Lynn Maria Thompson's background in writing and editing goes back to her high school days, when a number of her poems and short stories were published in her school's literary magazine, The Vertical.
While studying marketing for her bachelor of science in business administration at the University of Florida, Lynn worked part-time in the media relations branch of the university's President's Office, preparing press releases for statewide distribution and writing articles for the University Digest pages in The Independent Florida Alligator.
After graduation, Lynn began work at what was then Southern Bell, and remained with the company as it became BellSouth Advertising & Publishing. Her 23-year career there included numerous positions in sales and marketing. Lynn developed skills at "BAPCO" such as public speaking, training, media relations, negotiation, facilitation, sales and (of course) more specialized types of writing in a corporate context. The material she wrote included training and reference manuals, ad copy, press releases, newsletters, magazine articles, presentations, brochures, web content, award submissions, video scripts and display panels for trade show exhibits. She also designed, promoted and administered a grant program for the company in 2002.
While working in BAPCO's Environmental Affairs department, Lynn created a quarterly newsletter, Phone Book Roundup, for circulation among the company's partners in community phone book recycling programs. Over 900 contacts received the newsletter, one of whom asked Lynn to write a chapter on phone book recycling for a book he was editing. Her chapter appeared in the second edition of the McGraw-Hill Recycling Handbook, published in 2001. Articles from Phone Book Roundup were often picked up by publications covering national recycling news, as well.
After leaving BellSouth in 2002, Lynn founded Thompson Writing & Editing, Inc. She has done work for clients as diverse as Heritage Publishing, Joy In Motion, Barbes Publishing, Blue Cat Publishing, the Jekyll Harbor Marina, Lee Printing, Safety Awareness & Firearms Education (S.A.F.E.), and The Jacksonville Vibe. She has ghostwritten two published books and edited book manuscripts for authors both domestically and abroad. Her current work includes editing book manuscripts for three authors and ghostwriting a third book, as well as continuing editorial work for established clients.
Lynn's magazine articles have been published in Art Calendar, Jacksonville Homebuyer, North Florida Doctor, Jacksonville's Home & Garden Improvement Guide, HealthSource, Mature Matters, Central Florida Doctor, Women's Digest, and Jax Islander. She was editor of The Florida Palm, quarterly magazine of the Florida Writer's Association, in 2004, receiving the Most Valuable FWA Member award for her work on transforming the publication from a newsletter into a true magazine format. She has also edited POW! The Magazine and written Connections, the newsletter of Beaches Women's Partnership.
In addition to her professional work, Lynn has written and edited newsletters, flyers and brochures for non-profit groups that include Young Executives in Support of the Symphony, the Junior Woman's Club of Jacksonville, the Atlanta Gator Club, the Jax Beaches Gator Club, and RecycleFlorida Today. She serves on the Keep Jacksonville Beautiful Commission, where she chairs the Education and Awareness Subcommittee. An active member of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, she is a past chair of the Membership Task Force for its Beaches Division and regularly appears at grand openings and ribbon cuttings on behalf of the Chamber. She also sings soprano in the Chancel Choir at Riverside Presbyterian Church and has a longstanding desire to sing old jazz standards with a piano accompanist in a quiet little dinner place!
Lynn has been a highly-regarded speaker at regional and state recycling and writing conferences and to groups such as the Beaches Kiwanis Club, the local Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter, the Exchange Club of the Beaches, and the Jacksonville Mensa Chapter. She continues to be available for such appearances. Several prepared presentations are listed on her website, or she can tailor a presentation to your specific group's needs. Contact her for further information.