Beth LaMontagne Hall

Beth LaMontagne Hall

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Portsmouth, NH, 603-373-8153

email: blh@gardnerstate.com website: gardnerstate.com

Writer and editor with marketing and magazine experience; award-winning journalist with nearly 10 years of experience in New Hampshire daily news; and public relations specialist experienced in writing for both American and international clients.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

BLH Writing Solutions, Portsmouth, N.H.,   Founder and Editor-in-Chief   1/13-present

Operator of a freelance writing company serving communications and marketing firms, non-profit organizations and magazines. Specialize in business and travel writing, web content, social media content, inbound marketing content, case studies, email newsletters, and promotional materials for businesses.

Louis Karno & Company, Concord, N.H.,   Public Relations Contributor   2/09-present

Write promotional copy, case studies, web content and other materials for both short and long-term projects. Clients including Covering New Hampshire, Waterville Valley Resort, Bistate Primary Care Association, and the Portuguese wine cooperative Vini Portugal.

New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester, N.H.,   Staff Reporter/Columnist   10/09-12/12

Covered Manchester politics and wrote a behind-the-scenes column about City Hall. Regularly wrote on tight deadline and quickly learned complex government programs and budgets. I strove to translate often-confusing material into interesting and accessible stories.

Freelance Writer, Portsmouth, N.H.,   12/07-10/09                                                                                   

Freelance writer for local and national publications, including local newspapers, the Associated Press, Campaigns and Elections Magazine, and Yankee Magazine. Balanced multiple assignments for various clients on a wide range of subjects, from national politics to local farmer markets.

Campaigns and Elections, Washington, D.C.   N.H. Political Correspondent   4/07-12/07

Covered the New Hampshire primary and state politics for this monthly magazine and its website, NHpols.com. As sole reporter for the website, I wrote news stories, took photographs, and maintained event listings. Also wrote a daily email newsletter targeted at political insiders.

Portsmouth Herald, Portsmouth, N.H.   Staff Reporter   9/04–4/07

Covered general news in Maine and New Hampshire including personal features, town politics, and local crime. Created and wrote a political news column for the 2008 presidential primary and coordinated an award-winning right-to-know project.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications, Manchester, N.H.,   Workshop Instructor   2011-present

Created a one-day workshop on freelance writing, stressing the importance of balancing multiple assignments, staying organized, and the ability to write in different styles.

EDUCATION

MA, Creative Writing and Publishing   Emerson College, Boston, Mass.,   December 2002

BA, Music; English minor   University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla.,   May 1999

AWARDS

2011 New England Newspaper Press Association Award, 1st place in health reporting at the New Hampshire Union Leader for uncovering a bone marrow registry’s questionable billing practices.

2007 New England Newspaper Press Association Award, 1st place in government reporting for leading and writing an investigative news project at the Portsmouth Herald on public access to government records in the seacoast region.

My past year

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2013 07 14_0292-copy_edited-1

Part of the reason why I decided to go back to freelance writing and working from home is because of this little lady, my daughter Evelyn. She was born a year ago July 12, a point at which time began to take on a whole new meaning.

In those first few weeks, the days were drawn into long, seemingly unending cycles of feeding, crying, napping and my futile attempts to return to some sense of normalcy. As I tell my friends, that first month was the longest in my life.

But then the routine sank in and I started getting more than mere morsels of sleep — up to five hour uninterrupted! Heaven! Fall made way into the dark of winter and my daughter and I started getting to know each other.

In January, I began to feel the itch to write again, to be a part of the working world, so I reached out to my writing, editing and marketing contacts looking for a way to still be at home yet ease my way back into the workforce. There have been some tough weeks, but in general, launching BLH Writing Solutions has been everything I hoped it would be. I have the opportunity to work with creative and interesting people, write as much as I can and still the flexibility to spend time with Evelyn.

2013 07 14_0305-copy_edited-1

On Sunday, my family gathered to celebrate the birth of my daughter. I made yellow cupcakes and a homemade chocolate frosting, which she accepted with the predictable messy results. There was torn wrapping paper and struggles to open toy packaging and in the end a couple tired tears, but overall a successful first year celebration.

