Josh Lanier
Gastonia,NC
Summary
Creative, audience-driven writer and editor with 20 years of experience turning ideas into content people actually want to read. I’ve led teams, built systems, and used everything from AI to A/B testing to boost engagement. Big on clear storytelling, smart strategy, and reaching people where they are. Now shifting gears to bring that same energy to direct response copywriting.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Managing Editor
Daily Voice
05.2022 - Current
- Write, produce, and edit engaging news copy that aligns with our brand
- Created the company's AI editorial playbook and trained the entire team to use AI for fast, personalized content creation — especially under tight deadlines
- Built an in-house A/B testing tool to sharpen email and social strategy. Since stepping into my current role in 2023, click-through rates are up more than 20%.
- Grew my region’s weekly readership from 290,000 to 450,000 — a 55% jump.
- Participate in bi-weekly manager brainstorms focused on big-picture growth
Staff Writer
Outsider
02.2020 - 05.2022
- Produced cultural features and commerce posts on outdoor sports and culture; wrote short and long-form pieces repurposed into DTC advertorials for products in that space
- Delivered clean, thoughtful, and fact-checked reporting on deadline, across short- and long-form formats
- Contributed to gear and product review videos by scripting segments and pitching creative concepts
- Supported in rebranding the site from a news outlet to a lifestyle brand
Senior Copy Editor
Charlotte Observer
06.2013 - 01.2020
- Helped merge six print and digital newsrooms into a unified copy desk
- As a team leader, I ran daily editorial meetings to coordinate between departments
- Rewrote and optimized print stories for stronger digital and social media performance.
- Helped create and co-produce a comedic monthly video news segment
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Charlotte Magazine
01.2012 - 05.2013
- Generated and maintained style guides
- Created weekly newsletter on culture in Charlotte; Grew email subscribers from 6,000 to 11,000
- Pitched and wrote advertorials for local venues and events for that newsletter
Reporter/Editor
Multiple Newspapers
09.2007 - 12.2011
- Researched and wrote daily news reports while working on long-form enterprise and investigative pieces for print and online across multiple beats
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Journalism
University of North Carolina At Charlotte
Charlotte, NC09.2007
Skills
- Deadline driven
- Planning and coordination
- Audience engagement
- Strong attention to detail
- Language proficiency
- Copy editing
- Content strategy
- Creative direction
- Team collaboration
- Research
- Crafting AI prompts
- Adaptable
Timeline
Assistant Managing Editor
Daily Voice
05.2022 - Current
Staff Writer
Outsider
02.2020 - 05.2022
Senior Copy Editor
Charlotte Observer
06.2013 - 01.2020
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Charlotte Magazine
01.2012 - 05.2013
Reporter/Editor
Multiple Newspapers
09.2007 - 12.2011
Bachelor of Arts - Journalism
University of North Carolina At Charlotte
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