# Content and Chaos

> Organized storytelling for a chaotic world.


## Posts

- [Keyboard Shortcuts](https://contentandchaos.com/keyboard-shortcuts/): Helping users work faster with a curated list of keyboard shortcuts—because saving clicks means saving time (and sanity).
- [Computer & Internet Terminology](https://contentandchaos.com/computer-internet-terminology/): Helping teams communicate effectively and understand complex jargon in an easy-to-read way.
- [MenuPlus Web User Guide](https://contentandchaos.com/menuplus-web-user-guide/): Helping users navigate MenuPlus with step-by-step guidance for building menus, managing data, and making the most of a powerful foodservice platform with no guesswork required.
- [HACCP Food Safety Manual](https://contentandchaos.com/haccp-food-safety-manual/): Helping culinary teams uphold the highest standards with a clear, practical HACCP manual—built to support food safety, compliance, and confidence in every kitchen.
- [Stakeholder Implementation Questionnaire](https://contentandchaos.com/stakeholder-implementation-questionnaire/): Helping teams align early with a streamlined intake questionnaire designed to surface goals, clarify constraints, and set the stage for a smooth, successful launch.
- [Welcome Packet: Corporate Dining Experience](https://contentandchaos.com/welcome-packet-corporate-dining-experience/): Helping corporate dining teams elevate the guest experience with polished welcome packets that balance brand voice, operational clarity, and hospitality-first messaging.
- [Twitter Corporate Dining Welcome Packets](https://contentandchaos.com/2732-2/): Helping launch Twitter’s on-site dining experience with branded welcome packets that blend culinary hospitality, sustainability messaging, and user-first service details across two coast-to-coast campuses.
- [RingCentral Quick Reference Guide](https://contentandchaos.com/ringcentral-quick-reference-guide/): Helping teams navigate RingCentral with clear, concise how-tos for calling, messaging, and meetings—so they can stay connected without the guesswork.
- [How to Email a Screenshot in Outlook](https://contentandchaos.com/how-to-email-a-screenshot-in-outlook/): Helping users quickly capture, attach, and send screenshots in Outlook with step-by-step instructions—because tech tips should feel human, not hard.
- [Weekly Menu & MenuPlus FAQ](https://contentandchaos.com/weekly-menu-menuplus-faq/): Helping busy Guckenheimer chefs streamline weekly planning with printable menus, shopping shortcuts, and a flexible FAQ that adapts to real life, not just Pinterest perfection.
- [When Rules Are Meant to Be Broken: Style Choices That Work](https://contentandchaos.com/when-rules-are-meant-to-be-broken-style-choices-that-work/): Every craft rule exists because it solved a problem. "Show don't tell" exists because writers who only tell produce prose that keeps readers at arm's length. "Avoid adverbs" exists because adverbs often signal that the verb wasn't doing its job. The rule is a solution to a problem—and understanding the problem is what lets you know when breaking the rule will cost you something and when it won't.
- [Dark Fiction Focus: Tone as a Character in Its Own Right](https://contentandchaos.com/dark-fiction-focus-tone-as-a-character-in-its-own-right/): Most writers think of tone as something that happens to a story—the mood that emerges from the choices made about setting, pacing, and prose style. In dark fiction specifically, tone isn't just the atmosphere the story lives inside. It's an active force that shapes what characters can do, what readers can feel, and what the story is actually about underneath the plot.
- [Over-Writing vs. Under-Writing: Finding the Line](https://contentandchaos.com/over-writing-vs-under-writing-finding-the-line/): Every writer lands on one side of this problem more than the other. Some over-write—stacking adjectives, lingering past the moment of impact, over-explaining what the prose already showed. Others under-write—moving so fast through scenes that readers never get a foothold. The line between them moves depending on the scene, the character, and what the moment actually needs.
- [What Is Author Voice and Can You Actually Develop It?](https://contentandchaos.com/what-is-author-voice-and-can-you-actually-develop-it/): Ask ten writers what author voice is and you'll get ten different answers. Some will say it's style. Some will say it's tone. Some will say it's the feeling a reader gets that they'd recognize this writer's work anywhere, without being able to explain exactly why. All of those are partly right and none of them are fully right.
- [YA Focus: Writing Morally Complicated Young Characters Without Softening Them](https://contentandchaos.com/ya-focus-writing-morally-complicated-young-characters-without-softening-them/): There's a specific kind of YA character that shows up constantly and lands with a thud every time. They make a bad choice, feel terrible, apologize, grow, and arrive at the end of the book a better person who has learned something. Clean. Resolved. Unconvincing. Real teenagers don't work that way and neither should the characters who represent them.
- [First Draft Permission: Why "Bad" Pages Are Still Progress](https://contentandchaos.com/first-draft-permission-why-bad-pages-are-still-progress/): Every writer knows intellectually that first drafts are supposed to be bad. They've heard it, read it, nodded along. Then they write a bad page and feel like they've failed anyway. The problem isn't the advice. It's that knowing something and believing it are two completely different things, and the gap between them is where most manuscripts die.
- [Writing Through the Messy Middle When You've Lost the Thread](https://contentandchaos.com/writing-through-the-messy-middle-when-youve-lost-the-thread/): Every writer hits the middle of a manuscript and loses the thread. Not gradually. Suddenly. One day the story was there and the next day it isn't. This is not a sign that the book is broken. It's a sign that the book has gotten complicated enough that the version you started with no longer matches the version currently on the page.
