They say that everyone is good at something – so much the better if you can make a living doing it!

I’ve had ‘a way with words’ for as long as I can remember. Since primary school anyway. My youthful aptitude for writing led to a fascination with the news media: newspapers, magazines, radio and TV in that pre-Internet era.

My well-meaning parents sent me to an exclusive private secondary school, where I gravitated to the humanities: English, French, Latin, Social Studies and Economics. Writing and editing club newsletters was more interesting than maths and science lessons.

With medico-level handwriting, I taught myself to use a typewriter and have been a two-finger ‘hunter-pecker’ ever since!

I passed the HSC and entered university, but that was before communication degrees were invented (not that they're much practical use, judging by the ability of many graduates), so I was a square peg in a round hole and dropped out.

I scored a cadetship interview by legendary Melbourne 'Age' editor Graham Perkin, but lacked the go-get 'em aggression and worldly maturity needed for that prized gig. Nevertheless I picked

up journalism skills during the 1970s by reading and listening to the nation's top news reporters and commentators.

Communication has been a common denominator throughout my working life. 

At first, as a lifelong revhead I scratched out a living as a freelance motorsport photo-journalist. My full-time journalism has included corporate communication and media liaison with a household-name motoring and insurance organisation, and associate editor of a top-selling consumer magazine. In sales and marketing I've worked in B2B and retail (see Career Summary, below).

 

My ‘gift of the gab’ has been the key to success in all of those roles, from interviewing CEOs and sporting heroes to editing verbiage out of technicians' sloppy copy and flogging merchandise door-to-door.

A double stint as a stay-at-home father was life-changing, albeit appalling remunerated! Since the kids began school I’ve been a self-employed publicist and corporate communications consultant for SMEs and professional practitioners in a variety of industries.

That’s my story – and I’m sticking to it!

CAREER SUMMARY

• External and internal corporate communications positions with a leading national consumer brand (NRMA Ltd).

• Associate editor of a top-selling consumer magazine (Australian 4WD Monthly, since retitled Australian 4WD Action).

• Managing editor of a digital publication (Integratext financial planner's reference manual, no longer published).

• Freelance contributor to Australian mainstream and niche publishers, including News Ltd, Fairfax, ACP, Chevron.

• Marketing and sales positions in industries ranging from industrial products to gifts and homewares.

• Proofreader of academic research papers.

SERVICES

•  Media publicity: Don't just advertise - publicise!
• Copywriting: wordsmith for hire!
• Editing and proofreading: Verbiage in; copy out!
• Publications: Takeaway publicity!
• Website content: Win the 10-second challenge!
• Website management: Don't let updates get you down!

Contact me for a no-obligation chat to find out how I can tell your target market what's good about your business.

Good Publicity is located in Guildford, six kilometres south of Parramatta in the heart of Greater Sydney, NSW. No matter what industry you're in, or where you are in Australia or overseas, you can be assured of professional and affordable service.