Oscar Johnson

Oscar Johnson/ Profesional Bio/ Résumé/ Expanded CV/ Article Links

Journalist & Editorial Consultant

Oscar draws on nearly 15 years of experience to meet the editorial needs of diverse clientele. Whether writing, editing and planning for print and online media, or proofreading, rewriting and copywriting in-house and published corporate materials, he ensures information is conveyed in well-honed and, if need be, compelling prose.

As a journalist, Oscar writes news and feature articles based on the sound journalistic principles he studied at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and practiced at such newspapers as Los Angeles Times, The Daily Press and International Herald Tribune/The Asahi Shimbun. He pitches and accepts assignments for a variety of print and online media to write timely professional articles and columns.

Oscar’s editorial services also provide client-focused editing, proofreading, rewriting and copywriting of business, technical and promotional documents for such companies as Toshiba Corp., SMC Corp. and CareerCross Japan. He ensures compelling catalogs, ads and Web sites, coherent technical manuals and business documents as well as effective presentations and speeches.

Editorial Services

What's New
10/'07 Metropolis cover story: "Fight for your rights," unions for ex-pat workers
9/'07 Focus Japan column: "Japan's hedge-fund phobia: justified?"
9/'07 Fitness Japan feature: Convenience store fitness, quick-fix circuit training
8/'07 Focus Japan column: "Is carry trade still a good bet?"
8/'07 Fitness Japan feature: "No pain, no gain - really?" miracle exercise machines
7/'07 Focus Japan column: "Job demand grows with IT market"
7/'07 Metropolis cover story: "Hooking up," Tokyo's biz networking scene
6/'07 Focus Japan column: "Japanese HRM is more than meets the eye"
6/'07 Metropolis cover story: "Big into Japan," foreign experts of Japanese arts
5/'07 Changing jobs article sets new business tone of Focus Japan column
5/'07 Contributing editor for Fodor's Tokyo travel guide; now in bookstores
4/'07 Content rewritten for International CareerCross Forum Web site
3/07 Metropolis cover story: "Crime Spree," Keystone Cops or anti-ex-pat?
12/'06 Deal sealed to proofread projects for Comsus, Inc. translation company
11/'06 JSelect magazine article on Japan's nouvelle manga movement
10/'06 Metropolis cover story: "How to get ahead," Japan's recruitment industry
10/'06 Focus Japan column: "Job markets to bank on"
10/'06 Fitness Japan feature: "Tattoo you and Japan's gyms," banned body art
8/'06 Deal inked to proofread, rewrite and consult for SMC Japan
8/'06 Metropolis cover story: "Local Hero" Japan's blue-eyed parliamentarian
4/0'6 Content provider for CareerCross's new monthly Mail Magazine newsletter
3/'06 Content provider for Fitness Japan's new monthly e-mail newsletter
3/'06 Japan Times article rewrite for CareerCross Japan
3/'06 Metropolis cover story: "Dark Matter," being black in Japan
11/'05 Author of new monthly Working In Japan column
10/'05 Deal sealed to serve as editor and content provider for Fitness Japan
9/'05 CC Consulting Co., Ltd. accepts proposed editorial plan for Fitness Japan

 

 

Newspaper, magazine and online articles
Oscar has covered politics, development, crime and communities for newspapers such as Los Angeles Times, Newsday, The Namibian and International Herald Tribune/The Asahi Shimbun and penned features for magazines such as Metropolis and JSelect. He has written on business, sports and culture for online publications such as Focus Japan, Asia Times and Fitness Japan. A Columbia Graduate School of Journalism alumnus and award-winning feature writer, he will supply your publication with quality news, reviews, columns or in-depth features. He accepts assignments and pitches ideas as a freelancer or stringer. To view some of Oscar’s published articles see
Article Links. Top

Newsletter and mail magazine content
Whether looking to organize, fine tune or generate newsletter text, or draw recipients to your Web site with fresh, engaging mail magazine content, Oscar will work with you to meet the unique, ongoing needs of your publication. See monthly content he provides for
CareerCross Japan's mail magazine. Top

