BACK STORY

Historically speaking...

Housing magazine, August-September 2016

My background and my strengths lie in features, although I've done my share of news reporting for the titles I've worked on.

All told, I have some 15 years' experience working on B2B trade publications and websites: writing, researching, editing copy, proofreading pages, and otherwise doing my bit to ensure deadlines are met and publications are fit for their readers.

Alongside my formal experience, I've written plenty of material over the years on subjects close to my heart, whether that's politics and social affairs, science and technology, or literature and culture. Some of this has been on a freelance basis, but plenty has been written as part of my blogging activities. Writers write, after all.

Highlights of my past activities include:


EXCEL MEDIA SOLUTIONS, formerly Excel Publishing, Manchester (2006 to 2017)
Senior Journalist

For over a decade, I was the journalist on Housing magazine, a B2B publication aimed primarily at social housing professionals and their supply chain partners. Originally, it was three regional titles (Northern Housing et al) until we consolidated them into one national title. The feature-led print publication was enhanced by the daily news coverage we provided on the Housing Excellence website.

The magazine, naturally, reflected the experiences and the issues the readership faced, so my writing dealt with a wide range of gritty social and political issues affecting the sector (as you can see from this website). In many respects, it was a curious role in that a significant proportion of my writing took a form you might not usually associate with a niche trade mag.

Typically, I was writing about politics, government, public policy, legal issues, welfare reform, social inclusion, poverty and worklessness, and more. Alongside this, I wrote more workaday pieces, looking at construction techniques, housing developments, technology, business news, event previews and reviews, as well as interviews with sector leaders and influential figures from outside the industry.

As part of a small but busy editorial team, my time wasn't focused exclusively on Housing. I was also expected to contribute to the magazine's sister titles and some of Excel's contract publications. In that regard, I was writing for Builder & Engineer, Local Government Executive, Timber in Construction (in-house), along with Master Builder magazine and Elements (contract titles).



WRITERS NEWS (1999 to 2006)
Freelance

This is a market-leading title for creative writers of every ilk. I contributed news stories and the occasional feature about the activities of local writers and the wider grass roots writing scene.

TYKE WRITER Newsletter (2001 to 2004)
Editor/Writer/Publisher

Published on behalf of Interchange (Bradford Writers' Network), a West Yorkshire writers' group (hence the name 'Tyke'), this was a monthly A4 newsletter containing news and features about, and of interest to, literary types in the Bradford & District area.

INTERNATIONAL DYER (1998 to 1999)
World Textile Publications
Staff Writer

An internationally published print title covering the global textile dyeing, printing and finishing industry, based in Bradford, it was my job to write news and features.

Other titles I have written for on an ad hoc freelance basis include: Your Sinclair, Bradford Cassette, Amateur Film & Video Maker, Print R@adio, Old Yorkshire magazine, The Yorkshire Journal, Morning Star newspaper, Internet Review of Film, Lexikon magazine, and others.

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