About Jacob.

Jacob Alvarado is a writer, poet, and publishing professional. A graduate of Sheridan College’s Creative Writing & Publishing program, Jacob’s passion for communications and Canadian literature has led him to work for such organizations as The Ampersand Review of Writing & Publishing, for whom he was an editorial intern and content writer during the production of their 3rd issue, and B222 Journal, where he was the inaugural poetry editor. He also served as an Events & Communications Assistant for Knife Fork Book, and continues to volunteer for them at various literary events. He currently works as an Executive Assistant for the Giller Prize and hosts the Giller Book Club.

Jacob is also a creative writer in his own right, specializing in poetry and book reviews. His most recent work can be found in The Ampersand Review and Block Party Magazine, and his debut poetry chapbook, I Can Make It All Up To You, is out now from Knife Fork Book.

My Professional Philosophy.

As a writer in multiple professional and literary genres, it is my goal to develop written content that’s highly accomplished and unique, contributing to an overall communications landscape in Canada and beyond that reflects the fullest range of its diverse perspectives. With an ability to pivot between genre and topic, a focus on quality and detail, and an individual voice developed through a variety of creative writing projects, my skill set translates to pursuits in several industries including publishing, marketing, and communications, where I can support other companies in their pursuit of becoming industry leaders through developing their communication and storytelling prowess.

The best professional writing should go beyond being merely functional: it should spark curiosity, be specially tailored, and demand engagement from customers, employees, and clientele.

Having written and edited in a multitude of writing genres – both in the professional realm (reports, interviews, marketing copy) and in the creative realm (poetry, nonfiction, fiction) – my wide-ranging understanding of how to improve the work of others has given me a great deal of practice at identifying the unique appeal of others’ ideas – and the areas where their vision can improve. Therefore, when crafting my own reports, conducting my own research, and developing my own web content, I do so with an eye for how powerful the art of storytelling and good communication skills can be towards furthering a company’s goals. With my artistic expertise giving me a unique ability to strengthen the messaging of a given company, I’m able to translate the specific goals, qualities, and stories of others into content and documents that promote, summarize, and critique to form the best connections possible between creator and audience. The best professional writing should go beyond being merely functional: it should spark curiosity, be specially tailored, and demand engagement from customers, employees, and clientele.

It is this focus on forging connections with my writing that also informs my views on creative writing specifically. With my specialties being confessional poetry, autobiographical fiction, and literary book reviews, my goals as an artist are to take my personal tastes and experiences and apply these towards providing creative and critical perspectives on many of the world’s most prominent social issues such as mental health struggles and LGBTQ+ issues. Coupling such issues with universal experiences like family tragedy, coming of age, and the pain of regret, I craft stories that take the specificities of my personal experiences and apply them to narratives that appeal to a wide audience. For me, it isn’t enough to craft writing that merely creates meaning or beauty from my hardships: it must draw attention to an issue or experience that will make others feel understood and validated, while moving others who may not identify with such experiences to become people of greater empathy.