(in other words, We Help You Improve Your Writing and Craft)
You and I both know that writing is a craft. It’s a craft we spend all our time researching, perfecting, and creating...yet it somehow never feels finished.
There was one thing I found missing in the world of writing: the camaraderie.
It was the “You & I” part that I mentioned above.
While we know there are other writers out there, doing the same things and dealing with the same endless cycles, it can sometimes feel like you’re all alone.
Our Story
I’m Elisa Doucette, Founder of Craft Your Content. I’m a lover of language, always interested in where words come from and what history is behind them.
I've spent years (okay, almost two decades) writing my own articles and posts, working in the world of content marketing before it was a world we all knew about. As the rough and tumble world of bloggers transformed into a motley crew of professional writers and creatives, the mission to improve began.
Enter the elusive “editor.” Enter the boring grammar rules I didn’t want to follow. Enter the misguided help that resulted in changing my words and opinions into theirs.
I created Craft Your Content because, well, I was over this narrative.
I was tired of hearing frustrated writers at all levels, living in fear that they were getting stripped out of their own writing. I wanted the teamwork, and I wanted to go beyond just being fellow writers. I wanted to build a community, create a safe space (where you may hear the occasional cuss word, just warning you), and help give writers the confidence to finally feel that “ah-ha” moment.
To feel like your time, research, dedication to and perfection of your craft was worth every single moment spent behind your keyboard.
Want to learn more about us? Sign up for The Writing Rundown, and we'll send our best writing resources and content every weekend - straight to your inbox!
What We Do
In a world that is every-(wo)man-for-(her)himself, writing doesn’t have to be.
Our team knows those thoughts swirling around in your head because we’ve been there, too. We know what it’s like to second guess your work, to feel overwhelmed with deadlines and consistency, to wonder if it’s all really worth it, and to feel the surge of anxiety every time you press that “Publish” button.
The thing that Craft Your Content does differently than other editors is that we partner with you.
We want to be creative collaborators who help you to craft content that works for you, is high quality, and lets you release tension rather than live with it.
Our team offers empathy and banter in place of cold-editing and impersonal communication. We offer two-way conversation, not just critiques.
We work with you, not against you.
As a trusted partner in your writing and creative endeavors, we provide two different levels of support to professional writers and entrepreneurs who have a goal of rising above the noise of online content and make their own words, their own craft, even better.
Our first level of support offers:
Courses and Community where you can work alone or in groups to improve your writing and get the results you crave.
Want a more one-on-one approach? We offer that as well.
Our second level of support offers:
Proofreading, Content Editing, Content Management, Content Strategy, and Writing Coaching for those who are looking to achieve their maximum performance, go beyond superficial successes, and dig deep with our team of witty yet talented individuals.
Meet the CYC Team
A collaborative like this does not run on the power of any individual. We have an accomplished team of writing experts and business pros who are at the ready to work with members and clients to make their words exceptional.
We help writers who are looking to bring their writing to "the next level", are in the process of creating a brand, or want to use high-quality content promote a business. We love entrepreneurs, seasoned professionals, and anyone who is trying to upgrade their writing game.
We work with writers who want to focus on the quality and authority of their writing. We don’t offer generic instructions and don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.
At the heart of it all, we care most about you as a human being.
Our team recognizes that you need to be your most genuine and authentic self, and we are firm believers in helping you do that. Rather than changing your voice or sacrificing your ideas in favor of perfect prose or correct grammar, we help make you (and your own words) even better.
While of course SEO and other “fun” details are important, we believe that they are all secondary when you are able to craft content that is good.
You can read more about our promise to our clients in our Editor’s Creed.
Elisa's advice and counsel as an editor has proven invaluable as she has a deep understanding of both the business implications of content as well as what makes good writing in the first place. Since we started working together, my brand presence has increased by an order of magnitude.
