Welcome

This website is the hub for the professional work of William V. Brust, aka @mrwbrust.

I am a professional writer from Atlanta, Georgia whose talents extend to grant-writing, project management, graphic novel creation, and storytelling. See all my qualifications, including every job I’ve ever had, under the headings below.

Portfolios available upon request. Feel free to contact me at wbrust@gmail.com.

View my linktree for more content.

NONPROFIT WORK

I provide grant-writing and data management services for eligible non-profits. My interest in grant-writing began in 2008, when I decided to unite my passion for writing with my love for public service. I started out as a volunteer grant-writer for local non-profits then switched to a freelance model closer to 2009.

As my undergraduate degree was in history, I decided I needed more training in how non-profits work. I took several paid and free courses at the Atlanta Foundation Center (before the Candid merger) and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits.

In 2014, I took a break from grant-writing to pursue a master’s degree in teaching. After teaching for two years (2015-2017), I realized it wasn’t for me. I began work at Georgia State University, taking on general admin, receptionist, and data-entry responsibilities.

Since early 2020, my passion for non-profits has been rekindled, and I’m currently pursuing new opportunities in the grant-writing, fundraising, and non-profits management fields.

A partial list of past and current clients is below.

Cay Communications: Atlanta, GA 03/20 – Present

Young Adult Guidance Center: Atlanta, GA: 6/20 – 8/20

Autism Improvised: Atlanta, GA 12/19 – Present

Beauty Becomes You Foundation: Atlanta, GA: Oct. 2008 – Jan. 2011

Areas of Expertise

  • Grant-writing
  • Data management
  • Calendar management
  • LOI assistance
  • Project management
  • Content creation

Now a member of Grant Professionals Association. See our Code of Ethics.

I am also on the board of the Atlanta Autism Consortium and a Co-Founder and official Grant-Writer for William’s House, Inc.

TUTORING

Using my experience as a special education teacher, my training in social cognitivist learning, and my lived experience as a person with autism, I can relate to students in a unique way, empowering them to access the material and gain the required skills and knowledge.

I provide virtual and in-person tutoring services for children grades 5-12.

Most of my students are from the metro-Atlanta area, but I am open to serving students from all backgrounds and U.S. areas.

Currently, I am tutoring online at Hoot Reading.

Qualifications:

  • Training in social cognitivist and behaviorist learning models
  • Master’s in Teaching from Georgia State University, majoring in Middle Level Education with a focus in Language Arts and Social Studies
  • Served two years as a special education language arts teacher with Fulton County Schools
  • Served as an independent tutor for a few years
  • Volunteer classroom experience with Literacy Action
  • As summer camp counselor for Korean Community Presbyterian Church, focused on vocabulary development and editing/revision skills
  • Successfully engaged students in collaborative lessons and activities

SHORT STORIES

William has been published in the following places:

Atom Jack Magazine (now defunct) in 2006 for The Mission, a scifi short story about sperm cells vying to fertilize an egg.

Lorelei Signal in 2006 for The Cursed Ship, a fantasy short story about supernatural happenings on a ship, featuring strange creatures and bad luck.

He is currently working on a digital gamebook. It’s a portal fantasy where you play as a member of the Nexus Rangers, multiversal guardians devoted to exploring all spacetime and protecting the innocent.

Kind of a weird blend of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the Bible.

It is very much still under construction, but you can read the initial draft here: Multiversal Gamebook.

COMIX

I’ve been making comics since I was six years old. Bubblegum-Man, Atlanta’s premier candy-powered superhero, was the product of that first bolt of creative brilliance. A straightforward superhero story featuring a cast of quirky characters: Bubblegum-Man is the story of a diabetic man named Chris who is transformed by science into living candy. Together with a mad scientist, an immortal Spaniard, and a preteen girl in egg-shaped power armor, he must thwart the plans of the evil Dr. Mollusk, defeat the mutants besieging Atlanta, and stop the alien Archons from eating the human race.

Secret Operations is a self-aware superhero comedy featuring slice-of-life vignettes with a twist. Each book is 8 pages and features between 2 to 4 stories.

Bubblegum-Man and Secret Operations are both currently available for free over on Webtoon.

I also created a humor comic called In His Spare Time, featuring God and the angels.

