About the Author
Bolder and braver
Jenn Bane brings your weirdest projects to life. She’s a two-time author and the creative director of M. Harris & Co., helping organizations to be bolder and braver so they can get the attention they deserve.
Formerly, Bane was the first-ever hire at Cards Against Humanity, where she earned a Clio Award for Excellence in Advertising and helped shape the game’s unforgettable voice.
Her first book, Friendshipping, is a guide to building connections as a busy and anxious adult.
Everybody Needs an Editor—even you
Bane’s newest book is Everybody Needs an Editor: The Essential Guide to Clear and Effective Writing. Co-written with CEO Melissa Harris, it is their essential roadmap to sharp, unforgettable communication in the classroom or on the job.
The authors put their decades of real-life journalism and marketing expertise into every page. You’ll learn how to write a cover letter that isn’t bone-dry, craft must-click subject lines, and design newsletters that people actually read—and you’ll learn to do it all better than AI ever could.
How to eviscerate your work—and have fun doing it
Bane has spoken at events around the world, including Creative Works, HybridConf, and the Web Directions summit. Her talks cover creative risk-taking, comedy writing, and how being weird online landed her her first job.
She’s also conducted hands-on workshops at places like the American Medical Association, EFI Foundation, and the University of Chicago, teaching audiences how to sharpen and showcase their message to win business, influence, and media attention.
Participants of all career levels leave her workshops knowing how to eviscerate their own work—and how to have fun doing it.
Awards and accolades
- Clio Award for Excellence in Digital Advertising
- DigiDay Content Marketing Team of the Year Digiday
- Publicity Club of Chicago: Best in Show
- Shorty Award: Best Viral Video
Jenn holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Loyola University of Chicago, where she was a division I athlete in cross country and track and field.
Raves and Reviews
Harris and Bane … present a concise and effective manual for improving writing in professional settings.”
—Publishers Weekly
To write something that makes someone do something … is a magic trick, turning black marks into fluttering thoughts, real emotions and actions. Everybody Needs an Editor can help you do that.”
—The Chicago Sun-Times
Tightly written. Every delightful page will make you a better writer.”
—Mignon Fogarty, New York Times bestseller and creator of the Grammar Girl podcast
Clear-eyed and razor-sharp, this book is a must-have for any writer aged 17 to 70.”
—Jonah Berger, Wharton Professor and Bestselling Author of Contagious
This book is about more than how to be a better writer at work. It’s about how to be a better human at work. It will stop you from making stupid mistakes that will get you fired.”
—Michael Muser, co-owner, two-Michelin-starred Ever, and host of the podcast, Amuzed: A Podcast for Geniuses
This book will make you a more confident and compelling communicator, and it might just make you a more successful boss, employee, teacher, student, or friend. Everybody Needs an Editor should be on everybody’s bookshelf.”
—Tim Franklin, Senior Associate Dean, Professor and John M. Mutz Chair in Local News at Medill
God I love this book. I’ve been teaching editing classes since the dawn of time. And one of the first things I teach my college students is how to write an email to a professor or boss. Writing professionally is such a valuable skill, and this book is the best tour guide.”
—Mike Reilley, journalism professor and author of The Journalist’s Toolbox and Data + Journalism
In the Media
“‘Everybody Needs an Editor’ always has been true, always will be”
September 8, 2024
“5 Tips for Sharpening Everyday Writing Skills”
September 5. 2024
“‘Everybody Needs an Editor’: Expert Tips to Instantly Improve Your Writing”
August 19, 2024
“The Next Big Idea Club’s September 2024 Must-Read Books”
July 2, 2024
“Everybody Needs an Editor: The Essential Guide to Clear and Effective Writing”
June 14, 2024
“Write right: ‘Everybody Needs an Editor’ transforms everyday communication”
June 12, 2024
