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Guide to Meeting Fair Use in Content Creation

Guide to Meeting Fair Use in Content Creation

One: Copyright Basics

When content marketing writers and content strategists use material for their own writing and strategies, they’ll often use other material, and they’re bound by law to respect copyrights. Copyrights are attributed to works made by both individuals and collectives.

Under the U.S. copyright law, a “work” can be anything made by a human being. For content marketing writers, what we most frequently use to construct our own material includes literary works (articles, essays, blogs, books), images (photographs and digitized images), graphics, and more.

If a work is published in any way—including on the internet—it’s basically copyrighted the moment it’s created. Under the law, the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, a work does not need to be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office to be considered copyrighted; however, doing so ensures full legal protection of a work.

There are three criteria for a work to be copyrighted:

  1. A work must be original. It must be a new work that comes from the creator and is not a copy or scan of the work.
  2. A work must be fixed. Under the law, a fixed work is a “tangible medium of expression” that can be saved as a document, digital file, or recording. This includes podcasts, blogs, and social media posts, as well as books, magazines, and newspapers.
  3. A work must show a minimal amount of creativity.

What is not protected by copyright is “common knowledge,” which includes facts, news, and even ideas (an idea is not copyrightable, but a tangible work built from an idea is).

The copyrighted work of another person can be utilized to produce our own works, but to do so we must follow Fair Use guidelines, obtain permission when necessary, and properly cite sources.

Two: What is Fair Use?

Fair Use permits the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works under certain circumstances. What constitutes “fair use” is intentionally ambiguous and is handled in courts on a case-by-case basis.

There are four factors to decide “fair use.”

1. The purpose and character of the use.

First, this factor addresses whether the use of a copyrighted work is commercial or non-commercial. In general, if the use is non-commercial, it is more likely to be considered fair use. To use a work in analysis, criticism, or education would be considered fair use. Second, this factor addresses whether the use of a copyrighted work is “transformative,” which means the use adds something unique to a body of knowledge, building on the ideas of the copyrighted work rather than substituting for the work being used. The more transformative, the more the work leans toward fair use.

2. The nature of the work.

If the copyrighted work being used is more factual, as with a work of non-fiction, it is more likely to be considered fair use. If the copyrighted work is more creative or imaginative, as with fiction, it is less likely to be seen as fair use.

3. The amount of the work used.

The amount of the copyrighted work, in relation to the whole of the copyrighted work, is a factor. If a small amount of the copyrighted work is used, it is more likely to be considered fair use. Similarly, there is a qualitative consideration of the substance of the work used; if you rely on a central idea or major theme of the work, it may not be considered fair use. Use “only what you need.”

4. The effect on the market and value of the work.

If usage interferes with the marketability of a copyrighted work—the creator’s right to make money from their work—this does not constitute fair use. If it does not significantly impede the author’s ability to benefit from their work, it is more likely to be considered fair use.

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Three: Determining the Copyright of a Work

Before using a work, look for these things, which are recommended to be added to any work to denote its being copyrighted in the most basic form:

  • A copyright symbol (©)
  • The creator’s name
  • Contact information from where permissions can be obtained
  • Year or years to which the copyright pertains
  • The phrase “All rights reserved”

When these things are present, you can go about getting permission from the owner of the copyright to use a work. Outside of that, you can follow Fair Use guidelines and cite the work.

You can also search the Copyright Office catalogs and records, or even have the office conduct a search for you. Works from January 1, 1978, to the present can be searched at https://www.copyright.gov/public-records/.

Four: Specifics for Copyright of a Written Text, Including Online

  1. Examine the work for copyright information. A book will usually contain this on the back of the title page, and magazines will feature the copyright near the table of contents. Online materials may include this information at the bottom of a webpage.
  2. Look at the date. First, all works published in the U.S. before 1923 are in the public domain and are free to use.
  3. For works published between 1922 and 1964, check to see if the copyright was renewed; this may require contacting the U.S. Copyright Office.
  4. If the type of work is “public knowledge,” which includes ideas, concepts, facts, names, titles, short phrases, familiar symbols, numbers, processes, methods of operations, systems, and works and documents created by the U.S. government (in most cases), it is not covered by copyright.
  5. The designation “CC0” means the work is in the public domain through the “Creative Commons” website. Look for this designation.

