Jennifer Sherman — Product Manager
From the forest of words through the linguistic vines that allow us to call 日本語 Japanese, stories shared around the world have the power to bring us together. My goal is to use the superpower of language to help people build bridges to each other. Wielding words as tools can foster cross-cultural understanding through the storytelling lens of pop culture. While embracing diverse backgrounds, we can empathize with each other by taking part in the same vicarious experiences. You can say “It’s-a me, [your name]!” in the voice of a global game icon or cosplay a certain magical girl to fight evil “in the name of the moon.” Mutual knowledge of popular characters and stories brings people together and gives us common ground. And it’s all thanks to localization. This process allows us to enjoy products from the other side of the planet without having knowledge of all 7,000 languages in the world today. If the hints above weren’t enough: yes, I work in creative storytelling and localization specializing in Japanese-to-English content. For more than a decade, I’ve worked with the anime, game, and manga industries to provide millions of monthly readers the most accurate information on Japanese works that may or may not be available in English yet. To be the very best editor (like no one ever was), I spend countless hours catching and training grammar rules in adherence to the Chicago, AP, and Indigo League style guides. (OK, I may have dreamed up one of those.) Books I've polished have introduced readers to a young lady reborn in the world of her favorite otome game as well as an unlikely band of adventurers questing for dragons. I often edit works inspired by classic JRPGs, but that's only part of my own tale! I keep leveling up my professional skills over 9,000 (!!!) through self-study and certification programs. I also explore new dungeons by submitting my own writing—everything from articles on intercultural endeavors to fantasy fiction. ☞ Need a high-level linguistic Mage with maxed-out Editing and Writing skills to join your party? Interested in debating the strongest Pokémon or the merits of the Oxford comma? I’m just an email away at jaasherman12 [at] gmail.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a Localization and Editing Specialist in the Publishing and Media industries.
Experience: 19 yrs 8 mos
Skills
- Localization
- Project Management
- Writing
- Editing
- Proofreading
- Teaching
Career Highlights
- Over a decade of experience in localization and editing.
- Expert in Japanese-to-English content for pop culture.
- Strong advocate for cross-cultural understanding through storytelling.
Work Experience
Penguin Random House
Localization Editor (Square Enix Manga & Books) (3 yrs 4 mos)
Localization Editor (Kodansha) (7 mos)
VIZ Media
Localization Editor (1 yr 7 mos)
J-Novel Club
Localization Editor (8 mos)
Localization QA / Proofreader (9 mos)
Japan Exchange and Teaching Program(me) - Mihama Board of Education
Assistant Language Teacher (4 yrs 1 mo)
Anime News Network
Associate Editor & Writer (9 yrs 5 mos)
News Intern (3 mos)
Avon Lake Animal Clinic
Groomer (1 yr 1 mo)
Freelance Self-Employed
Writer (14 yrs 10 mos)
PetSmart
PetStylist (4 yrs 10 mos)
Education
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.): Comparative Literature at Oberlin College
Asian Studies Program at Kansai Gaidai University
Summer Institute of Studies in Japanese Popular Culture at Temple University Japan
Associate of Arts with Honors at Lorain County Community College