- [How to Outline Without Killing Your Spontaneity](https://contentandchaos.com/how-to-outline-without-killing-your-spontaneity/): An outline is a promise you make to a story you haven't written yet. The problem is you don't know your characters yet either. Rigid outlines fail not because structure is wrong, but because they ask you to honor a commitment made before you had the information to make it.
- [Scene Surgery: A Before and After](https://contentandchaos.com/scene-surgery-a-before-and-after/): Every writer's earlier work contains the seeds of who they'll become. Looking back at it isn't comfortable, but it's useful. This blog uses real material from the original version of what became Salt & Bone compared to the revised manuscript. Same world. Same characters. Completely different level of craft. Here's what changed and why.
- [Endings That Land: How to Close a Scene So Readers Turn the Page](https://contentandchaos.com/endings-that-land-how-to-close-a-scene-so-readers-turn-the-page/): A scene that ends well doesn't feel like it ended. It feels like something got cut off right before the reader was ready, and the only way to resolve the feeling is to keep going. The ending of a scene is the last thing a reader carries into the next one. Getting it wrong means they arrive carrying nothing.
- [The Scene-Sequel Structure: Action, Reaction, Decision](https://contentandchaos.com/the-scene-sequel-structure-action-reaction-decision/): Most writers know about scenes. Something happens, there's conflict, the scene ends. What most writers skip is what goes between. The sequel is the beat that follows a scene, where a character processes what just happened, feels the weight of it, and decides what to do next. Skipping it is one of the most common reasons books feel like they're moving too fast without actually going anywhere.
- [How to Open a Scene In Medias Res Without Losing the Reader](https://contentandchaos.com/how-to-open-a-scene-in-medias-res-without-losing-the-reader/): Starting late is kindness. Dropping readers into the middle of something already happening, trusting them to catch up, skipping the setup they never needed—that's the generous version of in medias res. The ungracious version drops readers into chaos with no ground under their feet and calls it bold. The difference between those two versions is orientation.
- [Every Scene Needs Two Things—and Most Writers Only Write One](https://contentandchaos.com/every-scene-needs-two-things-and-most-writers-only-write-one/): Every scene needs two things. Most writers only write one. The external event is what happens. The internal shift is who's different because of it. Get both right and readers don't just follow the story—they live inside it.
- [Horror/Dark Fiction Focus: Why Readers Need to Care Before They Can Be Scared](https://contentandchaos.com/horror-dark-fiction-focus-why-readers-need-to-care-before-they-can-be-scared/): Horror writers spend a lot of time thinking about what will scare a reader. The monster. The atmosphere. The pacing of the reveal. All of that matters. But none of it matters first. What matters first is whether the reader has a reason to care what happens to the person in the room with the monster.
- [The Micro-Moment: How Small Details Create Emotional Payoff](https://contentandchaos.com/the-micro-moment-how-small-details-create-emotional-payoff/): Grand moments in fiction are easy to write. The declaration. The reunion. The death. Writers know when they're in one. The micro-moment is harder. It slips in between two lines of dialogue, sits at the end of an action beat, lives in a single physical detail nobody asked for. And then it lands harder than anything that announced itself could.
- [Writing Grief, Trauma, and Loss Without Exploiting It](https://contentandchaos.com/writing-grief-trauma-and-loss-without-exploiting-it/): There's a version of grief in fiction that exists to make readers cry and nothing else. Nobody in the book is changed by it in any lasting way. Readers feel this even when they can't name it. Here's the difference between grief that exploits and grief that actually does something.
- [Show vs. Tell Is Bad Advice: Here's What It Actually Means](https://contentandchaos.com/show-vs-tell-is-bad-advice-heres-what-it-actually-means/): Every writer has heard it. Every writing group repeats it. "Show don't tell" gets passed around like it's a commandment and nobody ever explains what it means. That's the problem. Ask ten writers what it means and you'll get ten different answers, half of which contradict each other.
- [The Revision Myth That Will Cost You Years: "I'll Fix It Later"](https://contentandchaos.com/the-revision-myth-that-will-cost-you-years-ill-fix-it-later/): There's a note every writer has written to themselves at some point. It lives in the margin of a draft, or in the back of your head while you're moving too fast to stop. "Fix this later. I'll remember what I meant to do here." You won't. And it will cost you more than you think.
- [YA Focus: Writing a Teen Narrator Adults Will Still Believe](https://contentandchaos.com/ya-focus-writing-a-teen-narrator-adults-will-still-believe/): Teen narrators fail in two directions and writers rarely see which one they're doing. The cleaned-up narrator who processes grief like a licensed therapist. The performed narrator who's so aggressively teenager they read like a parody. The voice that actually works lives somewhere more specific and harder to manufacture.
- [Multiple POVs Done Right and Wrong](https://contentandchaos.com/multiple-povs-done-right-and-wrong/): Multiple POVs get a bad reputation, and most of the time it's because writers treated different characters as different cameras rather than different people. A camera just records. A person interprets, misses things, gets things wrong, carries their history into everything they see.
- [Deep POV: Getting Out of Your Own Way as a Narrator](https://contentandchaos.com/deep-pov-getting-out-of-your-own-way-as-a-narrator/): There's a version of first person that keeps readers at arm's length without the writer ever realizing it. The narrator is present, the voice is there — and somehow the reader is watching instead of living inside it. Most of the time, the thing sitting between them and the character is the narrator explaining themselves.