In general, err on the side of caution. Assume that all published material is copyrighted.

Five: Specifics for Copyright of an Image, Especially Online

  1. A digital photograph or image will frequently have a tag that denotes its copyright.
  2. Look at captions on the page where the image is featured, which can feature credits and contact details for the copyright owner, as well as the copyright symbol.
  3. Look for EXIF data, which can indicate copyright and the owner’s name. There are instructions online for how to do this using Windows and MacOS.
  4. Use “reverse image” searches in engines like Google or Bing.
  5. Use an image copyright checker like Filestack or PicDefense.
  6. Look for watermarks on the image itself, which often substitute for the copyright symbol.

Again, err on the side of caution. To avoid copyright infringement, use stock images available on image licensing platforms, which are available for a fee on sites like Getty Images or for free on sites like Pexels.

Requesting Permission

Whether a work is in print or online, determine whether your use of the work requires you to get permission from the copyright holder. If your use falls under “Fair Use,” you can forego getting permission, but be sure to properly cite a source.

Follow these steps to determine if you do need permission:

  1. Determine the status of the work. If the work is in the public domain, meaning the copyright is expired, you don’t need to request permission. If the work has a copyright notice, determine the copyright owner (sometimes the creator is no longer the owner, and only the current copyright owner can grant permission).
  2. Contact the copyright owner and provide them with information: who the creator of the work that you intend to use is, the title of the work, the copyright date, and what use you intend to make of the work. Be sure to contact them well in advance.

Interviews and Copyright

When conducting an interview, a writer can ask the interviewee to grant permission through a signed interview release, though this is not necessarily common practice, including for journalists, reporters, and writers.

An interview release can help in lawsuits for not only libel or invasion of privacy, but also for copyright infringement since the interviewee’s words can be copyrightable.

Rich Stim, an attorney writing for the Stanford Libraries, recommends a written interview release if the interview is lengthy, will be published in a Q&A verbatim format, or if the subject matter of the interview is controversial.

Often, an interviewee can read over the text of an interview before publication and make amendments. Any agreement to do this or otherwise, between interviewer and interviewee, should be documented, and can be as simple as a short, written release or consent given orally and recorded on audio or video.

A statement such as “I consent to the use of my statements on The Writers for Hire blog” will offer some assurance to use statements without infringement.

The website https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/releases/interview-and-property/ offers a few templates for interview release agreements.

Interview Citations (Chicago Style)

Interview:

In the Chicago style, it is recommended not to use a citation in the bibliography; instead, the interview can be referred to in a footnote when a first quote or paraphrase is used, referring to yourself as “author.” For example:

Wendell Berry, interview by author, April 12, 2024.

Writing Content Under Fair Use: A Checklist

Writing a company blog can be largely covered by Fair Use. When referencing a text, be mindful of the following:

  1. Only use the copyrighted work in a non-commercial way (meaning, your blog is not being used to make money in any way) and characterize your blog as a discussion of some of the copyrighted work’s ideasin terms of analysis and education. Do not focus on the work’s central idea such that you are claiming it as your own.
  2. Use only factual copyrighted works, which is to say reference only non-fiction. In corporate writing that will mostly be the case anyway,  so you’ll most likely be drawing on copyrighted works like news and analysis through articles and blogs.
  3. Be conservative in how much material you use from the copyrighted article, both in quotes and paraphrases. Use small amounts of material.
  4. When you use material from a copyrighted work, do not impede the ability of the original author or publisher to benefit economically from their copyrighted work.
  5. Before you use a copyrighted work, either text or visual, determine its copyright information. If it falls under Public Domain or, in most cases, the Creative Commons license, you are free to use it.
  6. If you plan on using larger sections of the copyrighted work, or a work in its entirety, obtain permission from the copyright holder.
  7. Make sure you cite all copyrighted work in your own publication. Include websites, authors, and publishers in the citation. The citation can be “in-text,” meaning worked into the prose, or in the form of a bibliography at the bottom of the page.
  8. If you use extensive interview material, ask the interviewee for an interview release. Remember, even a short written or audio release is a start. But for short quotes, a release may not be necessary.

