All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind. - Kahlil Gibran
writing is my craft
As a professionally-trained journalist who excels at building creative content and copy, I'm curious and meticulous. Very. As a writer, I'm always looking for the heart of the matter, for the story that makes a difference. As an editor, I'm motivated to elevate the writing of those around me.
My writing style is crisp, clear, clever and succinct. My editing goals are accuracy, cadence and simplicity.
Journalism: I've worked as a newspaper reporter and editor, and as a freelance magazine writer. I have been a beat reporter covering politics and environmental issues. I've interviewed heads of state and illegal refugee coffee farmers. I've profiled Olympians and human rights crusaders, peace pilgrims (for real!) and loads and loads of expats. I've travelled alongside thoughtful people passionate about place, and told their stories. I ran the newsroom as the Editor in Chief and I worked as a fixer for foreign reporters while living and working overseas. I've contributed freelance journalism pieces to a number of national dailies and magazines. For 15 years, I split my time between Latin America and the Canadian Rockies. I'm always on the go, always striving for more.
Travel Writing: Travel is at the heart of my life. Fresh out of J-School, I wrote my first hotel review while working as a reporter in Costa Rica in 1999 and have been a professional travel writer since 2001, when my first guidebook hit stands. Since then, I have authored or co-authored six guidebooks, some of them now in their 10th edition. Hotels, backcountry lodges, fishing lodges, boutique inns, wine resorts, cabins, restaurants, museums, trails, driving tours, outfitters, guides - I've covered it all.
I'm regularly consulted as an expert on the fields of travel, place and travel writing. My travel writing has been featured in The Globe and Mail (CAN), on NBC's The Today Show (US), on BBC Radio (UK) and the Financial Times (UK) among many other publications and media. I have guested on podcasts and was a finalist for the 2017 CBC Non-fiction Prize for a piece about fly-fishing in Patagonia.
Brand and Content: I consult as a brand strategist, copywriter and copy-editor for a number of clients in the US, Canada and in Argentina - for organizations ranging from tourism and the arts to healthcare and event management. For 20 years, I've been collaboratively on marketing teams, generating clever positioning and compelling messages, getting the most out of our language and helping clients truly connect with their audience. In the field of film and video, I've mastered a number of roles including producer, production manager, script writer and director. As a successful copywriter, I've produced effective copy for digital, printed marketing materials, collateral, email marketing and social media. I've picked up expertise in paid and organic social, marketing automation, SMS, CDP, all the Google tricks and sneaky ways to optimize touchpoints. I've been busy.