Athane Scholtz is a journalist, content creator, author, editor, speaker, communication specialist and trainer with more than 30 years’ experience.
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
- Post graduate qualification and more than 30 years’ experience in journalism, media, communications, and related fields.
- Has operated a successful media and communications business on the Garden Route, South Africa since 2004.
- Former editor of SOUTH Magazine, a high-end glossy magazine for the Garden Route.
- More than three years’ lecturing experience at tertiary institutions.
- More than five years’ experience in local government communications and inter-government relations.
- Advanced crisis communication experience and skills, including frontline spokesmanship.
- Author of Peace in Grief, a brutally honest account of the impacts of grief following the death of her husband of Covid-19.
Journalism
Specialising in feature writing but with a solid background in daily news reporting, Athane Scholtz is an experienced freelance journalist available for articles for online and print publications on a wide range of topics including human interest, people profiles, lifestyle, tourism, and issues and impacts of modern life – including turning research, regulations and commentary into accessible content for the general public and target audiences.
Based on the Garden Route of South Africa since 2004, she has extensive understanding and insight into the socio-economic environment of the Garden Route, Southern Cape region and Western Cape Province.
Athane can provide basic quality news photography or can arrange for professionals if required.
Translations
Athane Scholtz MCT offers translation services English-Afrikaans and Afrikaans-English, for a wide range of documents including confidential materials (willing to sign NDAs and provide clearance if required), corporate reports, public and government documents, exam papers, and corporate and media articles. Our team includes registered translation practitioners with relevant certification.
Columns & blogs
Have you ever read a piece that perfectly described a relatable situation or event and wanted to send it to everyone you know?
Athane Scholtz has the knack to grab your attention and keep it – on topics serious and silly.
With more than 30 years’ journalism, communication and life experience to colour in the picture, Athane is a great storyteller whose straightforward style gives authentic observation and perspective.
Her columns and blogs cover a wide range of topics and issues including the things that make us laugh (because otherwise they might make us cry), womanhood, practical Christianity in the real world, and life in general.
Her voice is positive and encouraging and aims to lift the spirit.
Athane provides freelance columns and blogs on commission and submission and welcomes collaborations with print and online publications.
Re-writing, editing, copy editing & proofreading
Give me your pre-written ideas, articles and reports and I will turn it into readable, professional copy suitable to the people you want to reach, entertain and inform.
If you think your content is fine but you just need a final read-over, I will do that too!
Collaboration and project management
Designers, photographers, editors and others are invited to collaborate with Athane Scholtz MCT for expert writing and related skills.
As a former editor of a high-end glossy magazine, Athane is an excellent manager of projects that require multiple skills over several disciplines.
Copywriting and content development
Athane Scholtz MCT creates copy and develops content for all print and digital platforms including high-end publications, corporate periodicals and reports, website and blog content, brochures and newsletters, advertising and social media.
The same content can also be adapted for different audiences and media to include all styles from formal and corporate writing to accessible language for diverse audiences, and chatty language for social media and advertising.
The service includes research, and liaison and interviewing with relevant roleplayers for the purposes of information gathering, clarification and fact-checking.
Company and staff newsletters
Whether you want a fun publication on newspaper print for your workers, a high-end glossy newsletter for valued clients or an easy-to-read online mailer, Athane Scholtz MCT can make it happen.
Services include an interview (online, phone or face to face) with relevant roleplayers to determine the type of publication most suitable to your company’s needs, liaison with and training for staff that may contribute to content, newsgathering, writing and editing of articles, designing of mastheads and typographic elements linked to company brand, and liaison with designers, printers and digital service providers for rendering the final product.
Communication strategy
Everybody can benefit from better communication. Whether you are a one-man show that needs a few pointers to handle your social media or a large corporation that requires a multi-faceted plan, Athane Scholtz can help you.
Tap into 30 years’ experience in the media and communications world to design a strategy for your business or organisation suited to your audience, needs and resources.
Communication workshops
Communication is one of the most important life skills, one you will need long after your ‘official’ career has ended because it is the essence of relationships and the facilitator to all life activities.
The interactive mini workshops use an adaptation of Berlo’s Model of Communication and requires participants to identify the goal of their communication, the audience and how to get a message across as clearly as possible, taking into consideration what can go wrong along the way.
Time and audience permitting, the workshop starts with a fun exercise to illustrate aspects of the communication model.
This workshop can be adapted in type and length to suit various audiences including business owners, administrative staff and frontline personnel, youth and women’s groups, churches and NGOs.
Standard workshop duration: 90-120 minutes to half-day.