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Wintress founded The Writers For Hire in 2003 after freelancing for several years as a copywriter and editor. She has overseen, edited, proofread, or written copy for over 100 clients and is happy to have maintained long-term relationships with many of her first customers. Wintress is an exceptional proofreader and editor and has a gift for organizing large projects, including large technical manuals and manuscripts. Her educational background includes graduating cum laude from Rice University in 2000, studying at Cologne Gymnasium in Germany, and graduating valedictorian from The Science Academy of South Texas in 1994.

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Since joining The Writers For Hire in 2022, Dayna has seamlessly stepped into the role of Accounts Manager, overseeing functions such as Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, collections, billing, and all tasks in between. With a keen eye for detail and strong communication skills, she efficiently manages all aspects of financial operations for TWFH. Dayna takes pride in her ability to navigate with a smile, displaying strong professional skills and fostering a positive work environment. Beyond her role with TWFH, she enjoys entertaining, traveling, and (most importantly!) spending time with her family.

Stephanie Hashagen - Senior Editor

Stephanie’s expertise in English and writing spans over a decade in freelancing and teaching. Stephanie worked as a staff writer and editor for The Houstonian, contributed to The Huntsville Item, freelanced for The Houston Chronicle and spent four years teaching English and reading at the junior high and high school level. She has a Master’s Degree in English from the University of St. Thomas and a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Sam Houston State University. Stephanie has also ghost-authored several non-fiction and fiction manuscripts, numerous fashion and travel articles, and countless press releases, pitch letters, taglines, and print ads. Her copywriting and journalism experience includes technical copy for Tyco Flow Control and customer communications copy for a major American credit card company. Stephanie has also worked on copy and campaigns for Hilton and Carpet One Floor & Home, North America’s largest floor covering retailer. At The Writers For Hire, she has overseen, edited, proofread, or written copy for over 50 clients. Stephanie is an exceptional proofreader, writer, and editor and has a gift for adding a creative flair to projects while keeping copy professional and concise.

Barbara Adams - Copywriter

Barb Adams is an award-winning writer with more than 30 years of B2B and technical writing experience. She understands and closely follows the changing dynamics of the oil and gas industry – E&P, midstream, and upstream – and therefore needs minimum ramp up for any new O&G copywriting endeavor. Her portfolio includes hundreds of white papers, case studies, trade articles, op-eds, books, and brochures. Adams has also held positions as staff writer for a Houston agency, public relations manager for a Houston-based retail franchisor, and the advertising and promotions coordinator for a Minnesota-based hospitality company. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Journalism.

Stacy Clifford - Copywriter

Stacy Clifford is a wearer of many hats, both literally and figuratively. Having earned a B.S. in Geology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996, his career has covered environmental cleanup, software testing, web development, technical support, copy editing and proofreading, and martial arts instruction. He has been proofreading since 3rd grade English with Mrs. Barry, corrected every stripe of web copy for over 15 years, copy edited both fiction and non-fiction books, and written on subjects as diverse as volcanology, sword fighting, and space colonization. A fixer by nature, Stacy is a stickler for structure and form and enjoys a good challenge whipping a document into shape. When not tackling the worlds problems or teaching people how to stab each other, Stacy enjoys pencil drawing and hiking in the national parks.

Flori Meeks - Copywriter

Flori, who has more than 25 years of writing experience, began her career in suburban Detroit as a community newspaper reporter. She has worked as a neighborhood news editor for the Houston Chronicle and as a copywriter for Powell Public Relations. During more than 10 years as a freelance writer, her projects included newspaper and magazine articles, press releases, brochure and website copy, Request for Proposal (RFP) responses, and grant applications. Her clients have included Galveston Monthly magazine, Weddings in Houston magazine, Judy Nichols & Associates (public relations) and NCIC Phone Services, along with nonprofit organizations, Lifeway International and Newspring. Since joining The Writers For Hire, Flori has assisted with social media campaigns and written blog posts, articles, press releases, brochures, and web copy.

