I’m a journalist and writer working across print, digital and social media.
I cut my teeth on a local London newspaper before several years of work on trade press news desks. I now work between London and Brighton, writing profiles, first-person essays, features and arts reviews for newspapers and magazines. I’m also Senior Editor of The Violet Book.
My work has been published in The New York Times, Raconteur in The Times and The Sunday Times, Stylist, Psychologies, Refinery29, Grazia, Time Out London, Wonderland, SUITCASE, Flow, Courier and numerous B2B titles. In 2018 I was shortlisted for The Observer/Anthony Burgess Prize for Arts Journalism. In 2022 I was longlisted for The Dawn Foster Memorial Essay Prize.
Work history
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Journalist, Editor and WriterOlivia Gagan
Brighton, United KingdomFreelance
I’m a journalist, editor and writer with over a decade’s experience across print, digital and social media.
Consumer bylines include: Raconteur in The Times and The Sunday Times, The New York Times, The Independent, Psychologies, Stylist, Grazia, Time Out London, Flow, Wonderland and SUITCASE. I have strong B2B experience, writing for Drapers, New Civil Engineer, Ground Engineering and IJGlobal.
I cover sustainability, financing renewable energy, ethics in the clean energy and fashion supply chains, culture and the beauty industry.
I am frequently commissioned to write profiles – one of my favourite parts of my job – with interviews ranging from actors and musicians, to Google’s head of infrastructure to the heads of billion-dollar investment funds.
For commissions you can contact me at olivia@oliviagagan.com. I’m also available for occasional news and features desk shifts.
Content Writing
I’m an experienced writer for global institutions and brands. Ongoing clients include The British Council, J.P. Morgan, The Institution of Civil Engineers, AECOM, NBBJ and SPS Global.
Specialisms include sustainability, renewable energy, retail trends, corporate social responsibility, and ethical supply chains in the energy and fashion industries.
2022-2023 projects:
• Authoring a report on how to finance low-carbon infrastructure for one of the UK’s largest professional bodies. Launched at COP27
• A long read in an international journal on decarbonising the NHS for a global architectural firm
• Authoring the inaugural environmental, social and governance (ESG) report for a global technology company
• Interviewing women leaders in the finance industry on the barriers they faced to entry. I then produced a series of articles for the client, a global bank, on how these issues can and should be overcome
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Senior EditorViolet Book
London, United KingdomFreelance
Senior Editor of The Violet Book, a biannual culture and fashion magazine with a 100k global circulation. Responsible for supporting the Editor-in-Chief with forward planning and ideas generation, editing copy, interviewing, and producing features for print and online.
Skills
- Writing
- Copywriting Editorial
- Editing Copy
- Mentoring
- Screenwriting
- Magazine Articles
- Arts Journalism
- Business Journalism
- Sustainability Reporting
- Content Creation
Education
Awards
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The Dawn Foster Memorial Essay Prize 2022, LonglistIssued by Red Pepper, HCI Skills Gateway and the estate of Dawn Foster
I was longlisted for the Dawn Foster Memorial Essay Prize for a 1,500 word essay on Britain’s housing crisis. The prize recognises UK-based writers aged 35 or under. Judging panel feedback included: "Lots of energy to the writing...I punched the air reading this one."T
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The Observer/Anthony Burgess Prize for Arts Journalism 2018, ShortlistThe International Anthony Burgess Foundation
I was shortlisted by The Observer's annual arts journalism prize, for a review of Charli XCX's 'Boys' music video.