About

Hi there,

I’m Kim Roth, the owner of Outword, llc, the writing and communications company I formed when I began freelancing almost 15 years ago. Before that, I’d been working in health care quality improvement and marketing, first for a large company and then for a small one. My writing career started with a marketing column for a regional business newspaper and, because I enjoyed writing the column so much, I starting asking editors at other publications if I could write for them, too. Much to my surprise they said yes, offered to pay me and, within a year or so, I was able to quit my job, start my business and write full-time.

Being naturally curious, I’ve covered a range of topics for newspapers, magazines and custom, trade and university publications. Over time I’ve gravitated toward a few areas of focus: health and medicine, engineering, nonprofit communications and marketing, travel. My work has been widely published, appearing in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Cooking Light, SELF, Health, Elle Canada, ISLANDS, Freelance Success and others. I’ve been the “How It Feels” health columnist for the Chicago Tribune, “Pennywise” columnist for Neurology Now and “Research Roundup” columnist for Living Without, a health magazine. My first book was published in 2003 by New Harbinger: Surviving A Borderline Parent: How to heal childhood wounds and build trust, boundaries and self-esteem.

The common threads among both the consumer-oriented and the communications work I’ve done for many businesses and nonprofits? An ability to translate technical, medical and scientific material into everyday terms for lay audiences; marketing savvy; a friendly but authoritative writing style; good listening skills; a penchant for immersing myself in the unfamiliar; and a strong desire to share — and help clients share — important or interesting or inspiring information with others.

Today, in addition to writing and consulting full-time myself, I also head a virtual team of experienced writers and editors. The evolution from lone freelancer to small agency has been a good thing. For me, it means I’m not all alone; I can take a proverbial step back and look at projects more objectively and strategically, which benefits clients. They, hopefully you, enjoy one (personable, professional, deadline-conscious) point of contact, me; yet projects benefit from the combined input of other pros, too. I try not to use buzzwords very often, but it really has been a “win-win.”

I’m a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the National Association of Science Writers and the Authors Guild.

When I’m not working or thinking about work (which isn’t often), I love to read, hike, practice yoga, cook, travel, make photographs, write fiction and learn new vocabulary words from a two-year-old border collie named Abby.