Getting Your Voice Right

Matthew Stern is a writer who understands voice. With a long and varied career writing about everything from IT channel sales to under-the-radar indie rock bands, he has developed a keen ability for crafting copy that is audience-appropriate; copy that embodies the unique voice of your brand. Whether you’re looking for copy written in a wry tone suited to new media, a scrupulously-researched, technically-sophisticated white paper that informs without frills or thrills, or anything in between, Matthew can craft precisely the piece you’re looking for and turn it around on a timeline that will make an editor’s life easy.

A holder of a Master’s Degree in Journalism from New York University, Matthew’s media criticism and A&E writing has appeared in publications such as The Village Voice and The Brooklyn Rail, and he has written promotional web copy for numerous national and New York-based non-profit organizations. In recent years, he has been bringing his passion for the written word to B2B and industry-related audiences.

As a freelance writer at CompTIA: The IT Industry Trade Association, Matthew tells the stories of IT professionals throughout the industry, IT educators and students and the impact CompTIA’s highly-regarded certifications have had on their lives and careers. Matthew has interviewed people working in the field from New Orleans to Latvia, from Jamaica to the Middle East, writing profiles, case studies and full-length features that paint a picture of the central role IT plays both in the daily lives of individuals and in the future of the global economy. He also writes blogs promoting new and updated certifications, educational offerings and e-learning tools, and writes articles tying the world of IT employment to tech-related events in pop culture. Additionally, he has researched and written blog posts about IT channel trends and channel sales-related topics, adapting educational materials into web-friendly content that promotes further engagement with CompTIA, and has written feature profiles on IT channel professionals at CompTIA member companies.

From January of 2014 to June of 2023, Matthew was editor [associate editor, 2014-2020] at RetailWire. In that role, Matthew pitched, researched and wrote weekly articles pertaining to the world of retail for on-site discussion by a BrainTrust of industry insiders. His reporting explored every facet of the industry from CPG to apparel, from point-of-sale technology to retail real estate. His work also sometimes appeared on Forbes.com. In addition to his weekly articles, he managed other regular writing- and editing-related duties and manages social media promotion through Twitter and Facebook. Until April of 2023, he also edited daily RetailWire.com commentary, assuring the preservation of AP Style and grammar to promote vibrant and professional analyses.

At inbound marketing agency Smartbug Media, Matthew has written more than 100 blogs and more than a dozen e-books and whitepapers, as well as website copy, for clients at the forefront of the technology, channel sales and healthcare solutions industries. And for PR agency SSPR, Matthew has written press releases, blog content, fact sheets, awards applications, blurbs and other copy for clients on an as-needed basis in a broad range of industries and specializations.

You can see selections from his ever-growing portfolio of work here.

Matthew is always looking for new areas of business to research, explore, and promote. He would be excited to bring his wealth of writing experience to your trade association, business, or university. You can be sure that when he is promoting your organization, the voice he writes in is the right one.

Matthew currently resides in Chicago, having returned to the Midwest after a 6-year stint in Brooklyn, NY.