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My husband and I talked later that evening about how this birthday celebration seemed to us not to be just about my daughter turning 1, but a chance for us to quietly celebrate making it through that tough first year. It made me realize why that first birthday celebration seems so important. It’s a baby’s first steps into childhood and a parent’s chance to heave a huge sigh and enjoy the fact that the longest days are over.

In the past year, I’ve raised a newborn through infancy, learning every step of the way. And I started a new business, too. It’s been a wonderful year.

About BLH Writing Solutions

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bizwriting

You are busy. You’re staff is busy. When it comes to creative and strategic writing that captures customers’ attention, you and your team don’t always have the resources to give these tasks the time they deserve.

That’s where I come in.

Are you trying to drive more traffic to your site with SEO-friendly blog posts? Do you need a travel writer to write a FOB piece about inns in Maine? Or maybe someone to write a compelling profile about the company CEO? I have 10 years of writing experience in journalism and marketing. I can objectively cover a breaking news story, write in the voice of your magazine, put together a press release that will catch an editor’s eye and write web copy aimed directly at the customers you want to attract.

Why struggle writing the content you need when you can have a professional do it? Please take a look at some of the information and links I’ve provided below or contact me for a digital portfolio at gardnerstate@gmail.com.

Marketing

When it comes to writing in the world of marketing, tone and messaging are just as important as proper spelling and grammar. Beth has worked with a number of marketing firms writing press releases, report summaries, special publications and other copy. She understands that different projects require different writing styles and is able to cater her writing to fit the client’s needs.

Press Releases

During Beth’s 10 years as a daily news reporter, she saw plenty of press releases. She knows what works, what will get an editor’s attention and what lands the release in the trash. Beth has written press releases for dozens of companies in a wide variety of fields, always bringing a journalist’s eye to the project. Let her write your next release, or edit your releases before you send them out to maximize their impact. You can see a sample of her work here.

Web

In today’s competitive media landscape, it’s important to gear the words on your website or blog toward web readers, not print readers. With seven years of blogging and web writing experience, Beth knows how to spruce up your blog or website to attract finicky web users. She also understands how to integrate SEO into your web copy in a clean and subtle way, helping boost your site in the search results.

Website copy

Redesigning a website isn’t just about changing the look. What the website says should be just as important. Beth can work with your marketing or web design company to create cohesive and well-written web copy for your clients. Beth has also contributed to redesign team meetings with both client and company to ensure the branding, tone and mission are cohesive throughout the entire website. You can review my writing for Skillings & Sons, Inc. here.

Blogging

Part creative writing, part marketing and part SEO, blogging is one of the easiest ways companies can reach new clients. But in the busy day-to-day of running a business, blogging often falls by the wayside. Beth is a professional writer and blogger who can manage this task for your employees, providing well-written, interesting and search engine optimized content. You can view a sample at Stay Work Play, where Beth is a featured blogger. You can also view my blogging and travel writing skills at The Quechee Club blog here.

Newswriting

Beth has been writing news and feature articles since she graduated from Emerson College with a master’s degree in Writing, Literature and Publishing. While covering daily news, her focus was politics, government and courts, but she’s also written many profiles and general interest news articles, as well. Beth’s experience has been both in newspapers and in online publishing.

Here are two examples from her work at the New Hampshire Union Leader:

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120603/NEWS0603/706039943&source=RSS

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120701/NEWS0603/707019963

And an example of her recent work for the Associated Press:

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/statenewengland/1001450-469/program-marks-opening-of-rudman-center-at.html

And For UNH Today:

http://unh.edu/unhtoday/2013/04/nh-gov-hassan-joins-glbt-celebration

Editing

Beth has experience editing news, business and creative writing for a variety of clients. Whether it’s proofreading your thesis or editing an annual report, Beth has the style guide knowledge and experience to get your project done right and on deadline.

Other Writing

Beth has written for magazines and other publications under her own byline and as a ghost writer. If you would like to learn more about her feature writing, travel writing and ghost writing, please email her at gardnerstate@gmail.com.