Flori has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Oakland University.

Jessica Stautberg - Lead Copywriter

Jessica joined The Writers for Hire after several years of technical writing for two Department of Defense contractors, where she created software documentation and online help, as well as material for the company websites and newsletters. Since joining The Writers for Hire, Jessica has become the company’s resident “Wiki guru,” and manages most of the Wikipedia projects. She also manages social media campaigns for several local businesses, provides copy and layout options for website projects, writes blog posts on topics that include the oil and gas industry, web hosting, and fashion, and writes articles, brochures, books, and press releases. Jessica has a Master’s in Technical Communication from Texas State, where she also edited and proofread articles for Center of the Study of the Southwest’s academic journals while working as a ghostwriter for Infobooks.com. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Southwestern University.

Jennifer Rizzo - Copywriter / Genealogist

Jennifer, also known as "Rizzo," is a Denver-based writer and genealogist with a passion for history, travel, and languages. She studied Spanish at the University of Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico and also lived and studied in Ancona, Italy. She also holds a certification for International Tour Management through the International Guide Academy, as well as a Genealogy certification from IAP Career College. Since joining The Writers For Hire, Jennifer has tackled a vast array of projects—from RPFs and SOPs to memoirs and company history books— and has done many in-depth genealogical research and family tree projects. She has also worked as Project Manager for various client projects, including family history books, websites, RFPs, blogs, autobiographies, and SOPs. Jennifer is our resident historian and genealogist, and can often be found examining 200-year-old books in various archive sites around the globe. She enjoys working closely with clients, and loves any opportunity that allows her to indulge her creative side.

Peter Albrecht - Copywriter

After putting in enough time as a busboy, a cheesesteak artist, a medical courier, and a nightclub bouncer, Peter took the logical next step—securing a position at a bicycle shop. While serving as a mechanic and a salesman, his incriminating degree in creative writing from the University of Arizona got him assigned to every additional duty that had anything to do with words. Between all the wrenching and selling, Peter wrote website copy, emails, blogs, digital and print ads, press releases, articles, advertorials, and scripts for radio and television commercials. What started as a summer job evolved into an 18-year career in the cycling industry, gaining him experience in corporate communications, public relations, social media management, event planning, marketing, and retail advertising. Since joining The Writers for Hire, Peter has branched into ghostwriting, op-eds, RFPs, SOPs, and producing work for aerospace and engineering firms, public utilities, oil and gas companies, real estate developers, and the entertainment industry. At his home base in New Jersey, Peter spends his free time souping up cheap vintage guitars, admiring his dog, and talking about moving to the Adirondacks.

Arielle Emmett - Copywriter

Arielle Emmett joined The Writers for Hire after a 30-year career in science, technology, and international journalism education. Early in her career, during the Watergate era, Arielle was selected as a journalism intern for The New York Times columnist William Safire, and she was a correspondent for Newsweek. She has worked as an editor for Science Digest, as a reporter and features staff writer for the Detroit Free Press, and as a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer and The American Journalism Review. She also has held senior editor and editor-in-chief positions at leading technical magazines and was a 10-year contributing editor at The Scientist. Arielle’s work has been published in Parents, Ms., OMNI, and Toronto Globe & Mail, among other publications. In 2011 she completed her doctoral dissertation in visual media and iconic photography at the University of Maryland. Since then, Arielle has taught science communications and online journalism at Temple and Drexel Universities, International College Beijing, and University of Hong Kong.

