Yvonne Droms

Name: Yvonne Droms
Expertise: Content editing, translation, localization, e-learning, language learning, multilingual work, quality control. Languages: English, French, German, Swiss-German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian.
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time

About me: I started working for the language-learning software company Rosetta Stone shortly after its inception in 1992, when it was still Fairfield Language Technologies. I created the first French product, then helped with the creation of many other languages, such as Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, etc. I watched the company grow from a little startup into the world’s largest and most recognized language-learning company, and watched it go public. As the Senior Editor, I helped ensure grammatical correctness, proper accent, appropriate visual representation, pedagogical consistency, and overall superior quality in language content. I reviewed products for issues in 20 languages as the products were nearing completion. I checked ads and commercial videos for appropriateness and cultural content. I reviewed and corrected web pages for localization issues in many languages. I tested new apps for font and script issues in difficult languages. I responded to customer inquiries about numerous languages. Previous to this experience, I worked as a freelance translator in Switzerland, as well as a multilingual student and faculty representative at Syracuse University, NY.

Laura Dent

 Name: Laura Dent
Expertise: writing, technical writing, travel writing, usability, online help systems, embedded help , single-sourcing, localization, user experience, web design, source control, html, xml, and mobile development
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn, website

About me: I’ve been a writer all my life. I’ve been making a living as a technical writer for the last couple of decades, and now as a freelance writer I’ve been exploring all sorts of venues of writing, including my favorite: Travel Writing. I’ve written web content for local sites, and am researching an article profiling rural potters of the Appalachian mountains. I’m still funding myself mostly through part-time technical writing jobs, and hope to continue to create ways of working that sustain my life.

In the field of technical communication, my expertise includes: online help systems, embedded help (where the user interface text serves as “help” that is actually part of the software), single-sourcing (creating multiple outputs from the same content), localization (translation and implementation into a variety of languages), user experience, web design, source control, and coding in html, xml, mobile devices, and other code bases.

In other words, my abilities go far beyond “writing” and extend to usability and engineering. I’m not just creating text; I’m helping the user have the best experience possible, keeping in mind the context of why they’re using the software and what they want to accomplish.

Maria Pichler

Name: Maria Pichler
Expertise: content writing, creative and journalistic writing for culture/lifestyle publications (mostly German, some English), editing, translation, localization, e-learning, language learning, communication
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn

About me: My passion is language in all its facets: writing, editing and translating.

I am a German native speaker with over 8 years of experience in journalistic writing as well as content writing and editing for the language-learning software company Rosetta Stone. Besides providing writing services, I am trained to translate, edit and proofread texts in German as well as English.

My former editor-in-chief once described me as “a very capable writer with a solid scientific and academic background, with clear expression also of complicated thoughts and ideas. Somebody who learns very quickly and has a strong motivation to improve in all the things she does, who is extremely reliable and stress resistant.”

I am happy to apply my skill set to any new project with the goal of producing compelling and high-quality work.

Languages: German (native), English (near native), Italian (proficient)

Other interests and strengths: Moderating conflicts, blog writing, poetry, music, art. In addition, I have a passion for cooking and baking delicious cakes.