Click Clack Gorilla
Nicolette Stewart writes.
Need a writer? I am based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany and specialize in travel, lifestyle, Germany, speculative fiction, DIY, alternative dwellings, and tiny houses. My first book was published in 2005, but I have since focused on online work. I started freelance writing full-time in 2008. (Samples listed below.)
Need an editor? I have been professionally editing and copywriting nonfiction since 2010. I am well versed in both The Chicago Manual of Style and The AP Stylebook, but am happy to accommodate your house style. I edited a novel for the first time in 2014.
Need a social media expert or a blogger? I have been blogging at Click Clack Gorilla (lifestyle and travel) since 2007, at Young Germany (travel and culture) since 2008, and at Book Punks (speculative fiction) since May 2014. I currently manage social media for the German Foreign Office’s projects deutschland.de and Young Germany.
Need a translator? I translate texts from German into English, particularly if your text requires a smooth, natural feel in English with target-specific language.
Need lyrics or a vocalist? I have been song (co)writing and performing with the old-time country folk group Battenkill Ramblers since 2010.
Please stop by the contact page and let me know what you need, even if it does not appear on this list. I am currently taking on new clients.
Below you will find examples of my publications and work experience, by project.
EXPERIENCE
Young Germany, Managing Editor (2010-present)
- Since the beginning of my partnership with Young Germany in 2008, I have authored over 300 articles and over 100 blog posts. As managing editor I am now also responsible for planning the yearly editorial calendar; setting and keeping deadlines; hiring and cooperating with writers and colleagues both in- and out-of-house; and web admin.
- Representative writing samples from 2015:
Cross Cult Comics: A German Indie Comic Publisher
Green Germany: Ten Things Germany Is Doing for the Environment
Artist Profile: El Loko, Art in Germany, and Universal Language
Mauerweg: Stories From the Berlin Wall Trail
Visit Berlin: Slow Travel Berlin’s 100 Favorite Places
- Representative writing samples from 2014:
Language Hack: Reading the Classics Before You’ve Mastered German
How Much Are Your German Skills Worth?
Ten Ways to Get Paid for Traveling to Germany
Career Translation: An Interview with Literary Translator Katy Derbyshire
Career Translation: Getting Started
Career Translation: Finding a Job
Finding a High School Exchange Program in Germany
Celebrating Hanukkah in Germany
Living History: Germany’s Open Air Museums
Travel Germany: Unusual Accommodations
Dream Vacation: Germany’s Castle Hotels
Finland and the 2014 Frankfurt Book Fair
- Writing samples from 2013:
Ten-Tips for Carbon Neutral Travel
Frankfurt Skyscrapers: A Guide
German Beer and the Reinheitsgebot
Learning by Reading: Five Contemporary Authors Who Will Help You Master German
Hamburg’s Literary Vending Machines
Into the Woods: Exploring the Black Forest
Parenting in Germany: An Introduction
The Xenophobe’s Guide to the Germans
Young Germany writing samples from 2012 and before are not available due to a site relaunch.
Young Germany & deutschland.de, Social Media Coordinator/Community Manager (2012-present)
- Coordination of two Facebook pages with communities of 350,000+ and 80,000+. Writing 40+ status updates weekly, photo selection and editing, user analysis, strategy, interaction with fans.
- Conception and coordination of cross-medial social media campaigns, including Instagram contests, regular giveaways, and regular series.
- Launched social media campaign “Heartbeats” for deutschland.de to feature the stories of bi-national couples. Includes text and video (here, here, and here).
- Organization and implementation of the Young Germany blog. Responsibilities: writing or commissioning new, daily content; editing and proofing; photo selection and editing; web admin using WordPress backend, SEO.
- Co-management of Young Germany and deutschand.de twitter accounts.
MOVE Guides, Writer
- MOVE Guide Hamburg, 2014
- MOVE Guide Düsseldorf, 2015
Book Punks, Founder, Co-Editor
- In 2014 I co-founded book review website Book Punks with Young Adult Librarian Erika Jelinek. In our first eight months online we were published in Speculative Fiction 2014: The Year’s Best Reviews, Essays and Commentary (Book Smugglers Publishing). In 2015 we were featured on SyFy, Cabbages and Kings (podcast), and the Hugo-nominated Skiffy and Fanty.
- Representative samples from 2015:
Hot Head by Simon Ings (review)
An Interactive Apocalypse: Starting Zombies, Run! 5k Training
Fire in the Bones: A Book Punks Creation Story
Early Apocalyptic Lit: After London by Richard Jefferies
Geeks vs Materialism: On Possessions, Collections, and Geek Identity
School’s Out Forever by Scott K. Andrews (review)
Making the Painful Decision to Give up on a Book
Otherland Berlin: An SFF Bookstore to Steal Your Heart and Empty Your Wallet
- Representative samples from 2014:
E-Readers versus Paper Books, Fight!
Harry Potter versus Earthsea, Fight!
Review: The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
Science Fiction Mix Tape: Story Hour With the ArchAndroid
Damnation Books, Editor
- The Wind Whispers Madness by Albert Nothlit (ebook and print), 2014. Available here.
The HUNT Guides, Writer
- The HUNT Frankfurt (online travel guide, limited print edition for the 2013 Frankfurt Book Fair), published by Gatehouse Publishing. Download for free here.
The New Escapologist, Writer
- Alternative Dwellings, Issue 8 (print magazine), 2013. Order it here.
- Gorilla Escapes From New York Zoo, Issue 6 (print magazine), 2012. Order it here.
Shelter Publications, Contributor
- Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter (print book), 2012. Order via amazon.
The folks at Shelter are seriously good, seriously DIY people. Throw your money at them. They deserve it.
Battenkill Ramblers, Singer (2010-2015)
- Lyrics and vocals on Battenkill Ramblers (formerly Black Diamond Express Train to Hell) album Around My Grave Sing Songs of Joy. (Cassette release Kink Records, CD self-published.)
- Lyrics and vocals on Black Diamond Express Train to Hell Demo CD. (Soulgasm Records)
- Dozens of performances, as well as several children’s workshops, each year.
Matador Network, Writer
- The Ultimate Vegan’s Guide to Finding Food on the Road, Matador Network.
- How Mark Twain Taught Me to Tramp Abroad, Matador Network.
inlingua (2005-2008)
- Taught business English and conversation, specialized in one-on-one tutoring.
College Prowler Guides, Writer
- Skidmore College: Off the Record (print) co-authored with Cara Jones, published by College Prowler, 2005. Order via amazon.
Or don’t. I won’t get paid either way.
Redsprings Communications, Proofreader (2004-2005)
- Proofread custom health care publications for client and AP Style; implemented corrections in inDesign; worked with in-house design and editorial teams; authored 8-page custom health care magazine, Androscroggin Getting Well.
Skidmore College Writing Center (2001-2004)
- Worked one-on-one with students to help them improve their writing style and grammar for essays and projects across all disciplines. Promoted to Head Writing Tutor in 2003, adding administrative tasks such as scheduling to my tutorial duties.
Waldon Books, Bookseller (2002-2004)
- May it rest in peace.
Delaware Valley News, Reporter (2001)
- During the summer of 2001, I worked as the second of two reporters at The Delaware Valley News in Frenchtown, New Jersey and published 43 by-line articles. The internet was not yet a communications monarch—we didn’t have a connection in the office—and in 2008, after 129 years of publication, The Delaware Valley News closed its doors. However, I can send scanned or copied examples upon request.
EDUCATION
- BA in English literature from Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA, 2004.