Work with Laura

Can you write something for us?

Chances are that if it aligns with my interests - social class and social mobility, grief, memory, the experience of the Irish in Britain, the 90s, deindustrialised Northern towns and ‘New Towns’, drag, mother/daughter relationships, the relationship between identity and place etc - the answer is likely to be a resounding ‘yes’. I write narrative non-fiction, essays, short stories, interviews, articles and more.

We have an idea around grief and creativity…can you help?

Absolutely. Check out Projecting Grief and take a look at our portraits and stories of people finding comfort, distraction or hope in creative pursuits after being bereaved.

We can help you set up a bespoke exhibition, be part of your festival, speak at your event, present a webinar, facilitate creative workshops or interview and photograph a group - the options are plentiful. Get in touch and we can discuss.

Can you show us how to write more effectively?

I’d love to. As a former English teacher, Assistant Head and occasional communications consultant, tough audiences (stony-faced Year 11s, Gen Z digital natives) don’t faze me at all. I love finding creative and inspiring ways to teach people about language, from dissecting the brilliance of @TheMERL’s tweets (seriously, take a look) to exploring Patrick Kavanagh’s mastery of voice in Tarry Flynn – oof, it’s really something. In-person or remote workshops available.

Can you help us pin down our tone of voice?

Oh yes - tone of voice is my favourite commercial writing task.

How it works: first we’ll find out more about your work and the values that drive it. Then we’ll work out your brand personality: four or five adjectives, with an exploration of what each of those looks and sounds like in terms of language. The final step: loads of practical, tangible examples of your new voice in action with no marketing waffle. You’re welcome.

Can you help us tell our story?

We’ve been telling stories since we were kids, so how come it’s so - well, hard? Especially when you’re trying to get to the very essence of what you do and why - the most critical of narratives.

Divvn’t worry. I’ll ask the right questions to end the overwhelm and bring things back into focus; then together we’ll find confidence in words. Proper, authentic voices 4eva.

We need some varied, ongoing comms support…

Variety is my middle name (actually it’s Marie, but you know what I mean).

I spend a limited number days a month helping organisations on a retainer basis. It’s a great option for companies that can’t quite justify a full-time PR/comms team member but need a degree of support. You can use your time to fire anything at me – blog posts, website content, press releases – or we can talk and I can work out a comprehensive comms strategy for you.

Can you help us write the content for our website/annual report/marketing materials etc?

Yes, definitely. Although do be prepared to dig deep – there’s a bigger picture here, and I’ll have lots of questions about your purpose, your ambitions, your audiences, values and personality. Once we’re clear on those absolute fundamentals, we’ll fathom your tone of voice, your key messages and the best platforms for them and go from there. It’s a really exciting process seeing your voice and written content finally take shape – it never gets old.

We have a project that goes beyond content writing - can you help?

Absolutely. I often work alongside designers, marketing types and branding people on bigger projects such as website redesigns and brand guidelines.

And if you need a suggestion, I have a network of tried and trusted agencies and freelancers I’ve worked with before and would happily recommend. 

Can you help us get some press or other media coverage?

I write a mean press release and can sniff out the best contacts and publications for your story. I can also work with you to understand whether you’re making the most of your existing networks and platforms.

Let’s tell the world your story.

I have a podcast/need a speaker - can we talk?

I thought you’d never ask!

If it falls into my areas of interest and expertise – life writing/memoir, books, Drag Race, working-class narratives, being Irish in Britain/2nd generation Irishness, freelance life or why Game On is the best episode of the West Wing ever (I.D.S.T.) – I’m totally up for it. 

Do you do social media?

Nailing the line between engaging and professional on social media can be tricky. What do you want to say? Who’s your audience? Is this too inflammatory? Have you read Jon Ronson’s So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed? (if so, we absolutely need to talk about it).

I don’t do day-to-day social media management, but I can help by providing no-nonsense campaign and broader comms strategies with accompanying rules of engagement, tone of voice and content pillar guidance to get you feeling super confident about your approach.