Hello! My name is Jason Blasso, long-time friend of Dr. Matt and the editor of this blog since its inception. Before we jump in, just a quick history: Dr. Matt and I met at Cornell where we both received our bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Matt went on to become a DVM and diplomat. I went on to become a manufacturer and publisher.
Over the past year, I’ve been working extensively with Dr. Matt on a number of new projects that require editing & proofreading, illustrations & flowcharts, and layout & design. Dr. Matt has graciously given me this guest post space to foreground what I do in the background and to offer the same services to you, dear reader, should you need them. My ad for services can be found in the footer below.
Proofreading & Editing
Dr. Matt writes a lot of research papers. These papers require editing and proofreading. An editor is someone who works with writers during the drafting stage, correcting grammar, clarity, and flow as they develop their manuscript. A proofreader is someone who does last-pass grammar corrections on the final draft. I do both for Dr. Matt, making changes and offering suggestions to improve readability and ensure textual consistency with the aim of improving journal acceptance rates.
Illustrations & Flowcharts
Occasionally, Dr. Matt has a research paper that needs illustrations and flowcharts to help clarify information with clear visual representations. I like simple, clean illustrations with flat, bold colors that allow the reader to understand the information in a glance. Illustrations should look good but must always prioritize the information they intend to communicate. I approach flowcharts the same way, using clean text, generous white space, and simple icons for readability and comprehension.
Caption: Illustration for Dr. Dewey using sketches he provided
Layout & Design
Dr. Matt goes to a lot of conferences; at some, he presents research posters. I layout his posters for him, using the text and images he provides. Charts and tables, as well as unvectorized logos, become pixilated when blown up to fit the larger poster size. I reproduce the charts and tables and vectorize the logos to make clean, clear posters. As the owner of Charybdis Press (https://www.charybdispress.com/), a small publishing house, I use my book design and layout experience to create guidebooks and handbooks for Dr. Matt.
Caption: Poster made for Dr. Matt last year
Well, those are some of the things I do for Dr. Matt in the background. If you require any of the abovementioned services, please feel free to contact me at the email in the ad. I appreciate your time and attention. Thanks for reading.
drbrunke 
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