You may view or download a copy of my resume. For my most recent work, please see My Writing.
Career highlights are below:
Freelance writer, San Francisco, CA
August 2007-present
Independent journalist specializing in technology reporting, sports stories, and feature writing, with a generalist’s range. Work both in journalism and for corporate clients. Produce books, web content, and magazine and newspaper articles.
BOOKS:
- Community Economics, Inc.: Researched and wrote 108-page history book for 40th anniversary of a nonprofit devoted to affordable housing, published May 2015.
- Echo Memoirs: Researched and wrote 215-page history of California Casualty, a 100-year-old insurance company in fourth generation of family management, published January 2014.
- “The Two-Second Advantage: How We Succeed By Anticipating the Future – Just Enough.” Wrote sections of book by Tibco CEO Vivek Ranadive, published 2011.
- “Unstoppable: A Dream Season for the Warriors” (San Francisco Chronicle). Wrote all content for 96-page magazine produced on tight deadline when the Golden State Warriors won the 2015 NBA championship. Perfect-bound publication sold for $9.95. Published June 2015
- “Dynasty: One of the Wildest Seasons in Giants History” (S.F. Chronicle). Wrote all content for 96-page magazine produced on tight deadline when the San Francisco Giants won the 2014 World Series. Perfect-bound publication sold for $9.95 each.Published November 2014.
- “Giants Baseball Experience” (MVP Books). Wrote year-by-year history of baseball’s San Francisco Giants and their New York predecessors. Hardbound coffee table book of 224 pages sold for $35. Published March 2014.
- “Giants Past and Present” (MVP Books), First Printing, April 2010Wrote 144-page history of baseball’s New York and San Francisco Giants, featuring historical research and original reporting. Hardbound coffee table book sold for $25. One of the best sellers in the MVP portfolio.
- Marketing efforts include a blog, extensive social media presence including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, many television and radio appearances, excerpts in print media, and many bookstore events and public appearances, including the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and the Museum of the City of New York.
- Book sold out 5,000 copies of first edition and went into updated second printing in 2011, commemorating Giants’ World Series victory. Second edition also sold out after second championship in 2012, leading to third edition.
FREELANCE WORK:
- University of California, San Francisco: Report and write news and feature stories for Web site of major university, hospital and research institution.
- Pandora: Ghost-write contributed content pieces for employees of music service.
- GE Software: Ghost-write blog posts for leading software executive.
- Other media outlets include Sports Illustrated Custom Content, Forbes.com, Popular Science, Fortune.com, USA Today, Plenty magazine, Release 2.0, San Francisco Business Times, Giants and A’s magazines, Nantucket Today magazine, and Make: magazine. (Stories linked on this site.)
- Other corporate clients include Credit Karma (for Bulleit Group), eBay, AT&T, Super Lawyers, Joseph Cotchett Esq., Hospital Council of Northern California, Blue Heron Research Partners, Opes Advisors, JD Supra, Dominican University, California State University, East Bay, and EdSource.
FREELANCE JOURNALISM:
San Francisco magazine
Stories include:
Tech Gets a Time-Out (April 2010): Charges of hypocrisy be damned: Some Silicon Valley tech wizards are quietly raising their kids outside the lurid digital landscape that their own industry calls childhood.
The Lords of No Rings: After 50 years in San Francisco without a single World Series title, the Giants have now passed all the pretenders. Stay in denial if you wish, but this is America’s most heartbroken baseball team.
Los Angeles Times
Stories include:
Facebook becoming big friend of small business
Microsoft hoping that Hollywood touch makes Windows 7 a hit
Ukuleles have gone viral
IPhone app firm SonicMule puts music at its users fingertips
The New York Times
Stories include:
They’re working on their own, just side by side
Personal assistants on call, just not in the next office
Killer statue — Psyched about the site!
Fortune.com
Stories include:
Welcome to Conference 2.0: Social media is putting an end to the passive role attendees traditionally play at business gatherings
Practice: New Writing and Art
Vanuatu: An Essay. Story about a brother and sister’s journey to learn about their father’s World War II experience in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, complete with a trip to the top of an active volcano.
STAFF POSITIONS:
San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco, CA May 1998-August 2007
Staff writer for daily newspaper, circulation 400,000.
- Write breaking news and feature stories for business section, specializing in technology.
- Wrote weekly media column, 1999-2003.
- Won Peninsula Press Club award for feature about Lucasfilm spinoffs.
- Faced contempt of court charges in January 2000 for refusing to testify about unpublished information in Marin County Superior Court, stemming from a 1997 murder story. Charge overturned by California Court of Appeals.
Stories are online in no particular chronological order.
Stories include:
Digital Utopia: May 2006 examination of the idealists building Web 2.0
Where Neo-Nomads’ Ideas Percolate: New ‘bedouins’ transform a laptop, cell phone and coffeehouse into their office
Novato, CA Nov. 1991-May 1998 Reporter for daily newspaper, circulation 40,000.
- Won Davidoff Scholarship to Wesleyan Writers Conference, one of two national winners, 1997.
- Won California Newspaper Publishers and “Best of Gannett” awards for 1996 stories on education and agriculture.
- Won numerous Gannett awards for reporting on technology, education and health.
- Won state American Heart Association awards for stories on teen heart transplant patient, 1992-93.
Freelance Reporter, San Francisco, CA Oct. 1989-Nov. 1998
- Stringer, The New York Times, wrote regional articles on assignment from Northern California and Upstate New York.
- Contributing editor, American Demographics, monthly magazine covering population and consumer trends.
- Regular contributor to the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post and the Oakland Tribune.
- Published in: Columbia Journalism Review, Seattle Times, Detroit Free Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The Ithaca Journal, Ithaca, NY March 1987-July 1989 City Hall reporter for daily newspaper.
- Won AP awards for series on police brutality complaints and for deadline reporting on bus crash.
- Won New York Newspaper Publishers Association award for distinguished community service.
- Won Gannett award for investigation into developers’ interests in a proposed highway.
USA Today, Arlington, VA May 1988-Aug. 1988
Reporter on loan to rewrite desk, news department.
- Part of floor team at Democratic National Convention.
Tab Newspapers, Newton, MA July 1984-March 1987
Senior reporter for largest weeklies in Massachusetts.
EDUCATION:
College of Communication
Sept. 1980-May 1984
B.S. in Journalism, concentration in Political Science. Magna Cum Laude.
- Internship with U.S. Rep. Wyche Fowler Jr.
- Sports editor for The Daily Free Press.
CONTACT
DAN FOST
P.O. Box 151524 San Rafael, CA 94915Mobile: (347) 338-8106
Danfost@gmail.com
References available upon request.