I always knew I was going to be a writer. Tucked away in my parents' drawers are still stories about my cats or the childish wonders of the day written on scraps of paper, and even a full newspaper (complete with a Sport section and a crossword!)

​

Strangely though, life first took me into teaching. A career in education is often wonderful and soul-destroying in equal parts. After 12 years, I decided to pursue a career that would truly fulfill me and make that little girl writer proud. 

​

However, teaching taught me so much about people and the motivations behind their choices. These inform my content writing to this day:

​​

1. If people don't understand it, you haven't explained it well enough. Clarity beats cleverness.

2. You have to meet people where they are. You can't teach a room full of students as if they all have the same knowledge, interests or motivations.

The same is true of an audience.

3. Knowing your subject isn't enough. Expertise only becomes useful when you know how communicate it effectively.

4. People remember stories, not facts. Stories give them a reason to care and get invested in what you're saying.

5. Changing your approach is part of the process, not an admission of failure.

​​

Ultimately, teaching taught me that good communication starts with understanding people. That's something I bring to every piece of content I write.

​​