What was your first job as a journalist?
I jumped straight in at the deep end cold pitching.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
My mother bought one for me as a child and I wrote stories on it endlessly until the ribbon went dry.
How is social media changing news?
It's immediate and dominated by clickbait. We're more reactive, less considered. I like to think about what's important to say & what's not.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To tell the stories of others, report on what matters and what's changing and investigate the challenges and limitations of contemporary culture.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I mean... ?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Clear, short with a hook. Tell me what you're going to do, how and the time it takes to get it done.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google suit, my mitts and social media.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter + Instagram.
Who do you wish followed you?
Avril Lavign.
Why did you become a journalist?
Because discussing health, culture and sex is the only way to make marginalised genders and people safer.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I didn't, but I wish I had.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My piece for glamour on the duality of pain and joy of watching friends fall pregnant when you can't.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Keep going. Find your voice. Don't rush. And, always ask for mentorship.
When's the best time to pitch you?
When I'm not OOO.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Sense, sensibility and Selling Sunset.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Balldo. Just why.
What's your favorite drink?
Aviation, a *very* dry martini - or, when in doubt, a generous dram of Hebredian whiskey.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Sucked into a good fictional work, drawing at my studio or strolling around a gallery.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Refiery29, Cosmopolitan, Huck, Guardian... Too many to list.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it isn't an important barometer for wider cultural perceptions surrounding mobility and acceptance.