Feel like supporting my debilitating LEGO habit?

Check out my shop!

Everything Resume

Below you will find a listing for every paying job I’ve ever had.

(Yes, even the embarrassing ones!)

Volunteer experiences not included.

Data Management Clerk for Ventures Atl, 3/23 – Present

  • Organized and improved data collection and retention for client.
  • Sought new and more challenging projects as they became available.

Tutor for Hoot Reading, 3/23 – Present

  • Provided skilled reading guidance and mentorship
  • Monitored student progress, encouraged progress through praise and positive reinforcement

Admin Specialist for Georgia State University, 7/22 – 1/23                 

  • Calendar management, file management
  • Invoice processing and event planning

Test Scorer for Pearson, February 2022

  • Scored tests

Tutor for C2 Education, 8/21 – 7/22

  • Provided preparatory and introductory tutoring sessions for SAT and ACT Reading and Writing, among other subjects
  • Provided guidance and support through college essay process

Grant-Writer and Research Manager for Cay Communications, LLC, 3/20 – Present

  • Promoted to this position after serving as Grant Assistant
  • Responsible for prospect research, creating, maintaining unique client databases and prioritizing monthly targets, and completing grant solicitations for organizations with budgets ranging from $450,000-$1.3M+

Staff Assistant for Georgia State University, 8/17 – 1/21

  • Prepared invoices, monitored deposits, developed queries and reports on the financial system
  • Created and maintained Excel spreadsheets, coordinated existing data

Summer Camp Instructor for Korean Community Presbyterian Church, 6/17 – 7/17

  • Taught rising 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students
  • Successfully engaged students in collaborative lessons and activities

Special Education Teacher for Elkins Pointe Middle School, 8/15 – 5/17

  • Taught 6th grade language arts in the co-taught and small group settings
  • Coordinated agendas for lessons, created presentations for students, supported students effectively in assigned project-based work, and scheduled and ran various parent/teacher and IEP meetings

Front Service Clerk for Walgreens, 7/11 – 8/14

  • Light maintenance and upkeep of photo lab equipment
  • Used creativity and problem-solving skills to meet customer needs

Kitchen Aide for Georgia State University, 8/10 – 5/11

  • Performed dish-washing duties, providing a quick turnaround of plates and silverware
  • Performed light cooking duties for wings and cookies

Houseman for Sage Hospitality, 5/10 – 6/10

  • Kept up with housekeeper demands for sheets, towels, soap, and other supplies for guests
  • Maintained cleanliness of hotel through vacuum, mopping, and dish-running duties

Work-Adjustment Trainee for Goodwill of North GA, 1/10 – 5/10       

  • Provided stocking and janitorial services for Goodwill in exchange for payment and work-adjustment classes through the Georgia Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
  • Demonstrated insatiable work ethic

Restaurant Generalist for Urban Flats, 4/09 – 12/09                            

  • Provided welcoming atmosphere for customers and guests
  • Performed dish-washing duties

Independent Tutor, 1/09 – 4/12

  • Helped high school students achieve educational goals
  • Specialization in history, writing, and literature

Freelance Grant-Writer, 10/08 – 6/14

  • Won grant from Thomas H. Pitts Trust in the amount of $5000 for Marcus Autism Center
  • Won grant from A Hand Up Atlanta in the amount of $2500 for Beauty Becomes You Foundation

Administrative Assistant for Archdiocese of Atlanta, 7/07 – 1/08

  • Became proficient at performing Mail Merges in MS Word, as well as maintaining databases and spreadsheets in Access and Excel
  • Managed communications with clients and customers at over fifty churches in the state of Georgia

Office Team Temp for RHA Health Services, 10/06 – 3/07

  • Organized and maintained filing system
  • Handled sensitive documents for healthcare institution

Summer Camp Counselor for Duke Youth Programs, 6/04 – 7/04

  • Provided supervision and guidance for adolescent youth
  • Mediated in disputes between campers

Work-Study Employee for Presbyterian College, 1/04 – 8/05             

  • Modeled for Art Department Life-Drawing class, spring semester of 2004
  • Temporary bookstore cashier/greeter during freshmen orientation of 2005

Front Service Clerk for Publix Supermarkets, 8/00 – 12/03

  • Helped customers expedite their transactions
  • Provided excellent customer service