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Who I am
Who I am
I'm a London-based journalist,
specialising in health writing since 1990. I write books and work as a freelance
for magazines, newspapers and websites.
I started out on newspapers - so I'm used to checking facts and meeting tight deadlines.
Then I moved to magazines and I now specialise in writing about health and well-being. My
last staff job was as a health writer for the best selling women's monthly
magazine Prima.
If you'd like to commission me or find out more, please e-mail me.
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What I do
Though I specialise in health, I'm happy to write about other
subjects too. Chinese opera, industrial relations, paranormal phenomena and Australian
Aboriginal use of new technology are just a few of the areas I've covered for various
publications. One of my specialities is being able to produce good clean copy - accurate
and well researched - in a very short time.
As a health writer I cover a wide range of topics, from medical and scientific
breakthroughs to the most esoteric complementary therapies. My attitude is that anything's
possible, but I'd like to see it backed by solid evidence: that goes for medical
procedures as well as the alternatives. If there's no firm evidence but it seems harmless,
it could still be worth a try. After all, the placebo effect can cure as well as anything
else. And science still has a lot to learn.
Being a great believer in self-help, I include an action plan in my stories wherever
possible, listing ways people can help themselves that aren't in conflict with any
necessary medical treatment.
Some of the subjects that most interest me are healthy ageing, food safety and
the interplay between mind and body. I also have more of a grasp of nutrition
and fitness than most (you'd be amazed how many unsafe exercises and silly diets
still find their way into print), since I worked for several years on the very
research-oriented Health & Fitness magazine. But I'll turn my hand to anything I
can find out about.
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Pieces of paper
I have
| * |
A degree in modern languages from University College London |
| * |
A post-graduate diploma in journalism studies from University College Cardiff, |
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A proficiency certificate from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (that's to prove I'm a real journalist and qualified while I was working on a newspaper). |
What else?
| * | A clean motorbike licence |
| * | A scuba-diving certificate! |
I'm a member of the National Union of Journalists, the Guild of Health Writers and the
Medical Journalists' Association. I have dual nationality, British and Australian.
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Contact information
Janet
Janet