This week we chat to freelancer Flic Everett.
About your journalism:
What do you write about?
I write features on lifestyle, relationships, trends, celebrities,
interviews, comment columns, relationship advice columns and personal
columns. I also do stupid stuff (like swapping lives with my Mum) and report
back. It’s a living…
Where are we likely to see your work?
I’ve written for lots of national newspapers and magazines, but at the
moment, the Daily Mail, The Mirror, the Express, Fabulous, Red, Company and
Top Sante. At the moment, I’m also acting features editor of Candis
Magazine.
What’s the most memorable work you’ve done?
Most stupid: riding a horse bareback wearing a cocktail dress. Now, I can¹t
even remember what the feature was about.
Most upsetting: Interviewing a woman whose musician husband had Alzheimers.
He was only in his 50s.
Most fun: A press trip to Malaysia, which was the best place I’ve ever been.
I still think about it when I’m depressed.
What interview or feature would you love the chance to do?
I wish I’d thought of writing an amateur cookery column like Julie & Julia.
I love cooking, and getting paid to bake would be marvellous. In interview
terms, I think you should never meet your heroes – it can only end in
disappointment.
About you and PRs:
Where do you source ideas for articles?
From news stories, online global news sites, surveys and press releases. And
friends and my Mum.
How can PRs be useful to you?
They’re very useful – ideas for features are always helpful, but I prefer it
when they do their research. I don’t write a consumer column, for instance,
so sending me product news is pointless. I also run a training firm called Pitch Doctor (www.thepitchdoctors.co.uk
), which offers PR training, including
brainstorming, release-writing and dealing with journalists. The number one
piece of advice is ‘do your research’.
How and when do you like them to get in touch?
Via email, please – whenever they have a really good story that might work.
Do you find press conferences, trips, parties and other events useful or an interruption?
It depends. Again, I don’t do shopping pages etc, so product showcases are
no use for me. But parties are always fun!
If you could make one change to the way PRs deal with you, what would it be?
I wish they wouldn’t pretend to be your best mate when you’ve never spoken
before. Politeness and getting straight to the point works wonders – I don’t
want to discuss my weekend with a total stranger when I’m working.
About you:
How would you pay the bills if you weren’t a journalist?
I co-own a vintage shop, Rags to Bitches, with my husband, so I’d spend more
time there. I’m also writing a novel, so in an ideal world, by writing
best-sellers.
If we gave you £1000, how would you spend it?
I’d have a weekend in Paris and lots of champagne, thanks very much.
What books are on your bedside table, magazines in your bag, or blogs on your screen?
Books – a huge towering pile, including the Old Curiosity Shop, Black Swan, Bad
Science, A Week In December (Sebastian Faulks), One Day (David Nicholls-
just finished that, it’s great), and The Children¹s Book (AS Byatt).
Magazines – Grazia, Red, Easy Living, and the ASOS magazine. Sometimes I like
Take A Break¹s Fate & Fortune as well.
Blogs: www.creativetourist.com, all about what¹s happening in the arts in
Manchester where I live.
www.ragstobitches.wordpress.com – all about our shop!
www.stylebubble.co.uk – great fashion blog.
My First Baby on Femail.co.uk, because it’s written by my mate Tracey, who I met
on a press trip to Tenerife. Neither of us spoke Spanish and we spent most
of it in the bar, eating cheese toasties and drinking prosecco.
[lnk|http://www.journalistdirectory.com/journalist/mTQm/Flic-Everett/|_blank|Flic Everett]
[img|jpg|Flic Everett]