Taylor Pearson
Essayist, Author, Entrepreneur
Elisa and the CYC team have been such a gift to me in my pursuit to tell my business's story. I honestly think if it weren't for Elisa, I would not have been able to get the courage or words to land a writing gig I was excited about, nor the accountability and forward progress to keep it.
Carrie McKeegan
Greenback Expat Tax Services, Columnist at INC
We had a new business meeting with the head of marketing for a huge company and he said that he thinks our marketing/thought leadership (particularly the Medium publication) is some of the best he's ever seen. I attribute much of that to the editing help CYC has given us.
Sam Spurlin
Managing Editor at The Ready
Craft Your Content provides accountability, support, expertise, and gives you our dedication. All that we ask is that you give us your dedication, in return.
Welcome to the CYC family. We’re glad you’re here.
As a bonus for reading all about us, we want to share one of our most helpful starter resources with you. If you find yourself struggling to find your voice and vision, we’re here to show you how.
Our FREE 10-Day Course helps you define what you want to say, and how you want to say it. Like building up a personal resume of the “why” behind your craft.
You’ll also receive our fortnightly newsletter, filled with tips on how to write content that captures your voice.
We may be biased, but this is one you’re not going to want to miss.
As a bonus for reading all about us, we want to share one of our most helpful starter resources with you. If you find yourself struggling to find your voice and vision, we’re here to show you how.
Our FREE 10-Day Course helps you define what you want to say, and how you want to say it. Like building up a personal resume of the “why” behind your craft.
You’ll also receive our weekly newsletter, filled with tips on how to write content that captures your voice.
We may be biased, but this is one you’re not going to want to miss.
Disclaimer: We do make money when you click various links and offers, through their affiliate programs, including Amazon Service LLC Associates. There is NO increased cost for you, and sometimes we're even able to swing some sweet affiliate deals for our audience. It is important you know, we'd promote these resources even if we didn't make money from them. Which is why you can choose to purchase and show us some love, or just do business on your own. No hard feelings.
Elisa studied at the University of Maine, with a dual concentration in Creative Writing and Classics (focused on Roman Latin linguistics & culture), and serves as the Editorial Advisor to the Y-Combinator AI software startup Foster. A frequent contributing writer, podcast guest, and event speaker, her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Entrepreneurs on Fire, Forbes, The Business of Writing, Froemmer’s Radio, Yahoo! Small Business, BlogHer, WordCamp, The Huffington Post, Undomesticated Magazine, and many others. She is a member of ACES - The Society for Editing, former curator for TEDxAberdeen, and a judge for the Page Turner writing awards.
She can often be found traveling about looking for great stories to live, interesting tales to share, and delicious food & drink to nom on. When she’s not working or writing, she is likely curled up with her Kindle, devouring a new book.
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion: Writing is an individual pursuit. No “one strategy” or “one method” or “one word count” is going to guarantee your success. It is all about learning frameworks and systems, then figuring out how to adapt them to your writing life and craft. Every wheel has already been created, you just have to figure out how to spin yours.
Most Read Book:Leonardo's Notebooks: Writing and Art of the Great Master by Leonardo da Vinci and The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Favorite Story to Tell: Up to the age of 30, I had never lived outside the state of Maine or traveled further than Canada. Then, I landed a gig that put me on a one-way flight, with a shiny new passport, to live for six months in Bali, Indonesia. In my first three weeks living abroad, I got into a fight at a club, held hostage in a taxi, was robbed, and finally thrown off the back of a motorbike when we were hit head-on – ending in three surgeries on my knee. I managed to power through and have some badass scars to prove it. Been traveling ever since. This is either extreme confidence or complete idiocy. The jury is still out.
If you want to connect, it is usually easiest to catch me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
Erika Rasso - Director of Development & Production
Erika Rasso holds a B.A. in English and marketing, and an MFA in Screenwriting from the University of California, Los Angeles. She has worked as a writing consultant, an editor for literary and academic journals, an assistant to film producers, and most recently, an executive coordinator at The CW Network. When she’s not writing or editing, Erika spends her time reading (big surprise) and trying to get her money’s worth from her AMC A-List subscription.
