MARGARET MAY
WRITER | COPYEDITOR | CREATIVE CONSULTANT
She graduated cum laude and with Phi Beta Kappa honors from the University of Vermont, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a concentration in writing, and double minored in art history and nutrition & food science.
Originally from Wilton, CT, Margaret returned to the Fairfield County area post undergrad, where she worked as an English and electives teacher/mentor at Fusion Academy Fairfield, an individualized private school with a one-to-one teaching model. While teaching, she started freelance copyediting and soon began working as a contributing copyeditor for Golf Magazine, a position she still holds.
Margaret is currently based on Cape Cod, where she continues to expand her skill set and gain interdisciplinary experience across numerous industries. Along with her continued writing and editing contracts and consulting work, she self-publishes a series of personal essays on Substack.
Last minute need-to-knows about Margaret: She's down to eat any and all Asian cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; she loves a clever pun; art history factoids make her giddy; and she is a passionate proponent of the Oxford comma.
SIMPLY PUT, MARGARET IS A CREATIVE CLOSE-LOOKER.
"[Margaret] is smart, professional, and hardworking. [She] undertook any research or writing task I threw at her—often on short notice—without complaint, and delivered excellent results every time.... Her writing style is fluid and informative and editorial suggestions were accepted with grace.
Margaret is also a very organized and thorough individual with excellent communication skills. She knows how to prioritize, has a keen eye for detail, and is able to anticipate editorial needs."
— Megan Smith-Harris, Former Editor of Wilton Magazine
WORDS | WRITING & COPYEDITING PORTFOLIO
FREELANCE EDITOR & WRITER FOR AGEIST
September 2024 - Present
"AGEIST® is a media company dedicated to championing the vitality, influence and contributions of the modern 50-plus demographic, and an agency that advises businesses, brands and organizations on emerging trends and how to better understand, speak to and engage this important and growing segment."
As a contracted copywriter for AGEIST, Margaret began by leveraging her editorial experience to proofread and copyedit AGEIST's weekly newsletter. Now, along with polishing the newsletter, she writes byline articles, from scientifically-backed pieces to brand copy for the online magazine's valued sponsors, which appear across the online publication. Visit AGEIST's website below and search "Margaret May" to read her words.
FREELANCE COPYWRITER/EDITORIALIST FOR MARQUIS WHO'S WHO
August 2023 - Present
"Marquis Who’s Who was established in 1898 and promptly began publishing biographical data in 1899. More than 125 years ago, our founder, Albert Nelson Marquis, established a standard of excellence with the first publication of Who’s Who in America."
As a contracted editorialist for Marquis Who's Who, Margaret joined to craft 10-15 comprehensive press releases (at roughly 1,200 words per piece) per week for persons of note, writing to highlight their education, career, civic engagements, awards and achievements in their field. To ensure polished copy, she self-edited and incorporated feedback from others to ensure clarity of meaning, adherence to AP style and the in-house style guide.
Since the firm moved to A.I.-generated press releases, Margaret now focuses on quality assurance, copyediting and proofreading to deliver accuracy of info, clarity of meaning, and adherence to AP style and the in-house style guide
HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE
November 2022 - Present
"Writings from a young woman as she travels abroad (and back home), into the recesses of her own mind, and down rabbit holes. In other words, a newsletter with so many foci, it's here, there, and everywhere all at once."
Check out Margaret's self-publication, born of her desire to embark on a writing project and grounded in her traveling abroad and into the recesses of her own mind.
COPYEDIT OF MACHADO DE ASSIS: THE WORLD KEEPS CHANGING TO REMAIN THE SAME BY MARIO HIGA
Book release: 2022
Copyediting contribution: Mar. - Aug. 2021
Margaret supported Higa in the early stages of his manuscript writing. She was contracted to provide heavy copyediting and reader feedback on the academic manuscript to ensure a clean a copy was received by publishing house.
To view (and purchase) Higa's book, along with Margaret's acknowledgement, click the button below.
"WHERE CAN I SHOP LOCALLY AND SUSTAINABLY?"
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"HOW CAN I LIMIT MY EXPOSURE TO RADIATION FROM MY PERSONAL ELECTRONICS?"
Wilton Magazine
March/April 2019 issue
Published by Moffly Media (formerly TownVibe)
Two sidebars that appear in the "We've Got Answers" section, responding to questions on sustainability and the environment.
"I LIVE LIKE A CARRIER PIGEON"
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"FAMISHED"
Vantage Point
Spring 2018 issue
Two poems featured in The Gist (formerly Vantage Point), UVM's Literary and Visual Arts Journal.
"I live like a carrier pigeon": p. 45
"Famished": p. 54
Issue Citation:
Point, Vantage (2018) "Vantage Point: Spring 2018," Vantage Point: Vol. 4 : Iss. 1 , Article 1.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/vantagepoint/vol4/iss1/1
"CHIAROSCURO"
Vantage Point
Fall 2016 issue
A poem featured (on page 23) in The Gist (formerly Vantage Point), UVM's Literary and Visual Arts Journal.
Issue Citation: Point, Vantage (2017) "Fall 2016," Vantage Point: Vol. 2 : Iss. 2 , Article 1.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/vantagepoint/vol2/iss2/1