Actor and author Ben Stein calls him “a poet.” Michael Long is an accomplished writer, speechwriter, educator, and award-winning screenwriter and playwright. He is the co- or ghost-writer behind two non-fiction bestsellers, and has been published three times in Vital Speeches of the Day, twice for speeches he delivered. As director of writing for the graduate program in public relations at Georgetown University, he created the writing curriculum and teaches graduate courses in PR writing, speechwriting, and business and persuasive writing. He has led reading programs for children of migrant farm workers, taught remedial mathematics to adults, and delivered guest lectures on humor at American University and the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University.

As a speaker and corporate educator, he has taught writing and speechwriting to audiences around the U.S. and in London, Lisbon, Panama, Saskatchewan, and The Hague. Most recently he was appointed resident writing coach for the Professional Speechwriters Association, which publishes “Prose for Pros,” his long-running weekly column on writing.

Mr. Long’s career as a writer began while he was a graduate student in physics at Vanderbilt University when he started performing comedy, eventually becoming a house emcee for one of the oldest comedy clubs in America. His first job as a writer off-stage was sole speechwriter to one of America’s highest-profile senators.

Mr. Long has written remarks for members of congress, U.S. cabinet secretaries, governors, diplomats, businessmen and women, CEOs, and presidential candidates. In addition, he has served as chief speechwriter for the largest trade association in the world, and contributes political and cultural commentary to numerous print publications and websites. His corporate and government education clients include Bechtel, Booz Allen Hamilton, The Panama Canal Authority, the Premier’s Office of the Government of Saskatchewan, Target Corporation, the United States Navy, and the speechwriting team for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

A provocative speaker and writing educator, he has appeared on CNBC and Good Day New York with Greg Kelly. He is also a commentator on CBC News: Morning with Heather Hiscox in Canada. Beyond his work in politics and policy, he has been consulted for material in The Onion and for Saturday Night Live.

In addition to writing on business and public policy, Mr. Long writes fiction, stage plays, and screenplays. He was a finalist for the Grand Prize for Screenwriting at the Slamdance Film Festival for his screenplay How to Save Your Own Life; the script was also a Top 15 percent finisher for the Motion Picture Academy’s 2015 Nicholl Fellowship. In addition, How to Save… was chosen as a finalist at the Vail Film Festival, the Creative World Awards, and the World Series of Screenwriting. A stage version of the show was produced in a two-week run at Manhattan Repertory Theater. Mr. Long was also a semi-finalist for the Kairos Prize for his Christian screenplay The Joby Project, and he serves as story consultant to American Film Renaissance. He was most recently a finalist for the International Screenwriters Association Fast Track Fellowship for his historical thriller Henry Wallace.

As a playwright, nearly 20 of his one-acts have been festival selections around the nation, most often on New York City stages. He is a five-time winner of “best of festival” honors in the Players Theatre Short Play and Musical Festival in Greenwich Village; three times for the thrillers Hostages, Catchpole, and Details, and twice for the romantic comedies Brad Pitt and The Test.

Mr. Long holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from Murray State University. His current projects include a commissioned screenplay and the co-writing of a book that uses neuroscience to explain common-but-curious human behaviors.