Bringing Substance + Spark to Content Marketing
The company name is a basic truth: Writing Matters. Great content is often the difference between meaningful and “meh.”
National-Award-Winning Writing + Editing
Writing Matters began in February 2006 in a 300-sq.-ft. section of a partially finished basement in Strongsville, Ohio. It has since moved all the way to the den. Launched by Darin Painter, Writing Matters began primarily with published magazine and newsletter pieces about companies and their leaders (business writing). It evolved into producing content for those firms, not just about them—but with the same journalistic sensibilities demanded by top editors. Today, Writing Matters blends journalism with content marketing for a variety of organizations that need things like case studies, website copy and much more (business righting). Darin has won 8 national “Azbees” from the American Society of Business Publication Editors, among other accolades.
Here Are Areas Where I Can Definitely Help »
Grab a Glass of Wine + Enjoy These Work Samples »
Creative Talent + Pretty Decent Guy
You can click on the “Meet Darin” button below if you want to learn more about the dude writing this sentence. Just know this: If you work with me, you’ll get the best I have. I’m an experienced writer with a distinct voice, and a person who believes in the value of great content. (I wish this section was called ABOUT YOU—I’d like to hear the goals and challenges faced by your team.)
Meet Darin, a Loving Twin Whose Sister Kicked Him Out of the Womb »
Philosophy: Genuine + Positive
Sometimes the most talented folks are the last people on Earth you’d ever have a beer with. I recently heard this cool litmus test about potential vendors: “Would they pass the O’Hare test?” Meaning, if your flight was delayed for an hour in Chicago, and you unwittingly found yourself in a conversation with a person, would you be engaged or ready to pull out your hair? Life is too short to work with jerks. Ego, check yourself at the door.
View 4 Principles That Hopefully Lower My Company’s Suckage Level »
Fantastic Clients, Big + Small
Over the years, I’ve been humbled to work with dozens of companies and publishers—great-big ones like Kodak, GE and USA Today, to smaller and just-as-awesome ones like SmithBucklin, Sonoma State University and HOW Magazine. Here’s the thing — to me, the energy of your mission trumps the size of your organization. I’ve helped all sorts of companies and publications turn their missions into milestones, and hope to connect with you, too.
Meet Darin
The Rest of this Site Has the “What.” Here’s the “Who”
Despite my best efforts otherwise, I graduated from Ohio University as E.W. Scripps School of Journalism’s Graduate of the Year in 1998. During my four years there, in addition to doing seemingly correct things like editing the school newspaper, I once convinced OU’s Student Government to earmark $17.83 for “much-needed lime wedges and crushed ice,” as caption of the Parrothead Club (Jimmy Buffett fans).
Upon graduation, I moved to Annapolis, Md., soon got hitched to a hot woman named Laura—she knows a ton of stuff, I now know all 26 letters—and moved to Arlington, Va., where I worked as managing editor of an association magazine for the printing and graphic services industry.
As soon as I became responsible for another human life, I thought it might be smart to quit a good-paying job, move to Cleveland and start Writing Matters.
Here are some things I love, besides Laura, our two kids (11-year-old Gibson and 9-year-old Anna) and the Man Upstairs (God, although I can’t rule out the possibility of a nice man currently sitting on our roof):
I love capturing what makes people and companies tick. He believes the most interesting sources are the most interested — folks whose passion is palpable — and feels a responsibility to make them come alive on the page. Darin also believes stories should go beyond the topics they describe, adding a layer of truth that resonates with the publication’s audience.
Also, full disclosure: Work with others.