Welcome to my website! My name is Sally Robertson. I am a freelance writer, editor, photographer, translator, and website designer in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. If you're working to save the earth and you need the services I provide, I hope you will entrust me with your projects.

To learn more about my services and my experience, you may...

• ...read a brief bio
• ...see details of my experience and credentials
• ...see a list of clients
• ...read about the services I provide
  • writing, editing, proofreading, and research
  • photography
  • website design and maintenance
  • German translation
  • administrative and project support
• ...find out how I can assemble a team to handle large projects
• ...look at some of my photographs
• ...get an idea of my prices

When someone asks me how long I've been birdwatching, I say, "Since I was old enough to hold binoculars." This is because I was raised by two ornithologists, Bill and Betty Robertson. My father worked at Everglades National Park for over forty years and my parents together conducted a study of the sooty terns that nest at Dry Tortugas, Florida. Nature and science were a part of daily life in our household. My high-school graduation present was a pair of binoculars and a Peterson's field guide.

When it came time for college, I was firmly headed for a biology major until I discovered foreign languages. I majored in German at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and eventually became a freelance German translator. After later trying on some other hats—writer, editor, photographer, librarian, website designer—I put it all together in the service of the planet, combining my diverse professional skills with my lifelong passion for nature and concern with environmental issues.

For more details, please visit my separate bio page.

Do you have a big project, perhaps involving a combination of different talents (website design, graphic arts, writing, editing, and photography)? If you'd rather not juggle all this yourself, I can coordinate the project for you. I'll find the talent, serve as a conduit for communications between you and the team, and ensure the quality of the final product. Contact me with details of the project and I'll put together a proposal for you.

...New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory Committee — website design

...Triangle Land Conservancy — newsletter editor

...North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association — newsletter articles

...Envision Plastics — website design

...Green Art Studio — website maintenance

...WUNC Public Radio — photography

...Selfprotectiontaishe, Inc. — website design, graphic design, editing

...WhateverItTakes-TheBook.com — editing

Here's a little information on each of the services I offer.

Writing/Editing/Proofreading/Research

Most of my career has involved writing and editing in one form or another. I wrote for a local government-oriented newsletter. I wrote theater reviews and features for Virginia newspapers. I edited a translators' newsletter for five years and a nuclear disarmament newsletter for three years. For two years I helped with the editing of the TLC News, newsletter of the Triangle Land Conservancy. I proofread transcripts for National Public Radio. I've edited books, scholarly papers, doctoral dissertations, letters, brochures, translations, and radio commentaries. You can see the details on my bio page.

Contact me if you need help researching, writing, editing, or proofreading a book, report, brochure, poster, magazine article, website, or other document.

Photography I have made photographs of nature and other subjects for many years. You can see a sampling of nature images in my online gallery. Perhaps you'll see something you'd like to reprint in a publication or hang on your wall. You may also call me for specific photography assignments. I spent a memorable year doing assignment photography for the Connection newspapers in Northern Virginia, covering community events ranging from science fairs to prom queen coronations to pet parades.

Website Design and Maintenance

My web design experience includes writing and designing this website and the website of the New Hope Creek Corridor Advisory Committee, designing and editing www.selfprotectiontaishe.com, designing websites for Envision Plastics and Breathing Room Radio, and maintaining the website of Green Art Studio. If you need a website designed or you need updates to your current site, please contact me.

German Translation

I have nearly two decades' experience translating German documents into English in such fields as zoology, botany, medicine, pharmacology, and the social sciences. You may read more about my translating experience or contact me if you need German documents translated.

For any other language services, see the links on the referrals page.

Administrative and Project Support

If someone on your staff is on vacation, out sick, or needs extra help with a big project, I am available to work in your office on a temporary basis. Having run my own business, served as treasurer of a national union (the Translators and Interpreters Guild), and worked in a variety of other offices, I have the general skills needed and can learn your specific procedures quickly. I can also act as your "virtual assistant" on a temporary or ongoing basis, doing your administrative and project work from my own office. Contact me for scheduling and pricing information.