About Me

It's all about the details.

My name is Jill Walters, and I want to help you perfect your chosen form of communication.

I have a background in journalism, and spent four years working with the children's education programs at a Seattle nonprofit. I completed the University of Washington's Editing Certificate Program in 2012 and the Children's Writing Certificate in 2016.

My recurring projects include the monthly inflight magazines for a major U.S. airline and its smaller, regional carrier, children's book authors, and various materials for the Northwest Editors Guild.

I joined the board of directors of the Editors Guild as Vice President of Member Services in early 2016, and served as President in 2017. I also served as Sponsorship and Marketing/Communications chair for the Guild's 2017 Red Pencil conference.

I prefer to work with nonfiction and children's literature and curriculum, but am trained to tackle nearly any project. I am not afraid to accept jobs slightly outside my comfort zone--you never know when a project may end up being so fun that it sparks a new interest. I am extremely detail-oriented and creative, and have been called a "Jill-of-all-trades" by coworkers.

I adore fonts, get a kick out of marking errors with a red pen, and appreciate the smell of a freshly-printed newspaper or book. You know, the necessary qualities of one who deals with writing.

Living in Seattle, I love to explore the city and the incredible nature of the Pacific Northwest. In my spare time, I tend to my vegetable garden, watch the birds, squirrels, and wild bunnies in my backyard, and practice yoga (although I tend to fall over during certain poses).

I do love dogs, although we don't currently have one. My logo is inspired by my childhood Scottie, Rosey, a determined, smart, loyal yet independent, and hilarious pup. We can all learn from her ongoing quest to keep digging that hole underneath the deck!

I look forward to working with you soon!

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Me giving the opening remarks at the EdsGuild 2017 Red Pencil Conference in Seattle. (Photo by Erin Cusick for EdsGuild)

My childhood career icon: Kermit the Frog as a reporter—not so much the puppetry part. (Photo via www.muppet.wickia.com)

Rosey the Scottie, showing off her special treat after enduring a summer grooming session.

Quick Details:

• Certificates in Editing and Children's Writing from the University of Washington
• Former Board Member, Northwest Editors Guild
  (VP Member Services, 2016; Board President, 2017)
• Red Pencil Conference committee member since 2015.
  
• Member of ACES: The Society for Editing, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Freelancers Union

The mascot for my beloved "DonkeyWrites" children's writing group. (Donkey was being unruly during a critique session and had to be contained.)