Erin Larson - Copywriter

With a Bachelor of Science in Language Arts from Georgetown University and 20 years of editorial experience, Erin brings a passion for words and well-crafted writing to every project. As a writer, she revels in the opportunity to create vibrant original copy and rejuvenate tired text. She has written on a range of topics, in a variety of styles, and for an array of platforms. As an editor, proofreader, translator, and trusted second set of eyes, she has helped clients from around the world enhance their writing. A self-proclaimed editorial perfectionist, Erin once canceled a credit card because of a grammatically incorrect form letter, which she edited and promptly sent back to the company. (Incidentally, she wasn’t surprised to receive no response.)

Devin Lawrence - Copywriter

Devin is a writer from Richmond, Virginia. He’s been an avid fan of fiction literature ever since he was young, and spent most of his adolescence pouring over one book series after another. Some of his favorites from back in the day include Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Ender’s Game, Ender’s Shadow, and The Edge Chronicles. He began pursuing creative writing when he was twelve, hoping to someday emulate his favorite authors. He has since spent more than ten years continuing to hone and expand the skills of his craft, graduating from Old Dominion University with a degree in Professional Writing in 2022. He has written on topics ranging from technology trends, to criminal justice, homeland security, self-defense, hiking and camping, workplace operational analysis, the challenges of eldercare, and data privacy. Creative by nature, Devin also dabbles as a graphic designer with particular interest in infographics and flowcharts.

Chris DeLange - Copywriter

Chris is a London-based writer with a strong background in HR/Learning & Development. He has held senior positions at large corporations in London as both Talent Development Business Partner and Head of Learning and Development. Chris graduated top of his class when he completed his MSc in Industrial Psychology at the University of Leicester in England. He also holds a TEFL/TESOL qualification in teaching English as a Second Language from Global Language Training. Chris is a big foody and is always exploring new dishes and creating new recipes. He became a qualified Chef in 2012 when he studied Culinary Arts at the International Centre For Culinary Arts in Dubai. He is very passionate about writing and is working on multiple team projects. Chris joined The Writers For Hire in 2022 and is settling in very well.

Morgan Pinales - Copywriter

Morgan has worked in marketing and communications for more than eight years, with a primary focus on copywriting and content creation. Throughout her years of experience, she has written and edited almost every kind of copy imaginable – magazine articles, blog posts, website copy, brochures, press releases, nonfiction books, newsletter articles, brand guidelines, and more – for both B2B and B2C audiences in a wide array of industries, including energy, technology, finance, healthcare, education, travel, retail, and more. In addition to her creative skills, Morgan has technical expertise in HTML coding and utilizing content management systems (e.g. WordPress) and email platforms, such as MailChimp, ExactTarget, and Constant Contact. With a lifelong interest in language, it is not surprising that Morgan has a bachelor’s degree in German and Linguistics from Rice University, where she studied more than eight languages. In 2011, she received her master’s degree in Advertising from The University of Texas, where she was accepted into the elite Texas Creative Program for her copywriting skills. In her free time, Morgan enjoys writing personalized picture books for friends and family.

Shelley Harrison Carpenter - Copywriter

Shelley’s love of words began in first grade, composing poems for her dear teacher and mentor, Mrs. Blanchard. Her writing career began with several years as a county newspaper reporter, where she developed a love for interviewing all sorts of people. Besides feature writing, her news beats included city government, education, and nonprofits of every stripe. As a determined “adult student,” Shelley graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2010 where she also wrote profiles of outstanding adult students for a “Web Weekly” newsletter and edited a grant proposal for a campus office. After college, she wrote English instructional materials, website copy, product copy, and blogs before joining two construction and development ezines as a staff writer, happy to be conducting interviews for each assignment. Several years of intervening employment in corporate merchandising and HR deepened Shelley’s understanding of the workings of larger companies and the written content they require. She now loves being part of the writing teams at The Writers for Hire. When not at a keyboard, she can be seen jogging in her Southern neighborhood or found holed up with a biography, a vegetarian cookbook, or a vintage TV show.

Melanie Green - Copywriter

Melanie Green is a Tampa-based writer and editor, with a focus on digital marketing content. She has more than 15 years of experience writing professionally, including time spent as a full-time employee of McKinsey & Company, Nielsen, and The Business Observer. She loves to write blog posts, website pages, press releases, RFPs, and whitepapers for companies of all sizes in the United States. 