Has been part of the team since:September 2015
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:Even though I love grammar and the strategic ways it is used to convey ideas, I don’t believe that your writing has to be mechanically perfect to be exceptional. If we look back on Nathaniel Hawthorne and James Joyce, their works are filled with run on sentences and misused punctuation, and they are still regarded as literary masters! Besides, grammar is always evolving. A mistake you’ve made in one article may no longer be a mistake a month or two later.
Specialties & Interests:Email & Newsletters, Scriptwriting, Arts & Entertainment, Writing about Writing, Business, Food & Drink, Learning
Location:Los Angeles, California, USA
Most Read Book:The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Favorite Story to Tell:When I was in Paris with my parents, we were taking a bike tour and I was lagging behind. We were crossing a busy street and a bus turned the corner and hit me! I was completely okay, the bus was going really slow, but I was very mad that the bus didn’t wait for me!
Chris Angelis has a PhD in English literature from the University of Tampere, where he has also taught Gothic fiction. In addition to this work, he is a literary-fiction writer and the owner of a literature blog, Home For Fiction.
When Chris doesn’t write or edit, he programs webapps related to writing and texts. He also likes to think he’s a musician, playing bass/guitar and piano, and creating post-rock and post-metal soundscapes with his one-man band, The Focus Protocol. In an ideal world, Chris would spend most of the year on the beach of some Greek island.
Has been part of the team since:April 2019
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:Thucydides argues we can be either peaceful or free, but we can't be both. This is a principle I want to apply to writing and art in general. Can we, as writers, escape the constraints of being peaceful? Can we be free in our writing? It's a goal worth aiming for!
Specialties & Interests:Short Stories, Fiction (Long-Form), Poetry, Personal Essays, Philosophy, Writing about Writing, Technology, Travel
Location:Tampere, Finland
Most Read Book:For practical reasons—my doctoral dissertation—Bram Stoker’s Dracula. For pleasure (I’m serious!) William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Favorite Story to Tell:When I was 11 or 12, vacationing at my grandparents’ house, I accidentally drank some lighting fluid that was kept in an empty water bottle. I was terrified, but even more so when I heard a neighbor suggesting I should be taken to the hospital. My grandparents thought there was no danger—they just gave me some milk and olive oil. I was fine a few hours later, though my breath smelled like a disintegrating diesel engine for a couple of days. Ah, fun times…
Bayo is a graduate of the National Open University of Nigeria, where he earned his bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship and business management in 2019. He is furthering his education by pursuing an online Google certificate course called Foundations of Project Management. In addition to his education, he has been honing his skills as a professional virtual assistant, project manager, and sales executive through his work as a freelancer for the past three years.
Has been part of the team since: January 2023
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:No one ever became outstanding at what they did by quitting along the way. Regardless of how difficult it appears today, just one more step might be all it takes to get it right. I believe there is always a solution to any problem.
Specialties & Interests: Learning new software, reading, project management, and self-development.
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Most Read Book:The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss, and Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter by Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent.
Favorite Story to Tell: When I was just 12 years old, my parents went through a divorce. I and my three other siblings stayed with my mom, and it was a very difficult time for us. One evening, after dinner (we were not happy with the quality of food we had that day, and mom tried to explain why we should accept what we have and stop complaining), I told my mom that, although I am the last of her children, I will not be a burden to her. I told her I needed to start working, but she laughed and said, "When the time comes, you will," but I insisted that the time is now and I have to start now. I asked if I could help my father's close friend with his small store; he said no and gave me some money; I refused the money and insisted on being paid monthly; he accepted after much persuasion, and I can come to his store after school to do my assignments and help him with minor chores, but I can't remember how much he paid me for my service because the money was paid directly to my mom. In my final year of high school (I was then 16 years old), I started paying my tuition fee, and since then, until I graduated from the university, I was responsible for my tuition fee and other financial obligations. I am and will always be a go-getter.
