Artful Business Writing
& Creative Writing Classes & Consulting
Elissa Cottle
Writer / Editor / Project Manager
Artful Business Writing
Creative Writing Classes, Editing & Consulting
612-925-2249
I love to promote achievements and stories of conscientious businesses, nonprofits and professionals.
My writing expertise has benefited entrepreneurs, builders, artists, planners, designers, health care
providers, government, nonprofits and others.
The talent I have for putting art in business and organization writing comes from lifelong creative writing. I am a published poet and teach and edit creative writing for adults.
Education
Master of Fine Arts in Writing - Hamline University, Minnesota
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with honors - University of Iowa
- Semester in London analyzing media coverage of British steel industry during historic labor strike
- Semester in Washington, D.C., as Washington Star transit writer
Professional Experience
Writer and editor for businesses, nonprofits, academics, creatives and media - since 1977
Specializing in marketing and strategy, community building, health, government
Staff marketer, strategist and project manager - 11 years
for the Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program
- Creating newsletters, web content, white papers, grant applications
- Leading strategy groups; managing multi-million-dollar budgets
- Focusing on business rehab, housing, schools, the arts, community building
Creative writing teacher - since 2004
- Teaching "Creating a Writing Life" for adults to write poetry, fiction and memoir
Founder and curator of When Writing Meets Art, literary reading series - since 2010
Founder and editor of Valley Muses, quarterly literary page in Stillwater Gazette - since 2015
Youth journalism teacher - 5 years
- Teaching after-school newspaper making and creative writing in Minneapolis
Poet published in the following literary journals
Between The Lakes, Main Channel Voices, Minnesota Poetry Calendar,
rock, paper, scissors, Southwest Journal, Tipton Poetry Journal,
and the Nodin Poetry Anthology of Minnesota poets
Business Clients
Allina Health - medical records proofing
Dewdrop Massage - blog writing
Diamond Cut Homes, remodeling contractor - website content
Elm Grove Enterprises - grant writing
Heightened Performance, workplace wellness consultant - web design and content
Hope Center Adult Daycare - website design and content (hopecenteradc.com)
Innovative Court Reporters - deposition transcripts proofing
Love That Pillow, home accessories - website content and business coaching
Mindscapes Unlimited, business/life coaching - media releases and website content
Nine Cloud Healing - website content
Ostrowski Insurance Agency - brochure content
River Market Community Co-op - newsletter articles (pro bono)
Solution Enhance, radon mitigation - website content
Studio St. Croix, coaching services - marketing writing and business coaching
Target Corporation - editing engineers' reports on store reconstruction
United Media Group digital advertising devices - newsletter and marketing writing
Nonprofit Clients
ETR (Education, Training & Research) - data collection for teen-pregnancy prevention curriculum
Harweyn, nonprofit for Somalia relief and reconstruction - website design and content
Our Community Food Projects, food garden management - newsletters
Red Sea Shares: The Djibouti American Connection - website design and content
University of Minnesota - newsletters for academic advising center
Creative Writing Clients
Editor and co-writer of book manuscripts, including memoir, poetry, and investment strategy
- The Victory Daughter, 2019 memoir, co-writer and editor for author Laura Scott
- Always Birds, poetry collection, editor for author Elizabeth Paxon
Published in 2019, available from redbirdchapbooks.com for $12
- A Prayer for Ducks, poetry collection, editor for author Ethan Joella
Published in 2019, available from redbirdchapbooks.com for $12
Coach and editor for numerous creative writers
Media Clients
Stillwater Gazette, MN - business columnist and current literary page curator and editor
Minnesota Monthly - business-environment partnership articles
Minnesota Parent - family articles
Mpls.St.Paul Magazine - editing, writing, research on the hospitality industry
Peterborough Evening Telegraph, England - articles on the steel making industry
Southwest Journal, Minneapolis - articles on education, community planning and the arts
Twin Cities Business Monthly - articles on various business issues
Media Employers
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, greater Los Angeles - staff writer, 5 years
Covering criminal courts, local government, education, feature articles
LA Parent - staff assistant editor and writer, 1 year
The Star News, greater San Diego - staff writer covering city planning, 2 years
Duluth News-Tribune, MN - intern staff writer covering business and community
Warwick Beacon, RI - intern staff writer covering real estate industry
Volunteer Experience
The Zephyr Theatre - Literary Arts Coordinator since 2017; Grant Writer since 2018
Board of Trustees - 2017-2019 (stillwaterzephyrtheatre.org)
Neighborhood Block Leader (Minneapolis and Stillwater) - event planning, newsletters since 1995
Past volunteer positions:
River Market Community Co-op Board of Directors - 2012-2017
Family Tree Clinic - editor and patient counselor
FamilyMeans - newsletter writing, creative writing tutor for teens
St. Croix Valley Athletic Association - assistant coach
Global Volunteers - housing construction
The Family Partnership - research, creative writing group facilitator
Awards
-
Society of Professional Journalists
-
Press Club of Southern California
First Place in news writing
-
Harte-Hanks Newspapers
for articles on business, legal affairs, and in-depth and investigative writing
-
Outstanding Young Woman of America
nominated by Congressional representative
Conducted the Minnesota Orchestra
at age 13
As a student in a youth conducting class
I conducted the first movements of
Schubert's “Symphony No. 8 in B Minor" and
Mozart's “Symphony No. 40 in G Minor.”
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Give back your heart / to itself, to the stranger / who has loved you / all your life
- Derek Walcott, poet
