Category: freelance life

Copywriting, Feature Writing, freelance life, Writing

August 2025: some recent work

DorkyMum

It’s been a few months since I did a post about my work projects, so I thought I would pop on here and share a few links!

Firstly, a thank you to Brand Tasmania, who continue to be one of my most regular clients – and also one of my favourites! My work for them involves taking interview transcripts and turning them into profiles. Sometimes there are a few as part of a series – women in sport, or healthcare workers – other times it’s just an inspiring individual who in some way captures what it means to be Tasmanian. My recent profiles have included:

Continue reading “August 2025: some recent work” →

Copywriting, Feature Writing, freelance life, Writing

ChatGPT and me: a commitment to my clients

DorkyMum

 

I’m in a lot of writer groups online, and there’s one topic that seems to come up almost daily at the moment: ChatGPT.

The conversations around it are wide-ranging and often passionate. Some writers won’t go anywhere near it for ethical, environmental, or creative reasons. Others have fully embraced it, and are open about how they have incorporated it into their workflow. Some use it quietly, without disclosing it to clients. And some are using it against their better judgment, simply because clients expect or require them to.

It’s clear we’re still in the early stages of figuring out how AI fits into creative and professional writing. There are strong opinions and no settled norms – and as freelancers, it’s up to each of us to take an individual position that we are comfortable with.

For me, that decision is clear: I don’t use ChatGPT for client work.

Continue reading “ChatGPT and me: a commitment to my clients” →

Copywriting, Feature Writing, freelance life

April 2025: some recent work

DorkyMum

Hello everyone, I hope you’ve all enjoyed a break over the Easter weekend.

If you’re anything like me, you’re now racing to get a week’s worth of work done in three days before the next public holiday on Friday! Perhaps instead I should just give myself over to some enforced rest and pick things up next week when school goes back instead…

While I do have a moment spare, I thought I would share just a few links to some of my recent work.

Continue reading “April 2025: some recent work” →

Copywriting, Feature Writing, freelance life, Writing

Cheerio 2024, hello 2025!

DorkyMum

It’s that wonderful week between Christmas and New Year when there are few demands on my time, and still plenty of festive snacks left in the fridge.

I always find this period to be both relaxing and productive. Without any work obligations, I can tackle some of the other things that need doing around the house – all the paperwork tasks and chores that sit on my to-do list for six months, but take only ten minutes when I finally get to them… leaving plenty of time for an afternoon nap.

In order to put 2024 firmly behind me, I thought I’d pop up a quick blog post to share some links to my final few published pieces of the year.

Continue reading “Cheerio 2024, hello 2025!” →

Copywriting, Feature Writing, freelance life

October 2024: some recent writing work

DorkyMum

Hello friends,

I hope the year is treating you well. We are very happy to be moving into spring here in Tasmania – the warmer, lighter days are a delight after a very wet and windy winter. I no longer have to shove a hot water bottle up my jumper when I’m sitting at the desk in my home office!

Since it’s been a couple of months since my last post on here, I thought it was time to share a few more links to pieces I’ve worked on recently. So, here goes.

Almost all of these are articles that I’ve written for CSIRO, but they’re on a very diverse range of subjects so hopefully there will be at least one that piques your interest!

Continue reading “October 2024: some recent writing work” →

Feature Writing, freelance life, Writing

July 2024: some recent work

DorkyMum

July already! Goodness me, how did that happen? This year seems to be galloping along at an incredible pace.

It has been a very busy year for me so far, with a great combination of shorter one-off projects and longer tasks that I can really immerse myself in. I hope the second half of the year continues in the same way – although perhaps with fewer family medical dramas. Thank you to all my wonderful clients for your patience and flexibility as we worked through that tricky little spell.

It’s always fun to take a moment and reflect on the variety of work that has come across my desk, and this update is no exception.

Continue reading “July 2024: some recent work” →

Copywriting, freelance life

January 2024: some recent work

DorkyMum

We have somehow reached the end of January already!

It’s still school holidays here in Tasmania for another week, but now that my kiddo is a little older – and very able to entertain himself – I’ve managed to get some work done over the last few weeks and thought I would share some links with you.

Continue reading “January 2024: some recent work” →

Copywriting, Feature Writing, freelance life, Writing

May 2023: Some recent work

DorkyMum

Just a very quick post from me today to share some recent pieces I’ve had published.

These three links say more than I ever could about the diversity of work that comes my way as a freelancer!

Firstly, I was so pleased to have an essay published in Guardian Australia, reflecting on the ten years that have passed since we first visited Tasmania, and everything that has happened in that time. I’ve had a lovely response to the piece, which I was initially just going to pop on my own DorkyMum blog, so I’m very grateful to the Guardian team for giving it a home and helping it find a bigger audience.

You can read that here: I was told to live like a tourist after my 18,000km move. But I owe Tasmania more than that. Continue reading “May 2023: Some recent work” →

freelance life

Notes from two small islands

DorkyMum

Back in September I was invited to take part in a Hobart Pecha Kucha event.

Pecha Kucha originated in Japan but now takes places in cities all over the world. It’s an event format in which invited speakers prepare 20 slides – images only, no text – and have 20 seconds to speak about each one. Continue reading “Notes from two small islands” →

Copywriting, Feature Writing, freelance life

A New Year: Open for Business

DorkyMum

Decorative flat lay with the text 'Happy New Year' in the centre

You know you’ve been busy when you don’t get a chance to write a ‘Happy New Year’ blog post until the first week of March.

It feels a bit late to be posting a detailed roundup of the projects I worked on during 2020, so I think I will skip that annual tradition other than to say thank you so much to all the clients and editors who chose to work with me. Continue reading “A New Year: Open for Business” →