- [First vs. Third Person: Choosing the POV That Serves the Story](https://contentandchaos.com/first-vs-third-person-choosing-the-pov-that-serves-the-story/): First person and third person aren't interchangeable. They do different things to a reader, create different relationships with a character, and serve different kinds of stories. Here's how to choose the one your story actually needs.
- [The Slow Burn: Why Tension Doesn't Always Mean Action](https://contentandchaos.com/the-slow-burn-why-tension-doesnt-always-mean-action/): Most writers think tension requires something to happen. It doesn't. Some of the scariest fiction ever written contains almost no action at all. Here's how to build dread before the plot has earned it.
- [Thriller/Horror Focus: How to Pace a Chase or Crisis Scene](https://contentandchaos.com/thriller-horror-focus-how-to-pace-a-chase-or-crisis-scene/): The instinct when writing a chase scene is to go fast. That's usually the wrong call. Speed creates motion, not fear. Here's how to slow down in exactly the right places.
- [Short Sentences vs. Long Ones: When to Use Each for Maximum Effect](https://contentandchaos.com/short-sentences-vs-long-ones-when-to-use-each-for-maximum-effect/): Sentence length is one of the quietest craft decisions a writer makes. Nobody clocks it consciously—they just feel the urgency or the stillness, the chaos or the calm. Here's how to use both on purpose.
- [The Paragraph Break Is a Tool: How White Space Controls Pace](https://contentandchaos.com/the-paragraph-break-is-a-tool-how-white-space-controls-pace/): Most writers obsess over word choice, sentences, dialogue. What they don't think about is the white space between the words. A paragraph break forces the reader to stop. That pause is yours to use. Here's how to use it on purpose.
- [Horror/Thriller Focus: Using Content Warnings Without Spoiling Suspense](https://contentandchaos.com/horror-thriller-focus-using-content-warnings-without-spoiling-suspense/): Horror and thriller writers face a specific problem with content warnings: how do you warn readers without killing the surprise? The entire point of horror is to unsettle people. But there's a difference between strategic discomfort that serves the story and triggering actual trauma responses in readers who didn't sign up for that specific content. Learn how to warn without spoiling.
- [Trigger Warnings: Who They're Really For](https://contentandchaos.com/trigger-warnings-who-theyre-really-for/): Trigger warnings exist to give readers agency over their reading experience. They're not about protecting people from discomfort or spoiling books—they're about providing information so readers can make informed choices about what content they engage with and when. Learn who trigger warnings serve and how to implement them effectively.
- [When to Use (and When to Cut) Italics for Emphasis](https://contentandchaos.com/when-to-use-and-when-to-cut-italics-for-emphasis/): Italics signal importance. When overused, they signal desperation. Learn when to use italics for genuine vocal stress, internal monologue, and meaningful emphasis—and when to cut them because context, dialogue tags, or scene intensity already does the work.
- [Beta Readers vs. Sensitivity Readers: What’s the Difference?](https://contentandchaos.com/beta-readers-vs-sensitivity-readers-whats-the-difference/): Beta readers and sensitivity readers both provide feedback, but they serve fundamentally different purposes. Beta readers evaluate story mechanics, pacing, and reader engagement. Sensitivity readers evaluate representation accuracy and potential harm. Understanding the distinction ensures writers get the feedback they actually need at the stage where it matters most.
- [Subtext: What Characters Don't Say Matters Most](https://contentandchaos.com/subtext-what-characters-dont-say-matters-most/): Subtext is the gap between what characters say and what they mean. Characters rarely state their true feelings directly—they hedge, deflect, avoid, and circle around what matters. Learn how to create subtext through contradictions, silence, and what characters refuse to say aloud.
- [YA Focus: Texts, Slang, and Online Speech in Fiction](https://contentandchaos.com/ya-focus-texts-slang-and-online-speech-in-fiction/): Teen dialogue is one of the easiest things to get wrong in YA fiction and one of the hardest things to get right. The problem isn't authenticity—it's shelf life. Learn how to capture the rhythm and irreverence of teenage communication without anchoring your book to a specific cultural moment.
- [Giving Characters Distinct Speech Patterns Without Caricature](https://contentandchaos.com/giving-characters-distinct-speech-patterns-without-caricature/): Distinct speech patterns make characters recognizable. Caricature makes them cartoons. Learn how to create voices that feel unique without resorting to phonetic spelling, catchphrases, or gimmicks—using sentence structure, vocabulary, and verbal tics that emerge naturally.
- [How to Cut Dialogue That’s Just Filler](https://contentandchaos.com/how-to-cut-dialogue-thats-just-filler/): Good dialogue does three things: reveals character, advances plot, or builds tension. Everything else is filler. Learn how to cut greetings, eliminate repetition, remove obvious responses, and make every line work overtime so your dialogue becomes sharper, faster, and more purposeful.
- [Writing Cliffhangers That Feel Earned, Not Cheap](https://contentandchaos.com/writing-cliffhangers-that-feel-earned-not-cheap/): A cliffhanger stops the narrative at a point of maximum tension. When done well, it creates anticipation. When done poorly, it feels manipulative. Learn how to write cliffhangers that build tension through escalation, character stakes, and narrative logic—not shock tactics that break reader trust.
