Gus works with a team of book publishing professionals including writers, editors, book and cover designers, and typesetters, each of whom has worked on many projects with him. Our focus is working with writers and organizations who are choosing to publish books themselves.
Our Production Manager and Editorial Director is Rick Johnson, an award-winning editor and a publishing professional.
At Final Copy Editorial Services, our highest priority in editing, aside from trying hard to ensure a positive, personal relationship with writers, is clearly understood copy that flows smoothly, is grammatically correct, respects the writer’s genre and style, and is on time and on budget.
As a private entrepreneur, Final Copy proprietor Rick Johnson has edited and/or written website content, books and academic papers for clients in both Canada and the United States. As a journalist and communications coordinator for an international non-governmental organization, he has covered important meetings at the United Nations, edited reports and articles from all over the world, coordinated the creation of internationally distributed Disability International Magazine, designed and produced annual reports, brochures, a Disability Directory for his home city of Winnipeg, Canada, and various public relations materials.
As an employee of large media corporations, Rick’s responsibilities as managing editor included all aspects of departmental management: administration and planning, supervision and co-ordination of editors, freelance writers and columnists, annual budget planning, participation on miscellaneous management team projects and daily substantive editing of stories, features and editorials.
Accomplishments include:
• 2003 – The Way Life Is (Trafford Publishing) – A true story about the love and devotion of a young couple whose two daughters are born with disability
• 2002 – Beyond Words – an anthology of creative writing pieces
• 1999 – Celebrating Seniors – a collection of 21 feature profiles in commemoration of The United Nations Year of Older Persons
• Two-time winner of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors Golden Dozen Award for outstanding editorial writing
• Three-time winner of the Charles Hawkins Memorial Trophy for best national editorial, Canadian Community Newspapers Association
• First-place winner of the Vopni Memorial Award for best editorial, Manitoba Community Newspapers Association
• Second-place winner of the CIDA Award for Excellence in feature writing on international co-operation
• Media Award winner, Ontario Forest Industries Association, for excellence in news and feature writing on the forest industry
In summary, Rick Johnson has many years of award-winning experience as an editor, communications director, newspaper reporter, columnist, features and editorial writer. When he is personally not available, an equally qualified and professional editor is assigned to each new client.
Rick's Websitehttp://www.firstbook-writing-editing-publishing.com/index.html