Whether commercially or creatively (or both), I've been stringing words together for years now. I enjoy working out what people and businesses are trying to say and helpingmore...Whether commercially or creatively (or both), I've been stringing words together for years now. I enjoy
working out what people and businesses are trying to say and helping them say it in a way that's
clear, concise and individual.

I've worked for design agencies, writing agencies, literary agencies and publishers in London and
New York; I've written and edited everything from the briefest of strap-lines, to reviews, articles,
reports, websites and even whole books.

Area Covered: Edinburgh


Work Experience
-----------------

Summary: Freelance writer:
Equally at home writing for individuals, small businesses, charities and global brands, I've spent four years helping the following to get their messages across:
Target, BT, Orange, BP, O2, NatWest, Pepsi, SODIC, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Hay Group, Linklaters, The Laughingstock, Balgove Larder, The Potted Game Company, The Challenge Network, The Climate Group, Safe Water Network, The Hepatitis C Trust and The Alternatives to Violence Project.

"Been working with James for a while now - both at The Writer (www.thewriter.co.uk) and at Figtree (www.figtreenetwork.com). Great work on all occasions. A real help to have a writer on hand who gets a brief immediately, cracks on with it quickly then sends things back well formatted, properly finished and typo free."
Ed Sowerby (Senior Writer), The Writer (edward.sowerby@thewriter.co.uk)

"James wrote for my online magazine weekly for over a year in 2007-2008. Receiving his copy (creative, funny, and on-the-money in terms of fitting with the publication) was a highlight of the week. I know that for a lot of readers it was also a highlight of the magazine, which I expect would have lasted less long than it did, without his excellent contributions to it." Philip Taylor (Director), Yellow & Black ltd (filtay@gmail.com)


Copywriter at DesignWatson
March 2010 - October 2010
"James has an unusually agile and creative mind. He has been able to engage with writing across the board from work on non-profits to fashion retail and technology companies. He's easy to work with and delivers on time. We recommend him highly." William Richmond-Watson (Director), DesignWatson (will@designwatson.com)


Fundraiser and writer at The Challenge Network
September 2009 - September 2010
"James is quick to grasp what's required of him. He has a fine ear for the necessary tone of voice, a good eye for detail, as well as plenty of enthusiasm and initiative. He can bring facts and figures to life in a way that's original, imaginative and accurate." Craig Morley (CEO), The Challenge Network (Craig.Morley@the-challenge.org)


Literary agent at hhb agency ltd
September 2005 - January 2007
"James has also proved himself to be a very able assessor of authors’ work, and has worked closely with non-fiction and fiction writers of all kinds to develop their ideas and writing skills. He has shown himself adept at assessing quickly and succinctly the sales points of a variety of projects - ranging from biography through history, sport, popular culture and humour to food writing – and at communicating these effectively. Anyone who commissions work from James will find that they are dealing with someone who has an original and quirky way of seeing the world, a subtle sense of humour (which shows particularly in his writing) and a great deal of conscientiousness and integrity." Heather Holden-Brown (Director) (heather@hhbagency.com)

"James worked with me on my first book, during which time he was creative and highly supportive as I sought to address a complex topic under severe time pressure. He was extremely dedicated and his suggestions were invaluable." Musa Okwonga, Institute for Philanthropy (musa.okwonga@gmail.com)

"Because James is a gifted writer as well as an experienced literary agent, he understands both the creative and the business aspects of getting a book published. James has helped me all the way from the rejected manuscript phase, when he offered insightful suggestions, right through to publication, guiding me through negotiation, edits, cover design -- every step of the way. He knows this business inside out." Alexandra Whitaker (alexandra.r.whitaker@gmail.com)
Job Title: Freelance writer
Company: Holburn HiFi
Description: Copywriting and editing
From:25/Mar/2011 To:01/Apr/2011

Education Summary: Edinburgh University: MA(Hons) English Literature (1st)
Eton College: A levels in Russian Language & Literature, English Literature and Medieval History
International House, Rome: CELTA