- [Horror/Thriller Focus: Escalation Without Losing Believability](https://contentandchaos.com/horror-thriller-focus-escalation-without-losing-believability/): Horror and thriller writers face a specific problem: readers need to feel increasing dread without rolling their eyes at implausibility. Learn how to layer small wrongnesses, escalate consequences, and maintain believability as your story moves from "something feels off" to "the world is ending."
- [Midpoint Reversals: The Secret Weapon](https://contentandchaos.com/midpoint-reversals-the-secret-weapon/): The midpoint feels like the middle of the book. It functions like a detonation. When used well, it transforms the entire narrative—the protagonist's goal stays the same, but the meaning shifts completely. Learn how to use midpoint reversals to create unstoppable forward motion.
- [Three-Act Structure vs. Organic Storytelling](https://contentandchaos.com/three-act-structure-vs-organic-storytelling/): Three-act structure provides clarity and pacing. Organic storytelling creates authentic character moments. The best stories use both—structure as skeleton, organic discovery as flesh. Learn when to follow the outline and when to let characters surprise you.
- [Avoiding the “As You Know” Exposition Trap](https://contentandchaos.com/avoiding-the-as-you-know-exposition-trap/): The worst dialogue sounds like characters reading Wikipedia entries about their own lives to each other. Good exposition feels invisible—information emerges through conflict, questions characters actually need answered, and what people choose to withhold. Learn how to reveal worldbuilding without stopping your story dead.
- [YA Focus: School Settings That Feel Real, Not Generic](https://contentandchaos.com/ya-focus-school-settings-that-feel-real-not-generic/): School settings in YA fiction walk a fine line—too vague and they feel like a Hollywood soundstage, too detailed and they alienate readers. The goal is specificity without exclusion. Learn how to ground your school setting in architectural details, unwritten social rules, and sensory rhythms that make readers feel like they're walking those hallways themselves.
- [Using Seasonal & Cultural Details to Ground a Scene](https://contentandchaos.com/using-seasonal-cultural-details-to-ground-a-scene/): The best scenes feel like they exist in a specific moment. Not just any autumn—this autumn. Not just any wedding—this family's wedding. Seasonal and cultural details anchor readers in time and place, transforming generic settings into lived experiences. When readers feel the weight of humidity before a monsoon or smell incense during Día de los Muertos, they stop reading about a world and start inhabiting one.
- [Worldbuilding Through Character Action](https://contentandchaos.com/worldbuilding-through-character-action/): Learn how to build immersive story worlds through character action, not narration. Practical worldbuilding techniques with examples from bestselling authors and actionable tips for fantasy, sci-fi, and thriller writers.
- [Crafting Authentic Teen Voices](https://contentandchaos.com/crafting-authentic-teen-voices/): Craft believable teen voices by focusing on emotional truth, not stereotypes. Learn how YA characters reveal themselves through rhythm, silence, and intent.
- [Writing Flawed Protagonists Readers Still Root For](https://contentandchaos.com/writing-flawed-protagonists-readers-still-root-for/): Learn how to write flawed protagonists readers can’t walk away from. Explore examples from Morrison, McCarthy, and Rooney, and discover how to balance damage, effort, and empathy in your main characters.
- [How Much Backstory is Too Much?](https://contentandchaos.com/how-much-backstory-is-too-much/): Backstory gives stories depth—but too much can drown them. Learn how to balance history and momentum so your characters feel real without stopping the story dead.
- [Avoiding Cardboard Cutout Characters](https://contentandchaos.com/avoiding-cardboard-cutout-characters/): Side characters make or break believability. They anchor worlds, test protagonists, and remind readers that life exists beyond the page. This “Behind the Pages” entry explores how to give secondary characters real motivations, flaws, and private lives—so they feel as vivid and unpredictable as anyone at the story’s center.
- [Trigger Warnings in Dark Fiction](https://contentandchaos.com/trigger-warnings-in-dark-fiction/): Horror doesn’t owe its audience comfort—but it does owe them clarity. Trigger warnings aren’t about softening a story; they’re about trust. In dark fiction, transparency lets readers choose when to step into the dark and when to pause for breath. This piece explores how warnings, tone, and empathy can coexist without dulling fear—and why honesty, not shock, keeps readers turning the page.
- [Handling Gore & Disturbing Content Responsibly](https://contentandchaos.com/handling-gore-disturbing-content-responsibly/): Horror isn’t just about what we show—it’s about why we show it. In this Behind the Pages guide, we’ll explore how to write gore and disturbing content with purpose, empathy, and restraint. Learn when to push the boundary, when to pull back, and how to make every drop of blood mean something.
- [Common Horror Tropes That Still Work](https://contentandchaos.com/common-horror-tropes-that-still-work/): Readers know when they’re being led toward a familiar beat—the mirror scare, the creepy child, the “we shouldn’t be here” moment—and yet, when done well, these scenes still make their skin crawl. Why? Because tropes are shorthand for our oldest fears. They work because they speak a language the body understands before the brain catches up. The trick isn’t abandoning tropes; it’s learning when to honor and when to betray them.
- [The Role of Silence and Stillness in Horror](https://contentandchaos.com/the-role-of-silence-and-stillness-in-horror/): In horror, silence isn’t empty—it’s charged. Stillness doesn’t calm—it tightens the wire. This post explores how quiet moments amplify dread, how writers from Shirley Jackson to Mark Fisher wield them, and how you can use silence and stillness to make your readers lean in—and never breathe easy again.
