I've been a professional writer and editor since 2001, starting in women's and teen magazines and moving into the third sector in 2008.

I now create and consult on a huge variety of written content, online and off.

Clients include UNICEF, WWF, London Business School, British Red Cross, Lumos, Save the Children, Parkinson's UK, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, Peer Power, Freedom from Torture, Girl Effect Mobile (Hey Springster), We Can Win, Barnardo's and agencies Neo, Aitch, More Onion, Forward Action, Consider and RawLDN.

What are you working on? Get in touch and let’s chat about how I can help.

 
Smiling Laura Ellen Kennedy stands against a grey wall looking a quite pale, quite-brunette-but-a-bit-greying. A woman of average height and build but above average word skills.

What I offer

I don’t have a set ‘list of services’ – much of my favourite work has meant delving into new knowledge or using new tools. I’m curious about what you want to achieve – there’s likely more than one way to get there, whether you need an hour of editing support or months to develop your brand tone of voice.

To give you an idea though, I work mainly with non-profit, community interest and international development clients, often to

  • create or refresh messaging or develop tone of voice

  • devise website content plans and support migrations, reviewing content along the way

  • write marketing emails, fundraising brochures, articles, listicles or quizzes

  • edit in-depth reports

  • run writing training sessions

I’ve also written about wedding venues, banking apps and aviation software though, so if your thing isn’t on that list, let me know.

My backstory…

Growing up, I loved to write and draw. As a teen I studied visual arts but came back to words via a degree in Art History and Philosophy.

My first job in magazines, in 2001, was as Editorial assistant on a magazine called REAL (one of the first fortnightly women’s magazines). I worked my way up to writer and had the privilege of meeting and interviewing some incredible women and writing their real life stories.

I later joined CosmoGIRL! and interviewed some truly amazing young people, too. While working with this dream team on all things teen, I had my first children's novel published (with Piccadilly Press). I also worked with the Teenage Cancer Trust, who then asked me to write for their magazine when I went freelance, which helped inspire my move into the charity sector...

It was goodbye cover lines and free lip gloss, hello digital donate banners, fundraising flyers and stories from the field. I found my copywriting feet as I discovered 'USPs', 'CTAs' and techniques for engaging audiences with ever-dwindling 'dwell-time'. I delved more deeply into the dos and don’ts of brand tone of voice and learned to apply behavioural principles to improve click and conversion rates.

Through all this, I grew my understanding of how stories can create human connections across barriers and different contexts.

I went freelance for the second time in 2016. Now, I get to use all this experience to help connect people to different ideas and causes.

 

Flash CV

2021 Interim communications manager Peer Power

2019 Interim communications manager Lumos

2016 Editorial manager Save the Children

2008 Freelance features writer/editor  (Look, Prima, Sugar, More, Top Santé)

2007 Features editor CosmoGIRL!

2004 Features writer REAL

2000 UCL graduate BA Philosophy and the History of Art