Michael S. Spence
Professional Profile
- Communicator
- with superior written and oral communication skills; able to express technical information in accessible language and illustrate ideas in a clear and inventive manner
- New media professional
- experienced with e-book production/conversion, audiobooks, social media, podcasting, and web content management
- Editor, copyeditor, and proofreader
- with outstanding language and grammar skills; experienced liaison and collaborator with inside and outside contributors
- Creative and Technical Writer
- with diverse background including grants, articles, fiction
Professional Experience
Consulting Writer/Editor/Voice Talent, dba MARS Creative Projects, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota (1991–present)
Currently editing scans of books for the Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust’s Backlist Project
Currently proofreading XBRL data for Merrill Corporation
Created social media presence for Fast Cab and Fast Courier, Warsaw, Indiana
Edited books for Abingdon Press and Thomas Nelson Publishers; provided copy-editing services for Oliver-Nelson Books imprint
Proofread books for the Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust
Narrated The Sword of Aldones and The Brass Dragon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and House of Zeor, by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, as audiobooks for Audible.com
Contributed 18 articles to a Bible dictionary published by the Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Grant Writer, Grace College and Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana (2004–7)
Increased funding by producing major grant and gift proposals to corporations and foundations
Contributed editorial and proofreading expertise to Institutional Advancement projects, including annual reports
Secured renewal of Grace’s contract with the Indiana Department of Corrections, providing Grace’s degree programs in the State prison system
Designed and maintained the website for Grace College and Seminary’s Office of Institutional Advancement
Director of Corporate and Foundation Communications, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN (1986–91)
Won recognition for Meharry’s “I Have a Future” teen-pregnancy-prevention program as one of President George H.W. Bush’s “Thousand Points of Light”
Strengthened Meharry’s public presence in Middle Tennessee by editing speeches and newspaper articles for the college president
Increased funding by producing major grant and gift proposals to corporations and foundations
Helped increase credibility of grantseekers by stressing to them the importance of reporting to donors on progress of grant-funded research
Created articles for College publications along with letters for direct-mail solicitation
Bible Editor and Project Coordinator, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN (1982–85)
Boosted a major product line by creating milestone editions of New King James Version
Increased credibility and reliability of NKJV by working with translators and keeping records of text, questions, and corrections
Secured materials from outside contributors to be included in study Bibles; collaborated with those contributors on language, theology, and biblical accuracy
Education
Ph.D., Theological Studies — Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX
M.Div. / Th.M., Theology and Apologetics — Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, IN
A.B., English — Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Contacting
Please feel free to contact me via LinkedIn.