- [How to Build Unease Without Jump Scares](https://contentandchaos.com/how-to-build-unease-without-jump-scares/): Horror is more than jump scares. Learn how to build lasting unease through atmosphere, silence, and subtle tension in your writing.
- [Interview with Ashlee "Ash" Reynolds](https://contentandchaos.com/interview-with-ashlee-ash-reynolds/): An interview with Ashlee Reynolds.
- [Interview with Alexandra "Lexi" Torres](https://contentandchaos.com/interview-with-alexandra-lexi-torres/): An interview with Lexi Torres.
- [Interview with Dr. Lisa Calloway](https://contentandchaos.com/interview-with-dr-lisa-calloway/): An interview with Dr. Lisa Calloway.
- [Interview with Jack Reynolds](https://contentandchaos.com/interview-with-jack-reynolds/): An interview with Jack Reynolds.
- [Martin Krane](https://contentandchaos.com/martin-krane/): After Katie’s death, Martin becomes her "afterlife partner" to help her complete her “Life List.” With his sardonic humor and roguish charm, he plays the part of a cocky troublemaker. But beneath the swagger is a boy carrying centuries of secrets. Martin knows how the afterlife works and how to bend its rules, though he’s evasive about how he learned them.
- [Katherine "Katie" Bunny](https://contentandchaos.com/katherine-katie-bunny/): Katie’s life is split into two parts: the one she lived before the crash, and the one she’s trying to make sense of now. Losing her mother should have been the end, but instead it’s the beginning of something she can’t quite explain—something no one will tell her the full truth about.
- [Ashlee Reynolds](https://contentandchaos.com/ashlee-reynolds/): Equal parts whirlwind and wildcard. A self-proclaimed "Daddy's girl." Loud, charming, and completely unpredictable, she crashes into situations with the kind of energy that can either save the day or blow it to pieces. She loves hard, laughs loud, and has a knack for making friends in the most unlikely places, whether or not they want it. Her loyalty is unwavering, especially when it comes to the people she’s decided are hers. Underneath the chaos, there’s a sharp instinct for danger and a fear she never admits, least of all to herself.
- [Lexi Torres](https://contentandchaos.com/lexi-torres/): Sharper than she lets on, Lexi learned early that trust is a currency you don’t spend twice. She keeps her cards close, reading people, storing what they give away in a look or a slip of the tongue. In the wrong hands, she can play innocent. In the right moment, she can play ruthless. Loyal to a fault, she protects the people she’s claimed as hers, even if it means breaking every rule in the book. The world may have taken her childhood, but it couldn’t take her aim.
- [Calvin Calloway](https://contentandchaos.com/calvin-calloway-character-profile/): Calvin’s world ended before he had a chance to learn how it was supposed to work. Too young to understand the politics of survival but old enough to know when to hide, he’s learned the rules in whispers and gestures. He follows the people he trusts, mimicking their movements, storing away their warnings. His small size makes him invisible when it matters most, and his curiosity, though dangerous, sometimes turns up the answers no one else thought to look for.
- [ID Badge - Dr. David Wood](https://contentandchaos.com/id-badge-dr-david-wood/): ID Badge - Dr. David A Wood
- [Redgate Lab Floorplan](https://contentandchaos.com/redgate-lab-floorplan/): Redgate Facility Lab Floorplan
- [Map to Redgate](https://contentandchaos.com/map-to-redgate/): Map to the CDC Redgate Facility - Johnson Village, CO
- [Quarantine Zone 9C](https://contentandchaos.com/quarantine-area-zone-9c/): CDC Quarantine Map - Zone 9C
- [Missing Poster - Alexandra Torres](https://contentandchaos.com/missing-poster-alexandra-torres/): Lexi Torres is missing.
- [Missing Poster - Sylvia Torres](https://contentandchaos.com/missing-poster-sylvia-torres/): Sylvia Torres is missing.
- [Missing Poster - Calvin Calloway](https://contentandchaos.com/missing-poster-calvin-calloway/): Calvin Calloway is missing.
- [Missing Poster - Dr. Lisa Calloway](https://contentandchaos.com/missing-poster-dr-lisa-calloway/): Lisa Calloway is missing.
- [Missing Poster - Jack Reynolds](https://contentandchaos.com/missing-poster-jack-reynolds/): Jack Reynolds is missing.
- [Dr. Lisa Calloway](https://contentandchaos.com/dr-lisa-calloway/): Lisa didn’t ask to be the answer. She just couldn’t stand watching people die when she could do something about it. A former trauma doctor with a mind wired for patterns, she treats survival like triage: assess, prioritize, cut. Every life she couldn’t save is a calculation she still runs. She leads with precision, protects with silence, and keeps her scalpel sharp—for science or survival.
- [Jack Reynolds](https://contentandchaos.com/jack-reynolds-character-profile/): Jack didn’t ask to lead a group of survivors out of the apocalypse, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to let someone else screw it up. Haunted by the people he couldn’t save and the father who broke him, Jack fights with sarcasm, loyalty, and a shotgun named Beatrice. He doesn't flinch, because if he does, someone else dies.
- [Creative Writing Character Worksheet](https://contentandchaos.com/creative-writing-character-worksheet/): Helping writers bring characters to life with a guided worksheet that digs into voice, backstory, and motivation, because memorable stories start with depth.
