This is my portfolio writing and journalism page. Below, you can read and take a look at some of my writing samples published on numerous online networks, media and for various companies. They are mostly related to technology, but some are straight AP news samples or relate to various subject matters. These samples are not tied to the main blog on here, although I republished some of those blog posts as longer stories on Medium.
Here is my current journalism, technical writing, and content writing or copywriting resume aka CV:
Also keep in mind that I was born with a Polish name and legally changed my last name a coupe of years ago to my grandmother’s family side from my dad’s side whom I never even knew, so you can seen some of my work under my older Americanized name of Mike Lata (articles from three years ago and earlier). I can prove this with an official name change document if it needs to be.
A mix of technical articles related to IT software and blog posts marketing in nature from my in-house positions (around two years) at CKSource:
One can see that when analyzing my work (shown in the first two examples below) that when I worked for this company, CKSource, roughly two years as an in-hose, albeit remote, content writer, that technical articles and guides were generally assigned to me. I have a knack for technical writing although I am not a software dev myself nor very familiar, with the possible exception of HTML and Visual Basic, with a software language. However, I can make complex topics seem easy to understand and flow well for the reader.
Some of my best overall work if you have time to just check out a few samples:
This is a technical guide I wrote for CKSource on how to use this tool called Mermaid within GitHub. I wrote this guide using various examples I created from experimenting with the software or code.
A Starter Guide to Collaboration
This analysis was originally a comprehensive technical article of the on-premise and cloud options CKSource offers companies that want to integrate the editor into their applications or workflows for their own clients to use. I interviewed and collaborated with developers ot get it complete and originally it was much longer, but had to be shortened for the blog.
How WYSIWYG editors represent the future of content editing
I go into the details of how What You See Is What You Get type of content creation tools are the future of creating content online.
Introduction to Machine Learning: A Technological Revolution
A feature I wrote for online learning platform Pluralsight about the differences in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning. I go into the differences between the three concepts and also go into other more abstract ideas on general AI for example.
How Augmented Reality is Redefining Entertainment
A feature piece I wrote for TechHive as part of IDG Consumer (included PC World and Macworld as part of company). It was referenced even here, for example, relating to the Google Lens and other technologies not yet existing I do not believe even in concept when I wrote this piece. It was also referenced here and here.
An investigative reporting feature I wrote for AppleMagazine by interviewing a friend without giving his name or full details while he worked (and from my understanding continues to work) at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters. All the years later I think i will reveal who this friend was as he no longer works there, nor did he break Apple’s confidentiality agreements as an employee because I did not tell him I will later write a feature on the conversation we had, nor did I even expect to at the time and just saw an old friend. His name was Damian Kaleta.
Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Everything in Tech
I predicted that AI would start taking over many tasks and even industries and not just augment them, but I would not say I was the first to predict this as this article was written in 2020. However, I did feel that there are not many industries where it will not have a presence felt soon if not already and realized when writing it that Ai will be utilized in industries full scale while oftentimes replace traditional employees or their roles. This is good and bad as it opens up new opportunities or roles for companies as well.
Please see my mobile app and gaming coverage here (under former U.S. name or byline of Mike Lata).
Game Writing Sample (Intro Storytelling)
Medium Self-Published Articles
- Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Everything in Tech
- Virtual Reality Scene in Poland Analyzed – via Ar/VR Journey magazine here
- Illustrator on iPad Is Interesting but Has Issues to Overcome
- Apple Now Allows Game Streaming via Safari Browser
- Consumer Tech Never Ceases to Amaze with Annual Advances
- How iSpot Became the Number 1 Distributor of Apple Products in Poland
Latest Articles Published Across Various Tech (byline or name shown on bottom of most of these articles):
- How WYSIWYG editors represent the future of content editing
- How blockchain-based writing platforms are shaping the future of written content
- 7 Reasons to Hire a Software Dev Team
- Benefits of Using a VPN
- How AR Is Transforming the Travel Industry
- 5 Hot Technologies for 2020
- What Are the Roles of Front-End Developers?
- Software Testing for Blockchain Development
- Interview with Unitas Global CTO Grant Kirkwood (cybersecurity) – (Another Source but my name or byline is not even credited)
- Reasons Software QA Testing Matters
Most of the above was done as part of an SEO effort by BairesDev – a South American offshore development company – that hired me to write content daily (four or five days a week with an article per day) with SEO keywords within each article I had to work with to give them presence within the U.S. market.
Case Studies
Please note, even though the byline or my name is not shown on these case studies. You can verify it was me who wrote them, and interviewed subjects from market leader at CKSource Piotr Maciejewski: LinkedIn Profile.
