Melinda Barnes, Writing Portfolio

I have a Master’s in Writing and English, and I live in the United States and Europe. I am a writer, editor, and content manager, and I love finding a story and making connections–whether to help market a product to businesses, provide the emotional experience that comes with a well-branded campaign, or to help bring clarity to difficult concepts. Over the years I have worked with health care companies, software companies, online retailers, and communities at the grassroots level. In all of these roles, I found people who were hungry for solutions: to help sell products, build a brand, or find their own voice. I have a personal love of organization and strategy, especially bringing sanity to chaos through content management systems and integrated promotional campaigns. There’s an inner athlete in me that loves to analyze metrics and see a campaign finish strong, and I particularly love making difficult concepts readable and manageable, one step at a time.

I have a novel under review, another novel-in-progress, several magazine articles out for review, as well as numerous research essays written during my academic years. Professionally, I was awarded a Top Performer Award at Amazon.com and received Honorable Mention for the Health Care Perspectives newsletter at Kaiser Permanente. I was also instrumental in creating the national “Thrive” campaign for Kaiser Permanente. I was awarded the Top 50 Farmhouse Blogs in the U.S.

Specialties: Content strategy and management; writing; editing/proofreading; deep curiosity and empathy that seek to find the story; internal and external brand development and communication; idea-making; project management; public speaking; social media; community engagement; brand strategy; project launches; details and deadlines; growth/market expansion; client relations.

**Author, PNW Bainbridge Magazine Feature Article**

I loved writing this piece about such a special woman: Mary Terry is a Bainbridge Island icon full of can-do attitude and grit. She’s an entrepreneur, doer, and deep thinker. I am especially grateful to David W. Cohen for the gorgeous photography, and Alli Schuchman for the opportunity.

Recipe creator, Published in The FarmMade Cookbook

This was such a rewarding project to be a part of alongside seventy-five multi-generational farmers spanning regions from New England to the Northwest, accompanied by stories from the farmers themselves. I was grateful to be asked to participate. The effort was authored by Patti Johnson-Long . The cookbooks were featured on Amazon.com, Walmart, and Tractor Supply, among others.

Award: Top 50 Farmhouse Blogs in the U.S.A.

This was just such a lovely boost by Feedspot. So grateful for the award for my blog Eating Buckets.

Creator/Writer: Essays, Stories, Recipes, Videos, etc..

My blog Eating Buckets is a space for me to write and reflect in a freeform fashion. These essays, stories, recipes and notes are all quite personal and not intended to impress, but rather to connect and engage. Click on each graphic if you would like to read the entire article.

Presenter, Grow Food Not Grass Masterclass Summit

I became really into gardening on our small farm. Like, really into it. I grew so much food, I produced nearly everything our family needed to eat. I grew enough to donate to the food bank and preserve the rest for my family to enjoy. I was so proud to be chosen to be one of just a few featured master gardeners from around the United States, and I loved the whole experience–from producing and editing the training video to connecting with people from across the country.

Feature: As Published in Bainbridge Island Magazine

This isn’t my writing. It’s by Alli Schuchman, previous Editor-in-Chief of Bainbridge Island Magazine. She interviewed me and captured a bit about life on our farm. You can click on the image to read the full article.

Content Manager/Copywriter, Well-Fed Me

Here, I wrote landing pages and teasers/blurbs for Well-Fed Me’s hospital partnership websites, wrote presentation script, helped manage and edit legacy content, honed a new brand vision alongside a team of art directors and website designers, and more.

Freelance Copywriter, Orbridge

It was lovely to do a few projects for this boutique travel company, including writing program highlights for trips to Sicily, Tuscany, and the Amalfi Coast. Here’s one of the brochures I worked on for a trip they were procuring to alumni interested in visiting Sicily.

**Copywriter, NW Source/Seattle Times People’s Picks Campaign**

This was such a fun and quirky campaign. These promotional images appeared in newspapers, online campaigns, and old-fashioned “breadboards” all around Seattle’s sidewalks, reminding people to hop in, eat, and vote for their favorites. A great way to build community engagement!

Site Merchandiser/Senior Editor, Amazon.com Health & Personal Care

I was an intern during college at Amazon.com when it was just books and some video. I was a research intern for a new department called All Products Search. I re-engaged with Amazon again right after graduate school. I managed the Health & Personal Care category, wrote newsletters, and pitched promotions for the Amazon gateway page. I worked with amazing people and was able to elevate brands and the customer experience. I helped launch the first-ever streaming video content on Amazon during the 2006 Super Bowl for the Dove True Colors Campaign. After leaving this full-time role, I also freelanced for the department on special projects for several years.

Writer/Project Manager, Kaiser Permanente

I worked for Kaiser Permanente Health Plan, Inc., for about five years as an analyst (proposal specialist), writer/editor, project manager, content manager, and consultant. Here are a few of the things I wrote while I worked for them, although I haven’t captured the 1,000-+ question RFPs I compiled as an analyst while working there.