About Tom Harris

Contact More Tom Writing Sampler Books I've Contributed To Certifications

Hello,

I'm a seventh-generation North Carolinian who strives every day to live up to our state motto, Esse quam videri -- "to be, rather than to seem."

More specifically, I'm an online content expert, editor, and writer with ten years' web-working experience. I specialize in demystifying complex subjects and ushering projects from napkin sketches to harebrained schemes to fine, upstanding sites of distinction.

Engauger

As a Content Strategist with Engauge Marketing, I help clients reach their customers through structured, lively web content. If you haven't encountered a content strategist before, this article is a great introduction.

Explaining Explanation

On my blog Explainist, I write about the art of explaining and highlight great explanations of all shapes and sizes.

If you're in the business of explaining, I'd love to hear from you.

Honorary Dog

I'm also a card-carrying dog nut, and along with my lovely wife, a long-time volunteer with Small Dog Rescue and Humane Society. Our mission is to find caring homes for wonderful dogs who have had a bad start in life.

What Else?

According to a DNA test, I'm descended from Vikings. I grew up in a house with dozens of turtles. I'm a crack Mario Kart driver. I'm a compulsive doodler, and I'm happy there's finally scientific evidence that it's good for you.

Previously...

EarthLink: 2006-2007
I was part of EarthLink's Value Added Services group, the team that provided useful tools and content to access subscribers.

As the Senior Product Manager for Portals and Platforms, I was the business lead for a suite of applications used by 1.5 million subscribers.

My role was to set the course for product development and bring together a talented team of software engineers, graphic designers, business development managers, marketing managers, and executives to launch new applications and features.

I'm proud to have have been part of the team that introduced Scrum Agile development to EarthLink.

HowStuffWorks: 2000 - 2006
As one of the original staff writers for HowStuffWorks and the head of the content team from 2003 through 2006, I helped the company grow from a niche site with 11 employees to one of the most popular sites on the Web.

I worked on many other projects as well, including the educational magazine HowStuffWorks Express, the Web component of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, four HowStuffWorks books, and Stuffo, HowStuffWorks' spin-off entertainment site.

If you're a hardcore HSW fan, you might recognize me from article photos. I appeared as a pickpocket, identity thief, serial killer, action hero, psychic, and Jedi knight, to critical acclaim.

UNC Chapel Hill:
I graduated with a BA in English and was a Phi Beta Kappa member. Outside of class, I spent a lot of my time writing and producing sketches for Off the Cuff, UNC's long-running comedy show.