She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing with a concentration in screenwriting from National University in La Jolla, California, and her Bachelor of Arts in Writing from the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida. 

Carol Kim - Copywriter

Carol Kim is a versatile freelance copywriter who specializes in content marketing, blog posts, website content, and email marketing for business clients. She especially enjoys diving into research and discovering what makes every company unique. Carol holds a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a Master’s in Public Affairs from the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin.

Carol is also a children’s book author, having written several fiction and nonfiction books for the educational market. She especially loves helping kids learn about the environment and social sciences. Her first nonfiction picture book from a trade publisher is due to be released in fall 2021. 

Martha Scott - Copywriter

Martha Scott’s technical writing career began on a contract at Houston’s Johnson Space Center. She edited papers for scientific journal publication, documents for departments across the site, and a book about a proposed crew escape vehicle. She produced a yearly booklet describing Shuttle contract cost-saving measures, the mission managers’ Flight Data Pack, and a 45-page booklet called Charting a Course to the Year 2000 and Beyond describing plans to develop additional space vehicles and prepare for manned Mars explorations. At Invesco, Martha edited and contributed to two company newsletters (online and hardcopy). She wrote software user manuals, Help files, Training and Benefits department documents, and, finally, shareholder reports. She returned to aerospace for the Shuttle Program’s last 5 years where she attended and produced detailed descriptions of presentations and subsequent discussions at the Orbiter Configuration Control Board’s weekly meetings. She also documented crew debriefings for 17 flights. Martha’s most recent experience was on Jacobs Engineering’s contract with a Texas City refinery for which she wrote and edited Engineering, Safety, Inspection, and Information Systems documents.

Suzanne Kearns - Copywriter

Suzanne knew she wanted to be a writer at the age of ten when she wrote her first story, and has spent the past 2 decades writing blog posts, magazine articles, nonfiction and fiction books, sales letters, white papers, press releases, website copy, and anything else that can be put in written form. She has written for Intuit, Avalara, NerdWallet, GoPayment, and as a ghostwriter for a few well-known CEO’s. Her work has appeared all around the internet, including on sites like World News and Reports, Entrepreneur.com, and Forbes. She loves nothing more than being presented with a bunch of data and asked to break it down into digestible content for readers. Most days you’ll find her sitting on her porch with her laptop, writing to the sound of the ocean, and marveling that life can be this stinking good.

Jennifer DeLay - Copywriter

Jennifer has a background in journalism and Russian area studies. She holds a BA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MSFS from Georgetown University. While in graduate school in the mid-1990s, she developed an interest in the oil and gas industry of the former Soviet Union and launched a free newsletter covering the subject. She then spent more than 20 years researching, analyzing and writing about related topics, working for multiple weekly publications and a private consulting firm. Her areas of professional interest also include energy and power in China, Iran and the Eastern Mediterranean, and for fun she researches linguistics, neuroscience and disability-related issues. She has experience in copy-editing and has frequently worked with both native and non-native English speakers, helping them to produce clear, easily understandable articles on complex political, economic, legal and technical topics. Additionally, she has managed many time-sensitive typesetting projects for community institutions. Jennifer enjoys writing personal essays and lives in Atlanta with her family.

Dana Robinson - Copywriter

Dana Robinson has been writing and editing professionally for 10 years, publishing her first article in 2007. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of a local online magazine and is a contributor to various Houston print publications. She honed her experience writing newsletters and managing social media for small businesses and non-profits before moving on to e-books, magazines, and non-fiction books for print. She also enjoys teaching creative writing workshops for children. Dana received her formal education at the University of Houston–Downtown, where she majored in professional writing, minored in creative writing, and was the recipient of the Upper Division Writing award for best essay. She completed internships with Writers In The Schools and The Bayou Review.

