January 2005 – Present, Freelancer

Writing and sub-editing on a diverse range of projects for a wide range of clients. This has included:

• Assessing the parenting microsite for one of the UK's top three supermarkets. The brief involved repurposing some of the current content and suggesting improvements and new ideas.

• Writing one of the main Christmas food brochures for a leading High Street brand. Many of the descriptions were for existing products, making it vital to be able to successfully reinvigorate the material.

• Creating all the advertorials for a health and beauty magazine for four years. The products were often similar, so I needed to convey the particular benefits of each one and the individual company’s unique character. They then had to be unified with the magazine’s feel-good tone of voice.

Redwood Integrated Customer Communications

January 2004-December 2004, Deputy Editor and Advertorials Manager M&S Foresight Department

Preparing creative briefs, developing concepts, copywriting and managing the delivery of a range of marketing material for Marks & Spencer. This included direct mail, in-store décor, brochures, advertorials and leaflets. I also organised photoshoots, created briefs and managed a freelance creative team.

August 2002-December 2003, Freelance Copywriter/Sub-Editor for above department.

January 2002-August 2002, Sub-Editor Sky Customer Magazine

Sub-editing pages and personalised letters for Sky Customer Magazine and copywriting personalised letters and advertorials.

July 2001-December 2001, Assistant Editor Yellow Pages City Guides

Training and supervising junior team members of the Yellow Pages City Guides team.

Researching and writing listings copy for thirteen regional versions of the Yellow Pages City Guide. This included travelling to UK cities to undertake preliminary research and interviews, which was supplemented by telephone and Internet research. I also compiled flatplans and approved cromalins.

September 2000-June 2001, Sub-Editor for the above publication.

January 1998-August 2000, Production Controller Volvo Magazine

Managing the entire production process of Volvo Magazine. During my time in this role the number of foreign language versions increased from two to nineteen and I was responsible for repro, budget and schedule management.

AIM Publications

January 1997-December 1997, Production Manager

Managing the production of a portfolio of magazines. This included recruiting and training new staff, managing the Production Assistant and employing suppliers.

VNU Business Publications

January 1996-December 1996, Production Manager

Working on the flagship title Accountancy Age (weekly newspaper) and VAR World (monthly), I managed the relationship between advertisers, the colour reprographic house and printer to ensure that the publications produced to specification and tight deadlines.

January 1994-December 1995, Assistant Production Controller on eight titles and Production Manager on Personal Computer Magazine

May 1991-December 1993, Production Manager on PC Dealer and What PC

October 1990-April 1991, Production Assistant Personal Computer World

January 1990-September 1990, Trainee Sub-Editor Personal Computer World

June 1989-December 1989, Editorial Assistant Personal Computer World

Qualifications: 3 A levels (including English Literature), 9 O levels (including Maths and English).

Further Education/Courses: Open University Degree BA Hons, specialising in English Literature and Language (Upper 2nd Class).

City and Guilds Certificate in Teaching Adults Basic Skills.

Writing For Children, Advanced Sub-Editing, Feature Writing, News Writing, Telephone and Face-to-Face Interviewing.

Freelance writer, sub-editor and tone of voice specialist