About A Well-Turned Phrase

Jean Rockwood, the owner of A Well-Turned Phrase, has had a lifelong interest in words, languages, and cultures. She has been a voracious reader since childhood, and her love of books translated into strong English and writing skills. She has long been the go-to person for friends and relatives who need help with editing, college admissions essays, and resumes.

After a career as a computer programmer, Jean combined her technical background and her enjoyment of writing by becoming a technical writer. She spent ten years working in that capacity and honing her writing and editing skills. As a technical writer at a multinational company (IBM), she also learned how to simplify and otherwise modify written English for audiences of non-North Americans and non-native English speakers.

In addition to a certificate in Software Technical Writing, Jean has a BA in Middle Eastern and Judaic Studies and an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). She has taught English in Poland and in community programs in the Boston area, and she also works as an ESL tutor. She has a well-read library of books about world cultures and cross-cultural interaction, and she has traveled in Central America, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

In 2010, Jean left IBM to start A Well-Turned Phrase and do what she truly enjoys: refining what others have written and helping others to improve their writing skills.