Brenda Hazzard - Copywriter

Brenda Hazzard has over 30 years’ experience working as a writer and editor in the private and public sectors. She spent over 20 years working for the US Government in Washington and abroad, and spent several years working with the CIA during which she managed a team of writers producing internal briefs on international news, events, and politics. She writes on a variety of topics but loves opportunities to work on projects that cater to her keen interest in international affairs. She considers herself to be an empathetic editor, one who improves a draft but lets the spirit of the writer shine through. She has also worked on dissertations, white papers, newspaper articles, and family histories.

Adelia Ritchie - Copywriter

Adelia is a scientist, educator, technical writer and editor, poet, and blogger about her Pura Vida lifestyle in Costa Rica. She has more than 40 years experience writing professionally, including her years at Science Applications International Corp., Bechtel Corporation, Defense Acquisition University, and the Department of Defense. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Physical Organic Chemistry at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Physics from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida.

Carey Miller - Copywriter

Carey brings more than 20 years of writing and editing experience to The Writers for Hire. A lifelong writer and reader, she holds a B.A. in English from UCLA. Her background includes writing and editorial positions with both book and magazine publishers. She has worked as a copy editor and proofreader for major advertising agencies including Ogilvy & Mather and Rubin Postaer. Her experience includes magazine feature writing and editing as well as manuscript development and editing. A former advertising sales executive, she has crafted a wide range of business, sales, and marketing communication for leading magazine publishers including Conde Nast and Hearst. She has worked with major consumer brands including Nike, Visa, Levi’s, General Motors, Microsoft, Charles Schwab, and Neutrogena.

Coralee Bechteler - Copywriter

In the past, Coralee has been an organic farmer, a chicken herder, a zipline administrative assistant, and an ESL teacher for kids. Today, she's living her childhood dream of being a writer. She currently resides in New York with her cat (and muse) Hermes and a miles-long TBR list that gets longer every day. If she's not reading or crafting, you can usually find her pulled over on a country road writing something down or picking wildflowers. Coralee holds a bachelor's degree in English, an associate's degree in Horticulture, and multiple internationally recognized software testing certifications.

Cecile Brule - Copywriter

Cecile enjoys the challenge of discovering each client’s unique strengths and presenting them to a wider audience. Since joining The Writers For Hire, she has worked on blogs, newsletters, RFPs, end-user documentation, email, social media, sales pages, biographies, op-eds, and fiction.

Previously, she taught in Shenzhen, China and obtained an HSK3 (Intermediate Mandarin) certificate. Cecile enjoys gaming, drawing, producing short films, and growing fifteen different varieties of apples with Serenity Orchards.

Rosalind Stanley - Copywriter

Rosalind Stanley grew up on the Coast of Maine and then accidentally spent fifteen years in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, before moving to the Midwest. She graduated from Lynchburg College in 2008 with a B.A. in Creative Writing (and a minor in Theater Performance); ever since, Rosalind has endeavored to make writing a part of her daily life, whether creative or technical, whether as a volunteer or an employee. She has tutored students, taught workshops, edited fiction and non-fiction books, and worked as a beta reader and a legal writer. She also publishes a newsletter on Substack, where she releases her own fiction serially. When not writing, Rosalind is busy homeschooling her four children and raiding the local library for new fiction.

Sean Patrick Hill - Copywriter

Sean has been a professional writer for more than 25 years, and has an M.A. in Writing from Portland State University and an M.F.A. in Poetry from Warren Wilson College. He's the author of five books, and his writing has won him grants and fellowships from the Kentucky Arts Council, the Vermont Studio Center, the Elizabeth George Foundation, and the Regional Arts and Culture Council. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where he also works at his photography.

Wintress Odom - Owner / Editor-in-chief

Wintress founded The Writers For Hire in 2003 after freelancing for several years as a copywriter and editor. She has overseen, edited, proofread, or written copy for over 100 clients and is happy to have maintained long-term relationships with many of her first customers. Wintress is an exceptional proofreader and editor and has a gift for organizing large projects, including large technical manuals and manuscripts. Her educational background includes graduating cum laude from Rice University in 2000, studying at Cologne Gymnasium in Germany, and graduating valedictorian from The Science Academy of South Texas in 1994.
Wintress