What was your first job as a journalist?
Assistant editor, Footprint Books, editing travel guides for places as diverse as Thailand, South America and Tallinn.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No! I’m not that old :)
How is social media changing news?
I think it makes it harder to contextualise and understand. I’m old school about it - I get news from proper news outlets still.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Lois Lane.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
I’m a travel and features journalist so I look at it as opening up a window into a different world, helping readers understand something new
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Trello, Google Docs, and lots of post its. I love to write things down physically. Again, old school...
What's your favorite social network?
LinkedIn. I’m a geek like that.
Why did you become a journalist?
I always wanted to meet interesting people, and tell their stories.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I’ve just written a piece about following The Summer Book in Finland for the Sunday Times that I feel really good about!
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
If you get the chance, spend a year as a sub or copy editor. It helps you understand story construction and how to avoid writing pitfalls
When's the best time to pitch you?
Afternoons. I try to do my writing in the morning when I’m fresh, and respond to everything else in the afternoon.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I got a great press release from a team about a gallery opening in Oslo that still sticks in my mind. Lots of figures and reasons to write
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Nothing springs to mind, I’m open to considering most things. It’s useful if you’ve checked what I write about and who for first, though.
What's your favorite drink?
You can’t beat a cup of tea.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Swimming in the sea. I’m on a mission to swim in every country in Scandinavia this year (2022).
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I’m a big fan of Monocle.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
It’s much more than ‘here’s what I did on my holiday’. I look to tell a deeper, more nuanced and sensitive story about local culture.
