About me

I am a professional writer and editor, most recently as Kids Editor at Time Out Chicago and a writer for Time Out Chicago Kids (until Jan. 2012, when the Kids section was eliminated). I’m currently a freelance writer, which means I write stories for NewYork.com, work as a NYC Scout for CitySearch, blog about NYC for BlockAvenue, create web content for The Daily Muse, and write for Press4Kids.com‘s News-O-Matic app.

I’m currently working on three book-length projects (tentatively titled):

  • NYC: Ten Lessons in Frugality and Faith, an account of how I manage(d) to live in Manhattan for less than $1,000 per month, along with tips on how anyone can do it themselves; and
  • At Sixes and Sevens: Annals of Dating, a collection of humorous essays about dates, sexual encounters, and random hook-ups; and
  • Meningioma 101: A Guide to Benign Brain Tumors, which combines my personal experience of having a meningioma removed (via brain surgery) with practical advice on how to navigate a meningioma diagnosis; deciding if, when, and how to have surgery; the recovery process; and moving on when recovery “ends.”

My work has been published in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Appleton Post-Crescent, Chicago Parent, Daily Gazette, Pioneer Press, The Beacon News, The Courier News, The Herald News, and The Naperville Sun, as well as on multiple websites.

I hold a B.A. in Philosophy from Excelsior College (Albany, New York). My graduate studies culminated in two degrees: an M.A. in English (Language, Literacy, and Rhetoric) with a concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies in 2005 and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics: TESOL in 2008 (both from the University of Illinois at Chicago).

In addition to my work for magazines, newspapers, and websites, I own Yellow Bird Consulting, a service to assist lawyers and doctors with their written communication skills and until May 2012 ran Word of Mouth Bakery, a small vegan baking company. I’ve also taught English composition at several universities and colleges throughout the Chicagoland area, including the University of Illinois at Chicago, St. Augustine College, Truman College, and Dominican University. Visit my profile on LinkedIn for a fuller picture of my skills and work history. An online portfolio-in-progress is available on Contently as well.

I’m currently accepting freelance and contract work. Contact me at amylhayden at att dot net for more information.