- [5 Comedy Actors that Would Make Great Serial Killers](https://contentandchaos.com/5-comedy-actors-that-would-make-great-serial-killers/): Helping dark humor take the spotlight with a playful take on five comedy actors who could convincingly flip the script and charm their way into a killer role.
- [10 Underrated Hollywood Actors](https://contentandchaos.com/10-underrated-hollywood-actors/): Helping shine a spotlight on ten Hollywood talents who deserve more credit. Because great acting isn’t always about the biggest names.
- [Cracking the Technical Documentation Code](https://contentandchaos.com/cracking-the-technical-documentation-code/): Helping demystify technical docs with insights, tips, and strategies that turn complex information into clear, useful content that actually gets read.
- [Copy Deck](https://contentandchaos.com/copy-deck/): Helping teams stay organized with a clean, flexible copy deck template—built to streamline reviews, align stakeholders, and keep content moving forward.
- [Seller Flow Redesign](https://contentandchaos.com/seller-flow-redesign/): Helping improve conversion and clarity with a streamlined seller flow—redesigned to reduce drop-off, enhance usability, and support a smoother path to sale.
- [Jumbotron Headers](https://contentandchaos.com/jumbotron-headers/): Helping brands make a bold first impression with jumbotron headers that balance impact, clarity, and voice—right where it matters most.
- [Presentation: Internal Developer Portal Pitch](https://contentandchaos.com/presentation-internal-developer-portal-pitch/): Helping stakeholders see the value with a clear, compelling pitch deck. Built to showcase the impact of an internal developer portal on speed, autonomy, and scalability.
- [Presentation: Internal Developer Portal Doc Pipeline](https://contentandchaos.com/presentation-internal-developer-portal-doc-pipeline/): Helping teams scale documentation with a streamlined pipeline pitch. Designed to show how structured workflows and smart tooling can transform the developer experience.
- [Rebranding Announcement](https://contentandchaos.com/rebranding-announcement/): Helping audiences navigate the change with a rebrand announcement that blends clarity, excitement, and a clear signal of what’s next.
- [Project: Onboarding Screens for Mobile](https://contentandchaos.com/project-onboarding-screens-for-mobile/): Helping users get started faster with mobile onboarding screens that blend clarity, tone, and intent—setting the stage for trust and long-term engagement.
- [Design - Backdrops for Trade Show](https://contentandchaos.com/design-backdrops-for-trade-show/): Helping brands stand out on the floor with eye-catching trade show backdrops that distill identity, draw crowds, and spark meaningful conversations.
- [Newsletter Template & Copy](https://contentandchaos.com/newsletter-template-copy/): Helping teams connect with readers through newsletter templates that balance voice, structure, and scroll-stopping clarity—built for opens, clicks, and consistency.
- [3D Printing Nurture Campaign Email Templates](https://contentandchaos.com/3d-printing-nurture-campaign-email-templates/): Helping prospects move from curious to committed with email templates tailored to the 3D printing journey—blending education, engagement, and conversion-ready copy.
- [Catering Feedback Memo](https://contentandchaos.com/catering-feedback-memo/): Helping teams close the loop with a thoughtful catering feedback memo. Designed to surface insights, highlight wins, and support continuous service improvement.
- [Menu Reminder Email Templates](https://contentandchaos.com/menu-reminder-email-templates/): Helping dining teams boost participation with friendly, on-brand reminder emails—crafted to drive engagement, reduce last-minute orders, and keep service running smoothly.
- [CaterTrax Sales Info Pitch Deck](https://contentandchaos.com/catertrax-sales-info-pitch-deck/): Helping teams pitch with confidence using a sales deck that showcases CaterTrax’s value—combining product clarity, industry insight, and buyer-focused messaging.
- [Copy Deck: Internal Developer Portal Sync Form](https://contentandchaos.com/copy-deck-internal-developer-portal-sync-form/): Helping streamline collaboration with a copy deck designed for the internal developer portal sync form—ensuring every field, label, and message aligns with clarity and intent.
- [Proposal: Data Driven Docs Talk](https://contentandchaos.com/proposal-data-driven-docs-talk/): Helping bring content and analytics together with a talk proposal that explores how data can shape smarter documentation, better decisions, and more meaningful user impact.
- [Declarations and Relationships](https://contentandchaos.com/declarations-and-relationships/): Helping clarify complex systems with a breakdown of declarations and relationships—untangling how components connect, communicate, and scale across structured environments.
- [GitHub Pull Request (PR) Template](https://contentandchaos.com/github-pull-request-pr-template/): Helping teams streamline code reviews with a reusable PR template that encourages clarity, context, and cleaner collaboration—right from the first commit.
- [Exploring the Versatile Applications of YAML Files](https://contentandchaos.com/exploring-the-versatile-applications-of-yaml-files/): Helping readers demystify YAML with real-world examples that highlight its flexibility—from config files to CI/CD pipelines and everything in between.
- [Internal Developer Portal Style Guide](https://contentandchaos.com/internal-developer-portal-style-guide/): Helping teams write with clarity and consistency across the developer portal—so docs feel cohesive, on-brand, and easy to use at every touchpoint.
- [Industry Talk Proposal](https://contentandchaos.com/industry-talk-proposal/): Helping ideas take the stage with a clear, compelling talk proposal—designed to connect with audiences, showcase expertise, and spark meaningful conversations.
