Professional History:

Freelance Writer and Copywriter

1990 - Present

  • Author of The Magic of Ordinary, 2021.

  • Freelance writer of blogs, articles, SEO content, social media sets, case studies, newsletters, and web copy.

  • Designer of infographics.

  • Writer for NewsBreak and Elite Editing.

  • Top writer on Medium in the categories of Books and Writing

  • Winner of THREE awards at American Writer's and Artists, Inc, Bootcamp,  May 2019.

  • AWAI Verified Copywriter, 2019.

  • Member of Professional Writer's Alliance.

  • Creator of over 500 published pieces for magazines and online publications

  •  Author of articles in copywriting trade publications, Wealthy Web Writer and Professional Writer's Alliance.

  • Creator of popular marketing newsletter for Threads of Time, weekly for eleven years to an audience of 4000+, 2006-2017.

  • Contributing Columnist, Madisonville Messenger, Madisonville, Kentucky, 1990-1991.

  • Eleven years as a weekly columnist for The Commercial-News, Danville, Illinois., 1992-2003. 

Entrepreneur: 
Threads of Time
Creative Sewing and Retreat Center

August 2006 - September 2017

  • My husband and I built a huge, regional powerhouse of a quilt shop from the ground up.  We orchestrated each phase of the start-up, from remodeling the 16000 sq. ft. building, to stocking the store, advertising, building client base, and bringing business to our economically-depressed town. 

  • Grew business to a million dollars in revenue, managed staff of 12, coordinated purchases, inventory, and merchandising. 

  • Created powerful marketing campaigns and authored weekly newsletter for eleven years. 

  • Named as Business Woman of the Year, Danville, Illinois, 2012.

  • Won "Entrepreneur of the Year," Danville, Illinois, 2016.

Educator

January 1991 - May 2003

  • Danville Area Community College

  • Taught Rhetoric 101 (Basic Composition), Rhetoric 102, (Research Writing), American Literature, Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communications, and Mass Media.

  • Winner of the  Webster Endowed Chair

  • Recognized as an Outstanding Teacher by Eastern Illinois University,  1994 

  • Full-time Facilitator for Continuous Quality Improvement 

  • Designated Trainer for "Train the Trainer" programs, diversity initiatives, and conflict resolution

  • One of the first instructors to utilize on-line teaching platform and deliver curriculum via internet

Education

1976-1991

  • Indiana University and The University of Illinois, Chicago,  Bachelor of Arts in English,  1981. 

  • Murray State University, Master's of Arts Degree in English Education, 1991.

Melissa Gouty:
Writing What You NEED, When You Need It 

I remember trying to write at the age of four.  My sister had gone off in the big yellow school bus, and I was jealous.  Determined to prove that I should go to school, too, I took a piece of paper and copied individual letters from random lines of the newspaper.  (I had no idea what "words" were, and I remember asking Mother if it mattered which direction the lines on the "E" pointed.)

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Since those early days, I have been intent on putting letters into words and words into stories.  Now I put stories into "copy with clout" for clients who know that a trained, talented, reliable writer will improve their profits. 

 

No matter what you need -  newsletters, e-mail campaigns, case studies, web copy, brochures, advertisements, or content management -  I can craft what you need, when you need it.  

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Speaker

2006 - Present

  • Presentations and workshops on Creativity, Writing, Books, Reading & Literacy, and Small Business Marketing.  

  • Historical-based presentations on quilting and textiles 

  • Known as a dynamic, informative speaker, I have been a keynote speaker at multiple large conventions and traveled throughout the Midwest to deliver educational talks on quilt history, women's movements, and small business development. 

  • Address groups from several hundred to small groups of 20

  • Click here to see Presentations