Danielle graduated from the University of Victoria with a BA in History and a Minor in Applied Ethics. She worked in the hospitality industry for six years where she learned exactly how to keep other people happy and is now working on the same for herself. She is currently finishing the last course of her Graphic Design Certification from British Columbia Institute of Technology.
Danielle has a passion for correction, perfection and making things shine. This is truly all-encompassing—from folding laundry and washing dishes to proofreading and editing, and (of course) design! She happily lives in the PNW of Canada, and loves exploring forest trails, paddleboarding at the lake, and generally being near the ocean in her free time.
Has been part of the team since: June 2022
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:The world doesn’t hate us for making something imperfect. Perfectionism gets in the way of greatness. I’m slowly rewiring my brain to fully believe this myself.
Favorite Story to Tell: In 2015, I was in Nepal with my cousin when a massive earthquake hit, not far from where we were staying. When I got back from my excursion, my cousin was quite shaken up about it, but I hadn’t felt anything and didn’t know what was wrong. Turns out that exactly when the first earthquake shook the entire area, I was up in the air paragliding! It was a wild coincidence (and the best place to be!), but I did experience the many aftershocks on the ground.
Alice Sholto-Douglas has experience with writing, copyediting, and academic research. She completed her Master’s in Literature at the University of Cape Town, where she spent six years teaching undergraduate students. She also holds a BA (Hons) in Arts and Literature from New York University as an editorial assistant for academic journals. As a fierce believer in the value of research and strong idea expression, writing is tangible and gratifying to her. She has honed her skills and expertise while working for various publications and organizations on an array of subjects, including art, law, business, and education.
Has been part of the team since:June 2022
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:That how we put words to the world precipitates real effects, and so we make the world through words.
Specialties & Interests:Literature first and foremost but also law, business, and education.
Location:Cape Town, South Africa
Most Read Book:The Harry Potter series, What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt, and Beloved by Toni Morrison
Favorite Story to Tell:When I was little, about ten years old, I wrote a letter to Dumbledore (from the Harry Potter series) because I was under the illusion that Hermione was me in the future, and I needed him to know. It made complete sense in my head. In the letter, I wrote, "I have a ginger cat, like Hermione, love school and books ... like Hermione. I think I might be Hermione. I know it's silly! But I think it's true" – and then, scrunched up because I'd run out of space – "Please write back." I left it on the windowsill for an owl, and Dumbledore never wrote back.
If you want to connect, you can find me on LinkedIn.
Amna holds a BA in Business Administration from National University of Modern Languages, a Masters in Business Administration from Quaid-e-Azam University, and a Masters in Philosophy from Lahore University. She has worked full-time as a writer and head of the content department for a renowned Web3 company in Pakistan. With that 7 years of experience, she holds a diverse writing portfolio, helping conglomerates across the globe. When working with her essay students, she is well-known for strict markings and detailed feedback!
In her free time, Amna loves learning new things, creating new recipes, designing new clothes in her head, and buying new books. She happens to be very "talkative" when it comes to penning down words, but IRL she is a more active listener and observer.
Has been part of the team since: March 2023
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:No-one has two hearts in their body, so you either want something or don't want something. There is nothing called “neutrality” at a personal level. The more clear one is about this, the easier it becomes to make decisions and avoid dilemmas.
Most Read Book:The Godfather by Mario Puzo, Shahab-nama by Qudrat Ullah Shahab, Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins, Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
Favorite Story to Tell: My Business Communication professor always deducted my marks for overwriting exam answers. But now I am a professional “accidental writer” with seven years experience!
Shanece Grant is a writer, editor, and digital marketer with 8+ years of experience creating captivating content. With expertise in copywriting, SEO, and managing Google Ads, Shanece excels in delivering impactful marketing messages. Shanece is passionate about nature, languages, research, and storytelling. If she could do anything, she would explore other galaxies in person. In her free time, you can find her writing horror stories.