- [Getting Started with Auth SDK for Browser](https://contentandchaos.com/getting-started-with-auth-sdk-for-browser/): This document streamlined OAuth2 PKCE integration for SPAs, reducing onboarding time and support tickets while enabling 200+ engineers to securely implement browser-based authentication.
- [Cloud Service Guide](https://contentandchaos.com/cloud-service-guide/): Helping users understand, choose, and optimize cloud services with straightforward guidance that cuts through the jargon and gets straight to what matters.
- [EC2 User Guide](https://contentandchaos.com/ec2-user-guide/): Helping teams launch and manage EC2 instances with clear, practical guidance—because cloud infrastructure should feel powerful, not perplexing.
- [Internal Developer Portal Style Guide](https://contentandchaos.com/internal-developer-portal-user-guide/): Helping engineers move faster with a user-friendly portal guide that surfaces APIs, services, and documentation, so they can build, deploy, and ship with confidence.
- [Inner Source Standards & Guidelines](https://contentandchaos.com/inner-source-standards-guidelines/): Helping teams collaborate like open source pros. With clear, scalable standards that bring consistency, clarity, and shared ownership to internal codebases.

## Pages

- [Remembering Theresa](https://contentandchaos.com/theresa/): In loving memory of Theresa Muehlbauer Feb 8, 1988 – Jun 4, 2026 Theresa’s Playlist Theresa’s taste in music was half the fun of knowing her. This is the playlist from her celebration. Share a Photo If you’ve got a photo of Theresa, big moment or small, you can add it here. To add a photo to the drive, click here to open the folder and simply drag your photo in. If you’re on mobile and have Google Drive installed, tap the + (plus) button in the bottom right, then Upload, then choose your photo from your camera roll. If […]
- [Behind the Pages - Weekly Writing Tips](https://contentandchaos.com/behind-the-pages/): Behind the Pages Behind the Pages Welcome to Behind the Pages, where I share the craft and chaos behind writing thrillers and dark fiction. From building tension to exploring character psychology, every post offers tools to make your next story hit harder. Conversations, process notes, and story autopsies from the world of Ami Wilde (Urban). Featured Post How to Build Unease Without Jump Scares Horror isn’t about shouting. It’s about whispers. What haunts readers most is not what they see, but what they think they see—or what they realize is wrong, slowly. In this post, we’ll go beyond clichés and […]
- [Ami Wilde | Links](https://contentandchaos.com/ami-wilde-linkinbio/): Ami Wilde Author of The Death Series | Fiction with teeth
- [Salt & Bone Series](https://contentandchaos.com/salt-bone-series/): Salt & Bone Series Survival has a body count In a post-apocalyptic world fractured by loss, betrayal, and the thin line between science and survival, one wrong move can cost more than your life. In the Salt & Bone series, loyalty is tested, trust is fragile, and every promise comes with a price in blood. Featured Character Jack Reynolds The mechanic who fixed everything but himself. You have a choice. Stay here and turn… or I put you down. Series Premise Post-Apocalyptic Thriller Medical Psychological Audience Adult fiction readers who love high-stakes survival stories (The Last of Us, Station Eleven) […]
- [Be a Beta Reader](https://contentandchaos.com/be-a-beta-reader/): Be a Beta Reader Interested in being a beta reader? I’m looking for thoughtful, reliable readers to provide honest feedback on my upcoming work. Beta readers get early access to unpublished stories in exchange for detailed, constructive feedback. What I’m looking for: Please note: This form is for screening purposes only. If selected, you’ll receive a follow-up email with a short agreement to sign before receiving any materials. If you’re ready, please fill out the application form below. Adult Content Explicit Imagery References to Death/Suicide
- [The Death Series - YA](https://contentandchaos.com/the-death-series-ya/): The Death Series Living was never part of the plan When death is a familiar shadow, survival is never simple. In a fractured world of secrets, shifting loyalties, and impossible choices, one wrong move can cost more than your life. In The Death series, every heartbeat is borrowed time—and every truth comes with a price. Series Overview Reading Order In a world where survival means sacrificing the very things that make you human, one wrong choice can cost you everything. The Death Series follows a girl forced into a dangerous web of secrets, betrayal, and impossible decisions when she uncovers […]
- [Salt & Bone - Supporting Documentation](https://contentandchaos.com/salt-bone-series/salt-bone-supporting-documentation/): Salt & Bone – Supporting Documentation Character Profiles Missing Posters Maps & Floorplans Confidential Documents
- [Ami Wilde](https://contentandchaos.com/author-ami-wilde/): Ami Wilde (Urban) Author and Writer
- [Autodesk Deliverables](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/portfolio-deliverables/autodesk-portfolio-deliverables/): Portfolio Deliverables Principal Content Designer | 2021–Present Style Guides & Standards User Guides & Onboarding Templates & Workflows Proposals & Presentations
- [StubHub Deliverables](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/portfolio-deliverables/stubhub-portfolio-deliverables/): Portfolio Deliverables Senior Content Strategist | 2019-2020 Case Studies Content Strategy
- [Hawk Ridge Deliverables](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/portfolio-deliverables/hawk-ridge-systems-portfolio-deliverables/): Portfolio Deliverables Digital Content Manager | 2015 – 2018 Design Templates
- [Guckenheimer Deliverables](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/portfolio-deliverables/guckenheimer-portfolio-deliverables/): Portfolio Deliverables Web Content Manager | 2012 – 2015 Communications Templates Presentations Guides & Taxonomy
- [Portfolio Deliverables](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/portfolio-deliverables/): Portfolio Deliverables