Flowcharts/Technical Guides (see more two sections below in Pluralsight guides for similar content)
- Mermaid for GitHub (for CKSource)
- A Starter aguide to Collaboration Using CKEditor 5 (for CKSource)
- Comparisons of Invoicing Software with Data I gathered
Remote Work / Business Topics
Pluralsight Guides
- Introduction to Machine Learning: A Technological Revolution
- Building an IBM Watson-based Chatbot
- Understanding JavaScript Objects
- Understanding JavaScript Primitives
- Java: JAR Files Explained
- Javascript Implementations into HTML
- Technical guide on Installing Windows on a Mac (under my old name of Mike Lata – it was originally published on Trainsignal)
The Digital Enterprise
Gaming Coverage
- Elder Scrolls VI Analysis and Opinion (Medium self-published)
- Top 4 Best Puzzle Games for Playstation 4 (Medium self-published)
- Warsaw’s Virtual Reality Scene Analyzed (Medium self-published)
- Apple Now Allows Game Streaming via Safari Browser (Medium self-published)
- Gaming Trade Show Coverage Part 1
- Gaming Trade Show Coverage Part 2 (focusing on mobile titles)
- Mobile Game Reviews
Although I already have this linked above, in case you missed it check out some of my iOS game reviews on TouchArcade here.
UX writing samples
All of the main section microcopy under “This is CKSource” is my work (below is just a small section of overall landing page copy):
Source for above to collaborate it is my work is former CKSource marketing leader Piotr Maciejewski: LinkedIn Profile. Keep in mind, some editing was involved and the above has some slight differences to what I would have it or what I remember having written it as such. I discuss this within this blog post.
Same thing applies to landing page microcopy descriptions of both InvoiceOcean (U.S. branch) and InvoiceOcean (UK branch) and this also includes the testimonials or me editing the previously existing content.
Note the difference above. It was my idea for the U.S. version of the software to focus more on how it can enable businesses to handle transactions easier or payment vs just an invoicing software since from my experience living most of my life in the U.S. I understand many companies rely on free invoicing software like PayPal and invoicing in general is much different or less mandated by the government (especially when it comes to freelancers or independent contractors) than in Europe.
Some of my signature catchphrases I used (and you can see throughout my writing) include “ease of use,” “staying ahead of the pack.” I also tent to use a lot of double dashes or m dashes to separate thoughts (not too much info in one thought, so the reader can breathe) and to keep sentencing from being too long or being run-on sentences.
Below is a UX writing challenge of various questions & answers that I completed for a role as a UX writer for a company that got back to me after this assignment for another interview (sign they were interested), but I have not heard from since (note I am just learning UX writing at this time and I am sure they had many applicants for the position):
It is also worth noting that although the position was for “UX Writer,” the assignment above also included questions related to more of a “UX Designer” position (such as the white space around buttons and how I would change the layout).
TV Show / Film Coverage
- The Hobbit Trailer Released (3DTV.com under my byline Mike Lata)
- LG’S Cinema 3D TV Sets Receive 3DEECentral (Also for 3DTV under Mike Lata byline)
- Justin Bieber Attends CES (Also for 3DTV)
Misc. Copywriting
- Check out my game writing sample of a fantasy game storyline idea (the intro or beginning of such a game)
- Translation samples from Polish to English based on three articles
- Foldable Phones All The Rage Now But Will They Have A Purpose? —————> – Here is my own PDF file showing the entire article with recent edits I have added post-publishing
InvoiceOcean: Financial Software (SaaS)
I ran their blog, which focuses on various financial topics and invoicing SaaS software. I also did the online marketing for the .uk and .us products pages (invoiceocean.co.uk & invoiceocean.com/us) and ran google AdWords campaigns for them. Lastly, I edited and translated majority of these two websites (offshoots or branches from fakturownia.pl).
- Comparison of Top Invoicing Solutions in the UK
- How Invoicing and Online Payment Systems Continue to Evolve
- Bills vs Receipts vs Invoices Explained
- Freelance Invoicing Tips
IDG Consumer (PC World, Macworld and TechHive)
- Razer Still Developing a Gaming Tablet (PC World — the headline is different as it was edited by someone else)
- How Augmented Reality is Redefining Entertainment (PC World) (cover feature or the day for PC World/TechHive at the time)
- Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G Review (Techhive) – First time I really used an Android phone and did a review of one
TechTimes
Tech Times Profile with Stories Linked
- Sample Story (autonomous-vehicle related)
Technical Writing (How-To Instructionals)
- Running Web Tests via Google Analytics (Medium)
- Installing Windows 7 on a Mac via Bootcamp (Pluralsight under my old name Mike Lata)
- How to Fix a Broken iPad Screen (Trainsignal)
- Multitasking on the iPad Guide (iPadModo)
- Access Your Media From the Cloud (Gizmodo)
Apple Magazine (this is a digital magazine in ePub format)
Here is an entire issue you can check out where I wrote the cover story, titled “Outsourced.” The cover story was based on Foxconn and Apple’s controversial partnership that later prompted Apple to audit Foxconn factories:
Gawker Media
Traditional AP-Style Journalism
Kraków Post
Here is a 2017 freelance feature I wrote for a Polish news site (possibly paper as well) called Kraków Post:
Palo Alto Weekly (published in Both Print & Web)
Maciej Duraj 
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