JD Wanders

Headline

I believe that imagination is a flexibility of mind and use writing to stretch and grow my creative muscles.

Biography

Reading is my meditation and writing is my reason. Storytelling is my passion, and imagination is what I believe in.

My love story with the written word began way back when puberty plucked me from the peaceful playgrounds of childhood. Since then, I have sought to hone my craft through continued practice, experience, and education. I have aimed every aspect of my life in the 'write' direction.

Experience-wise, I have worked as a freelance writer and editor for the past eight years. To begin with, I walked the streets as a beat reporter for a print publication, writing articles on topics including crime & courts, sport, lifestyle, music, op-eds, and advertorials. I then served a short stint as a sub-editor for an international print and online publication, and have since worked on a variety of international projects as an academic and policy document writer, proofreader, and editor. Most recently, I completed a contract as a content writer and blogger for the Monitoring & Evaluation sector. I have also tutored writing for the past two years and am an avid fiction writer, focusing on the sci-fi and urban fiction genres but not limiting myself to them.

In terms of education, I have a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism & Media Studies (received with distinction), as well as an undergraduate BA degree majoring in World History and English Language & Linguistics. I have recently been accepted to study towards my Master's in Creative Writing, with the course set to start in February next year.

I believe that imagination is a flexibility of mind. As such, I am always looking for new, interesting, and challenging writing projects that help me to flex my imaginative muscles.

Previous experience, degrees, and qualifications

Experience-wise, I have worked as a freelance writer and editor for the past eight years, and as a writing tutor for the last three years. I have held roles as a journalist, sub-editor, blog writer, policy document editor, and as an English teacher. I also write science fiction, science fantasy, and creative nonfiction in my free time.

Education-wise, I have a postgraduate degree in Journalism & Media Studies (recieved with distinction), as well as an undergraduate BA degree majoring in English Language & Linguistics and World History.

Interests and hobbies

I am a pretty active person, with my hobbies including rock climbing, hiking, surfing, and camping. In terms of my other hobbies, I enjoy reading, creative writing, and writing poetry. Of course, I also enjoy a good chat with friends over a beer or two and to binge-watch a season or three of a Netflix series.

How I'd describe my personality in two sentences

I am a happy-go-lucky pragmatist who believes that the future is going to be better than the past, if we make it so. I also base my personality around the belief that creation is the ultimate gift of humankind.

How I'd describe my approach to my work

I have aimed my entire life in the 'write' direction. As such, I give every project my all, because it forms a part of honing my chosen craft. With my background as a trained journalist, I am skilled in researching any and every topic, as well as fact-checking the information that I find for accuracy. My style of writing can best be described as 'edutaining', because it's both educational and entertaining.

Why should you choose me for your project

You should choose me for your project because I am a writer in both passion and profession. With my background as a trained journalist, editor, and writing teacher, as well as my degree in English Language & Linguistics, I guarantee to produce an informative and 'edutaining' read that is of the highest quality. My writing keeps the reader engaged and my content keeps them intrigued from the first page to the last.

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