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What’s My Story?

A Professional Writer with a Passion for Storytelling

I always knew I wanted to be a writer.

I attended Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, where I wrote for the student newspaper and the daily city paper. My love for journalism grew after I spent a semester abroad in London and traveled around Europe and met people from around the world. (I attended Syracuse at the time of the Pan-Am 103 tragedy. You can find an anniversary column I wrote here.)

Writing Samples

Please also check out my blog.

Magazines in NYC

After graduating magna cum laude with a degree in magazine journalism, I worked as an editorial assistant at Glamour magazine in New York City for two years.

Eager to do more writing, I left the Big Apple and went to daily newspapers. I spent a year as a features writer in Connecticut, where I was honored to interview the mother of the late teacher-astronaut Christa McAuliffe as well as some brilliant writers and artists living in the hills of Western Connecticut. I then took a big pivot and headed to the Midwest and Dayton, Ohio, to cover sports.

Storytelling at the Olympics

I got the opportunity of a lifetime to write about the sport I love, gymnastics, at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, where I covered Kerri Strug’s dramatic vault that helped capture the U.S. women’s first-ever team gold medal.

Soon after, I became the Ohio State beat writer and covered the No. 1- ranked Buckeyes football team and the men’s basketball team that reached the Final Four.

I kept moving upstate, landing in Cleveland, Ohio, where I covered the Cleveland Browns and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Then came the biggest assignment yet: Chronicling the senior year of basketball phenom LeBron James and his selection as the No. 1 pick at the NBA draft in New York City. (Can I tell you stories about that year!)

From Sports Arena to Political Arena

Soon after, I switched arenas and covered Cleveland City Hall, including the election of Cleveland’s longest serving mayor, Frank Jackson.

I was recruited to work as an investigative producer for the NBC affiliate in Cleveland (WKYC, Channel 3 News) before taking a break from full-time journalism to raise our new daughter.

During that time, I worked as a freelance writer for The New York Times and began ghostwriting.

Ghostwriter

I partnered with local Cleveland businessman, Bill Ayars, to help him write his memoir titled, “My Journey Down the Big Muddy.’’ It centers around his 1,700 mile jet-skiing trip down the Mississippi River with his two daughters. Bill used a portion of the proceeds from the book to help fund a non-profit he created in memory of his daughter, Jennifer, who tragically died from a drug overdose after the trip.

“through talking with Susan, I identified a different story to Tell than I had originally planned. Our interview sessions really brought out rich, meaningful stories. I love how the book turned out.”

— Bill Ayars, “My Journey Down the Big Muddy”

Awards for writing

  • Associated Press Sports Editors (National Contest): NBA global recruiting story

  • Ohio Society of Professional Journalists

    • First Place, Coverage of Government (Series of stories on excessive spending by Ohio’s largest Head Start agency)

    • First Place, Sports Coverage (LeBron James)

    • Second Place, Human Interest (A couple adopts five sisters and then wins the lottery)

Communications and Marketing Expertise

In addition, for more than a decade, I have worked in communications and public relations and as a content marketer. I have pitched client stories to media and ghost-written thought leadership pieces that have appeared in Crain’s Cleveland and other publications. 

You can find my full profile on LinkedIn.

For more information or to get started on your storytelling journey, email: susan.e.valerian@gmail.com