SUSANNE M. ALEXANDER SELECTED CREDENTIALS

WRITING SKILLS

  • Communicates clearly through creative and practical written materials of all types
  • Interacts effectively and comfortably with interviewees and media personnel, conducting or contributing to interviews by phone, email, Skype, radio, and in-person on diverse topics; researches content as needed
  • Manages all aspects of book production, including writing, editing, target audience review, laying out content, designing covers, printing, marketing, and distributing
  • Organizes information well and gives consistent attention to detail

WRITING BOOKS

  • Book Creation: Extensively edited and compiled essays from 75 experts and wrote 12 essays to produce All-in-One Marriage Prep: 75 Experts Share Tips and Wisdom to Help You Get Ready Now, a 430-page book with a production deadline of 4 months; 2010; Finalist in the 2011 Eric Hoffer Award for Independent Books
  • Author:
  • Re-Vitalizing Our Marriage: Applying the Teachings of the Baha’i Faith to Strengthen Our Union (Marriage Transformation, 2020)
  • Be Brave and Arise: My Life Quest As a Baha’i Man (Marriage Transformation, 2020)
  • Creating Well-Being for Couples and Families: Increasing Health, Spirituality, and Happiness (Marriage Transformation, 2020)
  • Couple Well-Being: Leverage Your Partnership for Health and Happiness (Marriage Transformation 2017)
  • Laugh Together, Stay Together: 15 Ways to Lighten Up and Keep Connected (cartoon book, Marriage Transformation 2014)
  • Learning About Laughing Together and Staying Together, A Resource, Discussion, and Activities Guide for Couples (Marriage Transformation 2014)
  • Deciding in Unity: A Practical Process for Married Couples to Agree on Practically Everything (Marriage Transformation, 2013)
  • Creating Excellent Relationships: The Power of Character Choices (Marriage Transformation, 2012)
  • Becoming an Excellent Person: Preparing Your Character for Dating, Courtship, and Marriage eBook (Marriage Transformation, 2011)
  • Becoming Relationship Ready: Preparing for a Future Partner eBook (Marriage Transformation, 2011)
  • Becoming Character Partners: Observing and Understanding Your Partner’s Qualities eBook (Marriage Transformation, 2011)
  • Becoming Unified Partners: Assessing Harmony Between You and a Partner eBook (Marriage Transformation, 2011)
  • Happy at Home, Happy at Work: The Powerful Rewards of Building Character (Marriage Transformation, 2008)
  • A Perfectly Funny Marriage: A Humorous View of Creating a Successful Marriage (cartoon book, Marriage Transformation, 2007)
  • What’s Character Got to Do with It? Enhancing Sexual Intimacy in Your Marriage (booklet; Marriage Transformation, 2004)
  • Co-Author:
  • Couple Vitality: Connecting with Character (Marriage Transformation, 2022); with W. Grant Peirce IV
  • All-in-One Marriage Prep: 75 Experts Share Tips and Wisdom to Help You Get Ready Now (Barringer, 2010; Marriage Transformation, 2019); Finalist in 2011 Eric Hoffer Award for Independent Books
  • Starting with Me: Knowing Myself Before Finding a Partner (Marriage Transformation, 2018); Johanna Merritt Wu and Jeremy Lambshead
  • 2 Become 1: Creating Memorable Moments to Deepen Your Marriage Connection (Marriage Transformation, 2012); David Banks
  • Empowered Healing: Creating Quality of Life While Journeying with Cancer (Marriage Transformation, 2012); Craig Farnsworth
  • Marriage Can Be ForeverPreparation Counts! (Marriage Transformation, 3 editions: 2003, 2007); Craig Farnsworth and Johanna Merritt Wu
  • Can We Dance? Learning the Steps for a Fulfilling Relationship (Marriage Transformation, 2006); John S. Miller
  • Pure Gold: Encouraging Character Qualities in Marriage (Marriage Transformation, 2 editions: 2004, 2005; Spanish edition, Oro Puro, 2007); Johanna Merritt Wu
  • Both Eyes Open: A Spiritually-Based Facilitator’s Guide to Marriage Can Be Forever—Preparation Counts! eBook (Marriage Transformation, 2005); Johanna Merritt Wu
  • College & Career Success Simplified textbook; author team coordinator (Pearson Education, 2004); Harry J. Bury, Eileen Teare, George Eppley, Anita Dixon Eppley, Judith Cauley

FREELANCE JOURNALIST/EDITOR

  • Journalism Accomplishments: Freelance journalist of 250+ articles about business, health and medical issues, relationships and marriage, human interest, profiles, social issues, education, spirituality, diversity, writing, and more; byline in a variety of publications, including: Upjourney.com, Simple Marriage, Strengthening Marriage, Marriage Partnership, First Years and Forever, Newsweek (Japan), Bahaiblog.net; Bahaiteachings.org; The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, Ziff Davis Smart Business, Massage Magazine, Crain’s Cleveland Business, Over the Back Fence, Pages, The Shifting Times, The Cleveland Free Times, Catalyst for Cleveland Schools, The American Bahá’í, Ad Astra, Black Diaspora, Times of Your Life, The (Regina) Leader Star, Point of Light, Accent on Living, Proud, Writer’s Digest, Kaleidoscope, Oberlin News-Tribune, and Sun Newspapers
  • 30+ Custom Publishing Articles/Special Inserts/Advertorials:
  • Toyota Dealerships Presidential Award; Time magazine; 2002
  • Education, health, women’s topics, family topics; Sun Newspapers; 1998-1999
  • Community profiles, careers, and technology for The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer; 1998
  • Expert writer and eCourse provider on simplemarriage.net; 2011-2013
  • Advisor/Newsletter Writer: Better Together (formerly Cleveland Marriage Coalition); 2003-2006
  • Staff Writer and Associate Editor: The Shifting Times, a monthly publication; circulation approx. 30,000 in Ohio and 100 nationally; Cleveland, Ohio; 1998-2000

EDITING SKILLS

  • Edits with insight and accurate detail both short documents and complex publication projects to educate, inform, and influence target audiences, employing the needed tone, style, vision, and preferences
  • Maximizes effectiveness of content for readers
  • Helps writers communicate the best possible message
  • Proofreads carefully for accuracy and consistency

“In offering editorial feedback, Susanne was gracious, knowledgeable, and clear. Her communication skills put me at ease and let me know I was working with an author I could trust.”

~ Priscilla Hunt

Executive Director, Better Marriages, bettermarriages.com

“Susanne M. Alexander brought together 75 authors, including me, in her book, All-in-One Marriage Prep: 75 Experts Share Tips and Wisdom to Help You Get Ready Now. It was a huge undertaking and she did a terrific job. She is knowledgeable, organized, tenacious, and a bunch of fun. I recommend her highly.”

~ Dr. Molly Barrow

Psychologist

“You are a textbook example of how to interact with an editor!”

~ Ann Monroe

Editor, Newsweek Magazine

“I have worked as Susanne Alexander’s editor for more than two years and find her not only a talented writer and reporter, but a lively and engaging person in conversation. (It’s a nice combination seen all too infrequently.) Her willingness to jump into foreign territory on stories is welcome. Without exception, Susanne has thrown herself completely into the stories, turning in detailed pieces with good use of color and secondary sources. Her stories generally require little revision.”

~ Scott Suttell

Editor, Crain’s Cleveland Business