 minutes) everything that may be troubling

us today.

Neverland is now: The magic of this genius man-child will never

die.

I no longer have my childhood scrapbook filled with big Afro-wearing Jackson cuties... images ripped from fan magazines

like Right On! and Tiger Beat . But I hope this video tribute to

Michael Jackson gives you a sense of the intense pride and

admiration that African Americans felt for Michael Jackson and

the Jackson 5 decades before he became a worldwide heartthrob.

M






means necessary. You see, for my money, that possible

out-of-body experience later was somewhat confirmed...

Near the end of the debate, Governor Palin squeezed her

eyes peculiarly hard when she said the word blessed . Palin

is, after all, Pentecostal, and Pentecostals are proud of speaking in tongues. So who knows? Maybe someone

really did take the wheel to get her through the most

intense 90 minutes of her life. The way Palin shut her eyes

on saying blessed seemed deeply prayerful. As if thanking

Him. Or Her. Perhaps for getting her through this event.

I haven't addressed other observations -- and there were many.But suffice it to say that I appreciated this about Sarah Palin: She

outright acknowledged the questions she wouldn't be answering.

Because she apparently couldn't answer them.

It would have been far worse had she tried (again, as with Katie

Couric) to bluff her way through stuff she clearly hadn't been

rehearsed on. That would have been insulting. So, Palin

demonstrated integrity in showing that not even God could

whisper the answer to what would warrant pulling the nuclear

trigger.

Oh wait, Palin did actually try to answer that one. To explain her

answer, I must quote one of her fellow Pentecostal parishioners,

Caroline Spangler, who recently told CNN: "When the spirit

comes on you, you utter things that nobody else can understand... Only God knows what you’re saying."




Photography E-course: What

Is Photojournalism?

n the strictest sense of the word, a photojournalist is a newsphotographer . Now, a photographer may take photos of

newsworthy people. Or a photographer may attend a newsy

event and take photos. But it’s only the photojournalist who

understands the difference between showing up and performing

the basis versus taking the work further: telling a story with his or

her photos.

Essentially, the photojournalist’s job is to show a certain truth

with the camera, ensuring a story is told. Photojournalism is

about finding and capturing special moments.

Photo: Albert Eisenstaedt / AP

Admittedly, certain subject matters areas lend themselves better

to photojournalistic opportunities others. These would include

war, disaster scenes, travel, and special events. Journalistic

photographs should be relevant, timely, and consistent with thestory. At the end of the day, they should create an emotional

attachment for the viewer.

Oftentimes, it’s easier to sell an entire package of photos

depicting various aspects of a situation than it is just one, great

shot. For example, if you’re shooting at a disaster scene, think

story board or collage-style. Being creative and seize a mélangeof powerful moments: Your photographic story should include

broad, panoramic views as well as plenty of tight shots capturing

key elements of the event such as:

isolated damage,

heroic activity,

emergency workers,

strategic planners,

public officials talking to the media, and

fearful or resigned victims.

Your conclusion might include recovery efforts such as debris

clean-up, rescue workers packing equipment, and victims

gathering belongings.

That said, the best photojournalists find special, dramatic story-

moments such as these at less disastrous settings. At a little

league game, a fashion show, a widget factory, a bar mitzvah –

you name it. It’s about telling compelling stories not with a pen

I








be presented visually. Because each picture story is somewhat

different, you cannot follow the same pattern for each

assignment.

There are, however, certain planning criteria upon which all

picture stories are based.

INTEREST. Readers must gain something from the story or they

won’t read it.

PICTURE IMPACT. It must appeal to the eye and hold the viewer’s

attention.

SCOPE. The broader and more complex a story, the harder it isto tell in pictures. If you’re struggling, try to narrow the scope of

your story.

FOCUS ON PEOPLE. Whatever the story, chances are it can be

made better and more interesting when it’s shown with people in

action.

UNIVERSAL APPEAL. Before your picture story can appear in a

newspaper or magazine, it must appeal to a large swath of

people.

4) Prepare a Shooting Script

A shooting script should explain who, what, when, where, why

and how. A detailed plan will not only help you take betterphotos, it also will help you ensure your subjects are available

and doing the activities you want to photograph when you plan

to show up.

The script is only a guideline, but preparing it in advance helps

you come back to the studio with all the raw material you need

to lay out a good story: long shots, medium shots and close-ups;

a range of angles; various lighting situations, and even photos

taken in black and white as well as color.

5) Shoot the Photos

Sure, this step sounds self explanatory. But now it’s time to putall of that preparation to use – along with your talent and

expertise.

Think about all of the actions you thought made the story

interesting to you in the first place. The more you anticipate the

emotions and abstract qualities the better you’ll be able to

capture these fleeting and sometimes difficult qualities.

Think in terms of the most important photos you’ll shoot: the

lead and the final shot. And then, fill in with lots of shots that

illustrate the details or show unique and interesting aspects of

the subject.

Additional samples available on request.

To discuss your content needs, please contact me at:

[email protected]

Thank for your interest!

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Writing Service Samples by Viqi French