Why did you choose to become a freelancer?
I was attracted to the idea of having total freedom in my work.
If you trained, where? If not, how did you become a freelancer?
I was doing a masters in English at King's College London and started freelancing in order to build up my portfolio, with the eventual aim of applying for jobs when I finished the course. By the time interesting staff jobs began to appear, some time after I'd graduated, I'd already got my foot on the ladder and was really enjoying freelancing, so decided to stick with it.
Do you specialise in any particular field and what areas do you write about?
I describe myself as an arts and travel journalist, which lets me keep things really broad. I happen to have written a lot about theatre, books and Italy, although I'm happy to work on almost anything. I'm particularly interested in artistic projects that engage with social, political and environmental issues and I'm a big fan of sustainable and slow travel.
Which publications have you been published in?
The Guardian, the Independent, the Telegraph, Condé Nast Traveller and the Big Issue, as well as lots of fairly niche magazines.
Which articles, in which publication, are you the most proud of?
I wrote an article for the Guardian earlier this year about my experience house-sitting in southern Italy; that was lovely to see. Another piece I'm particularly proud of is an article on the disabled-led theatre company, Graeae, which appeared in the Big Issue a couple of months ago.
What are the best and worst aspects of freelancing?
The freedom is fantastic, in terms of both lifestyle and the work that I choose to do. On the downside, a string of negative responses to pitches can be disheartening and it's a pain never being able to predict when you're going to be busy.
Do you have any interesting anecdotes in relation to your experience as a freelancer?
While living in Italy last year I was frequently frustrated by Italians simply not believing me when I told them that I was freelance journalist. I look quite young and for many people I met there, the notion of a young woman working independently in this way was just totally unfamiliar and their instinctive response was to patronise. At one stage, an elderly potter I was interviewing actually patted me on the head.
Senior Desk Editor - International News Desk
