Helen Earley
(She/Her)
As seen in:
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC),
The Globe and Mail,
Time Out,
Lonely Planet,
Lifehack!,
Matador Network,
Fodor's Travel,
FlyerTalk,
SaltWire Network,
The Chronicle Herald
and
Covers:
Family travel, women's travel, solo travel, seniors' travel, travel, aviation, flight tips, airline travel, food, drink, culinary trends, rail travel, budget travel, youth hostels,
Halifax-based freelance writer/author. Former BA trolleydoll. Insomniac.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I had a two week internship at the Big Issue in Vauxhall, followed by a two-week internship at Conde Nast Traveller in Soho!
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes! I even took 'typing' in high school! (I wasn't very good!)
How is social media changing news?
Social media is creating a vacuum of news - an echo chamber where we just see swirls of the same, preferred content being filtered through..
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Oh gosh... I don't know! Can I say Laura Holt, from Remington Steele (even though she was more of a detective)?
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To tell a story.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Not news per se, but I am a huge fan of #cakewrecks
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I love an email followed by a phone call.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Voice memos, Philips dictation app, i-phone, Macbook, Canon DSLR, lights, Word, Excel, Photoshop, Hootsuite, Dropbox, Grammarly, my brain!
What's your favorite social network?
I love Facebook because all my Irish aunties are on it.
Who do you wish followed you?
Food writer and critic, Grace Dent. I'd actually love to go to dinner with her one day.
Why did you become a journalist?
Through travel writing, I help others to consider pushing their own limits.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No - we didn't have a high school newspaper.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I chronicled the immigrant experience of a friend for a glossy magazine. I learned so much about her life. She cried, and thanked me.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Keep recorded interviews brief and focused. Transcribe them right away, while the experience is fresh in your mind.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Fridays and Mondays.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
"Will you marry me?"
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
It was the best and worst - the opportunity to write a really nice travel book.... but the pay was terrible. I had to say no.
What's your favorite drink?
G&T
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
With my family, having fun - trying to juggle all those balls!
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I read the Guardian Weekly religiously, and I love reading in-flight magazines - even if I haven't flown with the airline personally.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That I am an influencer. I do share on social media (and I like to think I'm 'influential'!) but it's not part of my business model.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.