Has been part of the team since: June 2023
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:Pursuing alternative education paths outside of traditional institutions, such as self-directed learning, unschooling, or pursuing unconventional skills. This challenges the conventional notion that formal education is the only path to success. It also emphasizes individual autonomy in shaping one's educational life journey.
Most Read Book:Duma Key by Stephen King, The Harry Potter Series, Runaway Jury by John Grisham
Favorite Story to Tell: Growing up, I had these extraordinary neighbors whose cars were like time machines straight out of the past. They were ancient relics, probably not even street legal, and to top it all off, they had absolutely no brakes. Can you imagine? But here's the kicker: It didn't faze them one bit. I'd watch in awe as they fearlessly leaped out of their moving vehicle, gracefully tucking and rolling to safety, or simply wait patiently for the car to come to a halt on its own. The absence of brakes never hindered them from squeezing every drop of adventure out of life. And that got me thinking, if they could conquer the road without brakes, then what could possibly stand in my way?
Julia has both a Bachelors and a Masters degree in English from California State University, Fullerton. She has taught college-level English for over 4 years and has been a writing tutor for 10 years. Beyond academia, Julia also has private sector experience in copywriting, blog writing, content editing, and technical writing/editing. With Craft Your Content, Julia has held roles as Managing Editor and Podcast Editor. She is currently a content editor.
Has been part of the team since:March 2017
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:Be as introspective as you can when faced with writer’s block. Ask yourself what you’re afraid to write, and see what happens if you face that fear.
Most Read Book:I don’t like to read a book twice. I’d have to say Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan are the only books I’ve read several times!
Favorite Story to Tell:I love telling the story of how my husband and I “stole” our neighbor’s cat. Their cat was in love with us and would come over to our front door and sit on our laps, purring and drooling. She was so sweet, but she wasn’t ours. After lots of convincing, I was able to get our landlord to agree to let us adopt a cat. Our neighbors knew how much their cat loved us, and offered to give her to us. Sweetcat was our first baby! (She has passed away since; she was 16 years old and lived a long and very adventurous life.)
Taylor Berger holds an MFA in Screenwriting from the University of California, Los Angeles, and graduated Summa Cum Laude in Film Studies and Creative Writing from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Taylor has pursued a career in writing since she was seven years old, and has worked as an editor, a content manager, a ghostwriter, a creative development lead, and a screenwriter. When she’s not writing, Taylor is usually busy blowing through an average of 75 books per year, curating Spotify playlists, or binge-watching horror movies.
Has been part of the team since: June 2023
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:The best writing is accessible to everyone. It’s great that you know so many big words, but you’re telling a story — not competing in a vocabulary contest.
Specialties & Interests: Personal Essays, Short Stories, Scriptwriting, Philosophy, Self-Development, Arts & Entertainment, Writing about Writing, Poetry, Fiction (Long-Form), Researched Articles.
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA.
Most Read Book:I’d like to tell you that it’s something impressive but it’s probably Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Favorite Story to Tell: I was in a pretty bad car accident a while back. I once relayed this story to a professor, and she sort of cocked her head to one side and said: “Huh. Do you ever think that killed you and you’re already in hell?”
Simoun graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education. A former English teacher and assistant principal, Simoun writes and edits material seven days a week (occasionally stopping for coffee). His online work has been published in sites like Collider, Amendo, Crazy Money Facts, and The Hip Hop Insider. A high school textbook author since 2013, he has written and co-written titles that have entered national circulation in his home country of the Philippines.
Caffeine binges aside, Simoun is a devoted husband to one and father to two. His biggest fear, in fact, is to get those numbers mixed up when introducing himself.
Has been part of the team since: July 2023
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:Imperfection is everywhere. I have yet to see a perfect person, perfect relationship, perfect company, or perfect Eggs Benedict. When we embrace our flaws and work together to compensate for these shortcomings…well, we don’t become flawless. We become, in the truest sense of the word, human. Perhaps that should suffice.
