Heather Mcgarrigle

I'm a news and features writer, based in Lisburn, near Belfast in Northern Ireland.

I started my career as a temporary editorial assistant for Northern Woman magazine and spent three months writing lifestyle, fitness, beauty, health and fashion features, gaining great experience in interviewing, researching, writing and proofreading.

Between July 2006 and February 2008, I worked in editorial for Ireland's Homes Interiors and Living magazine, compiling features for it, and the company's other magazine, the bi-annual All Ireland Kitchen Guide. I interviewed artists, designers, celebrities and homeowners, and liaised with advertisers and PR companies.
I managed issues of the magazine; determining pagination, allocating work, writing the contents pages and publisher's comment and liaising closely with the advertising and design departments.

My freelance journalism work includes profiles and news items for hairdressing industry title Fringe magazine (www.fringemagazine.co.uk) and careers, entertainment and travel features for the Sunday Life newspaper's More2Life supplement (www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life) Since going freelance, I have also written for Munster Interiors magazine and Image Interiors magazine (www.image-interiors.ie)

I obtained the EDI Level 4 NVQ in Newspaper Writing in June 2010, passing exams in Shorthand Teeline (with a word speed of 100wpm), Media Law & Ethics, Current Affairs and Politics & Public Affairs. I also completed a four-week full-time placement on the busy news desk at The Belfast Telegraph.

I worked freelance shifts on the news and business desks of the Belfast Telegraph between 2010 and 2012.

In 2011 I was commissioned to compile an editorial strategy for the launch of PosAbility Magazine (posabilitymagazine.co.uk), a UK disability lifestyle magazine. I have written features and advertorial for the magazine since then.

I also contributed features to social and voluntary sector title VIEW (viewdigital.org) throughout 2012, and in 2013 began writing for Northern Ireland's leading arts and cultural website CultureNorthernIreland.org.

I have carried out press writing, proofreading and editing work for the Animal Rights Action Network, Lisburn band Whanau and Belfast author AGR Moore.

My blog ThePatchworkQuill.com covers culture, crafting and creativity in Northern Ireland and won silver in the Arts and Culture category of the 2015 Blog Awards Ireland.

I set up Quill Inc NI in August 2015, offering a range of content creation services including journalism, copywriting, social media coverage and consultancy, and content marketing.