- [3D Printing Nurture Campaign - Hawk Ridge Systems](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/hawk-ridge-systems-3d-printing-nurture-campaign/): Doubled demo attendance and boosted email engagement by 25% Revitalized Hawk Ridge Systems’ 3D printing sales with targeted nurture campaigns Digital Content Manager | 2015 – 2018 Context & Challenge The Problem: Hawk Ridge Systems’ 3D printer sales had plateaued, and many customers were unaware of the full product line or support services offered through the Digital Manufacturing Lab (DML). Dormant leads and low engagement left demo events under-attended and stalled growth. My Role Leadership: As Digital Content Manager, I led the strategy and execution of targeted nurture campaigns for Hawk Ridge Systems, collaborating with sales, product marketing, and the […]
- [Catering User Guide - Guckenheimer](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/catering-user-guide-guckenheimer/): Cut IT support tickets by 70% and eliminated 404 errors from uploads Streamlined Guckenheimer’s internal catering site for chef usability Web Content Manager | 2012 – 2015 Context & Challenge The Problem: Guckenheimer’s internal website allowed chefs to upload menus for their cafés, but the process was convoluted. Misnamed files caused 404 errors, site crashes, and frequent IT escalations, creating frustration and wasted resources. My Role Leadership: As Web Content Manager, I authored a visual, step-by-step user guide tailored for non-technical chef users. I collaborated with IT and internal communications to document workflows, enforce taxonomy standards, and empower chefs to […]
- [Seller Flow Redesign – StubHub](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/seller-flow-redesign-stubhub/): Increased ticket sales by 18% after seller flow redesign Reduced drop-off and improved listing accuracy with A/B-tested onboarding copy and seller guidance Senior Content Strategist | 2019 – 2020 Context & Challenge The Problem: StubHub’s ticket-selling flow was driving sellers away. Vague copy, confusing UI, and unclear ticket format distinctions led to frustration and abandonment. Sellers couldn’t easily understand listing steps, which reduced trust and conversion. My Role Leadership: As Senior Content Strategist, I partnered with product, UX, and A/B testing teams to rewrite and restructure seller-facing content. My focus was simplifying flows for both power users and casual sellers […]
- [Mobile App Onboarding – Western Union](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/mobile-app-onboarding-western-union/): Cut onboarding abandonment and boosted retention by 23% across multilingual markets Content Strategist | 2018-2019 Context & Challenge The Problem: Western Union’s mobile money transfer app faced high drop-off rates during user registration. Early-stage abandonment was linked to unclear value messaging, complex flows, and friction from compliance/legal disclaimers. The challenge was to craft onboarding content that balanced clarity, trust, and compliance across multiple regions and languages. My Role Leadership: As Senior Content Strategist, I designed and tested onboarding content to reduce abandonment and build user trust. I worked with legal, compliance, localization, and marketing teams across regions to deliver clear, […]
- [Internal Developer Portal - Autodesk](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/autodesk-internal-developer-portal/): Cut onboarding tickets by 60% and tripled adoption across 100+ teams Scaled Autodesk’s internal developer portal documentation system Principal Content Designer | 2021–Present Context & Challenge The Problem: Autodesk launched Beacon to unify service registration, documentation, and infrastructure modeling across 100+ engineering teams. Early adoption lagged due to inconsistent standards, fragmented contributor practices, and a lack of onboarding resources, creating friction and stalled efficiency. My Role Leadership: As Senior/Principal Content Designer, I led UX content strategy for Beacon, partnering with engineering leads, developer advocates, and platform PMs to create unified workflows, scalable documentation models, and cross-team contributor education. Approach Impact […]
- [About Me](https://contentandchaos.com/contact/): About Amy Senior Content Designer | Author & Storyteller I design clear, human-centered content strategies that help teams communicate with impact, and I bring the same storytelling approach to my published and in-progress fiction work. Professional Background I am a Senior Content Designer with expertise in information architecture, UX writing, and content strategy. Over the past 10 years, I’ve partnered with cross-functional teams to shape digital products that are intuitive, accessible, and engaging. At Autodesk, I support product experiences by streamlining complex workflows, creating content standards, and ensuring that customers can find the right information at the right time. My […]
- [Portfolio](https://contentandchaos.com/portfolio/): I make complex ideas easier to understand Content designer with over 12 years at Autodesk, StubHub, Western Union, and Hawk Ridge Systems. Case Studies Helping teams reduce friction and support calls with purposeful content, process-aligned guides, and marketing/internal communications All Deliverables Freelance Work Helping clients bring ideas to life with clear, engaging content for websites, apps, and campaigns—plus editorial support, product messaging, and user-focused storytelling.
- [Home](https://contentandchaos.com/): Organized storytelling in a chaotic world Amy is a Senior Content Designer and author. Explore UX writing, content strategy, and fictional storytelling projects, including Salt & Bone and The Death Series. I Write Copy to Help Deliver the Message Blending clarity, strategy, and voice across mediums. Where Strategy Meets Story With a decade of experience spanning UX writing, content strategy, and fiction, I craft content that resonates—on screen and on the page. I’ve helped startups clarify their onboarding, guided enterprise teams through complex IA overhauls, and written stories that pull readers into fully realized worlds. Whether you’re pitching a new […]

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