Specialties & Interests: Personal Essays, Researched Articles, Writing about Writing, Arts & Entertainment, Self-Development, Learning, Family
Location: Quezon City, Philippines
Most Read Book:How Not to Write: An Office Primer for the Grammatically Perplexed by Terence Denman and Mythology by Edith Hamilton
Favorite Story to Tell: When I submitted the earliest draft of my first-ever CYC submission (a piece on the craft of writing in Hamilton), I described myself as a “father of one” in the introductory paragraphs. About a week later, as I worked on fleshing out the piece, I had to retool that phrase. Why? Just a few days after my proposed article was greenlighted by Elisa, my wife and I found out that we were pregnant with our second child! That one-word revision will forever be seared in my heart.
If you want to connect, you can find me on Facebook or Twitter.
Sena is a graduate of Istanbul University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature. She also holds an Honors degree in Media and Communication from Anatolian University. She started her career as an editor and translator for several publishing houses and soon continued as a publishing coordinator. She has worked as an English-to-Turkish translator for a number of published psychology books and studies. After the economic crisis, which affected Turkey almost 3x more than global impacts, she continued her work abroad, starting as a Copywriter for an SaaS company based in Estonia. Sena also holds a certification in Pedagogical Formation from Istanbul University.
Science fiction is her favorite genre, and she likes to discover new sci-fi writers whenever she has time. Sena also likes to watch underwater documentaries, as well as educational videos on Youtube in areas of her interest, and skateboarding whenever she finds a perfect spot.
Has been part of the team since: May 2022
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:There’s always something to learn from people but in order to stand out and be original, we sometimes need to show the courage to be different and be our weird-selves.
Specialties & Interests:Researched Articles, Arts & Entertainment, Blockchain/Crypto, Finance, Artificial Intelligence, Philosophy, Psychology and Neuroscience.
Location:Istanbul, Turkey
Most Read Book:The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
Favorite Story to Tell:That one time I was almost not allowed to take an exam because I couldn't get my tragus piercing out. It was stuck. And it was an important exam (the one for Academic Personnel and Graduate Education Entrance), which is why I was raged and shocked when the lady at the entrance said I couldn’t get in with ‘that thing’. Anyways, with lots of explaining the obvious, like it’s not a secret listening device and finally talking to the exam manager, I convinced some people that piercings can not hurt us, nor the integrity of any exam. So I found my way into the exam room after a quick cry in the public bathroom. I was feeling triumphant, the only problem was that they took some notes about some rules not being followed properly. I didn’t tell anyone about this incident, especially my mother who drove me there, until after everything turned out to be alright and I got a good grade from the exam.
If you want to connect, you can find me on LinkedIn and Twitter
Melanie has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State University, where she couldn’t rein in her varied interests enough for a double major and so graduated with three minors, in French, English, and psychology. She went on to work as a copy editor at The Tribune in Ames, Iowa, before leaving the newsroom for a non-profit position mentoring university students, both in the U.S. and abroad. She married in 2004 and spent the next 15 years as a stay-at-home and sometimes-homeschooling mom to four sons.
Putting her word-brain back to work as a proofreader has been a joy. When she’s not editing or driving kids around, you’ll find Melanie with a cup of coffee in hand, listening to audiobooks, podcasts, or public radio.
Has been part of the team since: September 2023
I believe in this principle, even though it isn’t always the popular opinion:Kindness is better. Better than being right, better than brutal honesty, better than winning. Kindness wins.
Most Read Book:The Chronicles of Narnia. I read them myself, and then read them to all of my kids.
Favorite Story to Tell: In line for the bathroom at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Nairobi, I ran into an acquaintance and classmate from Iowa State University. We hadn’t seen each other in years, but Midwest recognizes Midwest. I was at the tail end of a five-week trip mentoring Kenyan and American students; she was on the front end of what has become a 20-year career as a professor in Nigeria. Big world, small world.
