I am an experienced online and print journalist in a variety of subject areas, and can turn my hand to writing and editing about pretty much any topic.I’ve done the whole editing and commissioning content, I’ve managed budgets and small teams, am commercially aware and can even go on TV or radio to talk up projects successfully (no, I’m not posting my showreel)
I’m also very passionate about getting people to use the internet properly and get the most out of their experience, whoever they are.
Skills and specialties
Editing, commissioning and writing for print and online
Youth, entertainment and women’s market
Development of strategic editorial and business plans
HTML, Quark, Photoshop, conCEPT04, ReStart
Very good French and German; good Russian, Swedish and Italian
Experience
Senior Editor, Youth, AOL UK
November 2004 – August 2007
Operational lead for AOL’s Youth offering and manager of the programming team, which kind of means I’m “down with the kids”. Responsible for strategic and programming plans, product development and integration as well as delivery against performance and revenue targets and making the internet fun!
Launch Editor, Eleven, AOL UK
August 2006 – February 2007
Launch editor for Eleven, the women’s coffee-break area on AOL UK (http://eleven.aol.co.uk), containing a fun mix of celeb gossip, games, fashion and funny videos
I was the programming lead and main partner liaison, helping to build an instant success with a large, engaged audience (more than 500K unique visitors and 3m page views in the first six months)
Freelance Writer/Editor
March 2003 – April 2005
Provided freelance cover at Commissioning and Features Editor level on magazines, such as Radio Times, New Woman, 3am magazine, new!, Mizz, Wanadoo’s icircle.co.uk
Wrote articles for a variety of magazines: Glamour, Marie Claire, Company, Zoo, bliss, 19, Sainsbury’s and many more
Was part of the small award-winning team behind the BBC’s Songs Of Praise magazine
Editor, Emap
January 1999 – March 2003
Features Editor - more! magazine (2001-2003)
Managed a team of three writers
Commissioned and edited the features content for the fortnightly title
Chief Sub Editor/writer - LOOKS magazine (1999-2001)
Edited the entire monthly magazine
Enabled the smooth-running of the magazine’s entire production, from raw copy, through to pre-printing stage
Wrote regular style and celebrity-based features
Chief Sub Editor,Two-Can Publishing
October 1997 – December 1998
I was the glue that held together the weekly Young Telegraph newspaper and fortnightly magazine Disney’s Big Time.
This involved, among other things, editing and writing, and interviewing some of the top pop acts of the day, including 5ive, 911 and B*witched
Editor, The Publishing Team
July 1996 – October 1997
Responsibilities included editing a variety of customer magazines, for companies such as Sky, House Of Fraser, Alliance and Leicester and Flightbookers. I wrote, commissioned and edited copy, liaised with clients and pitched for new business
Education
The University of Sheffield, 1990 – 1994
BA, German & Russian: I also studied Swedish, Spanish and Polish and spent every waking hour not devoted to my course, ensconced in the student newspaper office
Whitgift School, 1983-1990