Web site content to maximize search hits
Oscar will beef up your Web site with quality content; whether you need initial text to get started or updates, ads or articles on an ongoing basis. He will combine your online and business goals with his Web publishing experience and nearly 15 years in professional published writing to craft content with relevant keywords that will maximize search hits from the visitors you want. See Web site content he provides for
Fitness Japan and Focus Japan. Top

News releases, company profiles and professional bios
Don’t take chances when it comes to your business or professional image in the media. After consulting with you and compiling information, Oscar will pen a company profile or history, CEO or other professional bio that you will be proud to include in press packets, post on your Web site or hang on your office wall. Need to announce something to the media? Oscar will use his insider experience as a journalist to fashion effective as well as professional news releases. Read Oscar’s
Professional Bio. Top

Copy for ads, flyers and catalogs
Oscar will meet all your copywriting needs for pithy ads, catchy flyers and inviting catalogs. Whether you offer a product or service, seek to convey a poignant point or want to get the word out about your event or organization, he will work with you to craft prose that draws the attention of the people you want to reach.
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Editing based on specified standards
A former copy editor at International Herald Tribune/The Asahi Shimbun and editor for Fitness Japan, Oscar has an experienced eye for peculiarities that can arise with Japanese-to-English translations. He is well versed in AP (Associated Press) guidelines for news and public relations writers, the more general Chicago Manual guidelines and MLA rules for academics. Having worked in Namibia, Japan and the United States, he is also able to recognize and meet unique editing needs. Oscar will edit to ensure your published or in-house text is not only error free, but well organized, succinct, professionally written and, if required, double-check content accuracy.
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Proofreading business, promotional and technical copy
Oscar has proofread business documents, technical manuals and promotional materials for firms such as SMC Corp., Fujitsu and Toshiba as well as newspapers for International Herald Tribune/The Asahi Shimbun. He has an experienced eye for errors common in Japanese-to-English translations, and is well versed in AP (Associated Press) rules for news and public relations, the more general Chicago Manual guidelines and MLA rules for academics. Oscar proofreads final-draft documents for publication or other use to ensure they are coherent and free of error.
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Rewriting for clarity, consistency or flair
Oscar has rewritten published and in-house text, often translated from Japanese to English, extensively for companies such as International Herald Tribune/The Asahi Shimbun, SMC Corp., Fujitsu and Toshiba. Whether you need professional business documents, reports and speeches, industry standard news releases, articles and feature stories or you simply want your penned prose to sing with a certain tone or flair, Oscar’s rewriting services will help you or your company put the best foot forward.
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Plan content for Web sites, mail magazines and newsletters
Whether starting or revamping a Web site, mail magazine or newsletter, Oscar will work with you to plan the type and style of content needed to attract desired readers and meet goals. This includes content-category design, initial headers, writing-style guidelines and, if required, supplying content on an ongoing basis. See the content categories, sub-headers and ongoing content Oscar provided for
Fitness Japan and his mail magazine concept and content for CareerCross Japan. Top

Evaluate Web sites for written and navigational clarity
As a professional editor and writer with experience in online publishing and promotions, Oscar is well versed in how a Web site should function. He does not design websites, but using his background he will evaluate your site to make sure users can easily find their way around it and its message is clear and compelling.
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Customize style rules for non-native-English publications
As an editor and writer for publications in Japan, Namibia and the United States, Oscar knows that when it comes to writing-style rules one size does not fit all. Yet, without them, a publication’s professional appearance and reputation can suffer. For non-native-English publications, standardizing uses such as how non-English words are translated, written and spelled will help avoid errors (real or perceived) and facilitate cross referencing your content - essentials for establishing credibility with readers. Oscar is well versed with Japanese-to-English translations and will help you tailor standardized writing and editing rules to meet your specialized needs.
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Develop in-house rules for global business communications
Oscar works with countless overseas business and sales documents for SMC Corp. and other multinationals; he knows firsthand that accuracy and clarity are essential for effective business communication. Companies that use English as a secondary language to communicate overseas may be surprised how miscommunications can lead to failure to follow directives, order mishaps or poor sales. Whether to use British- or U.S.-English standards and industry terms and how non-English words are translated and used can determine if branches and subsidiaries are in sync with corporate headquarters, or if potential customers understand products and services. Oscar will help you develop English standards for your in-house and sales needs.
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Contact Oscar to learn about his editorial consulting terms and fees: