Curriculum Vitae
Sylvia Howe
Writing, editing
Britain, Brussels, Africa
Words Mean Business,
since January 2006: writing, editing, design
(and relevant marketing)
National and local magazines and newspapers
in senior staff jobs and as a freelance
Editorial work for Galore Park, Scriptus Books and Lean Publishing,
Diplomat Magazine and a literary agent
Publications for international development agencies, publishers, NGOs,
public and private sector clients.
The United Nations in Nairobi
The European Commission in Brussels
Design and layout
Copywriting, design and marketing
Publicity and production
Internal communication and publications on the web and in print
Freelance radio
reporting for the BBC World Service:
Arts and Africa, Network Africa, Focus on Africa.
Volunteering for local radio: 107 Meridian FM as a presenter.
Voiceovers and film directing work for Galaxy Video
Translation
from
French to English
Training
Teaching creative and feature writing in Africa
(at university level, funded by British Council)
and Europe (University of Kent at Canterbury, Christ Church
University College).
Tutoring A level and GCSE English
Fiction and non-fiction
Ghostwriting project: Manhunt, by Colette Sinclair (Sidgwick and Jackson)
Gardening in East Africa (contributor and editor)
The Shell Guide to Sierra Leone
The Medicinal Plants of Limbe Botanic Gardens (illustrator and editor)
20 Years after Stockholm (United Nations Environment Program)
Books in progress
Britain - from January 2001
Freelance journalism, editing and writing – including Galore Park Publishers, Lean Publishing, Homes and Gardens, Frommers…
Writing a series of books for Lean Publishing (in progress)
Words Mean Business
own editing, writing, communication and design company
Website copy
Fiction and nonfiction books in progress
Tutoring English GCSE and A level
Qualified Train to Gain A1 Assessor/Internal Verifier
The Bowen Technique – qualified practitioner
Up to December 2005
Kent
on Sunday and the Kentish
Observer – Features Writer and Editor
of Horse and Country, Independent
Education, Kitchens and Bathrooms and Homes and Gardens supplements.
Resigned December 31 2005 to start WMB Ltd.
Freelance journalism.
Pfizer - Science Policy Editor, working closely with the Senior Director of Science Policy on various projects including the Greenfield Report on Women in Science, on presentations, on articles for internal and external media, and other ad hoc projects.
Design and content of internal and external brochures for Internal Communications and Community Liaison.
Journalist on intranet newspaper, responsible for researching, writing and posting stories on the website.
Design and layout for fieldwork
manual for Earthwatch and Zoological
Society of London.
Other clients have included the NHS at Bexley and Dover (design, writing and layout of publications), HelpAge International (editing annual report and writing articles),
UNEP Mexico (editing report on Forest Fires in Latin America, writing overview and design and layout of both publications), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (project brochure).
Marketing, writing and website content for Brogdale Horticultural Trust, Faversham
Teaching features writing
at University of Kent at Canterbury and
at Christ Church University.
Brussels - June 1998 – December 2000
The European Commission
Editor of The Courier (a 100+ page magazine about international development and collaboration published every two months in French and English and distributed to 35,000 readers in each language all over the world) for DG Development at the European Commission.
Work involved managing a team of internal and external
contributors
(working languages French and English), redesign and positioning,
commissioning,
editing, production management, liaison with all levels from the
Commissioner downwards
Supervising and training staff journalists, all with at least a first degree
Production of publications and a communication strategy
for the NGO and Civil Society Unit of DG Development
· Editing Biodiversity Briefs for the Biodiversity in Development Project (EU/DFID/IUCN)
June 1998 – June 1999
Writing and editing for The Bulletin – Brussels’ weekly English-language news magazine)
Writing speeches and articles, translating (from French), designing and producing brochures and a bi-monthly newsletter and contributing to a new communications strategy for FACE Brussels
Editing and designing a report for IUCN
Design and production of logo, cards, letterhead and brochure for the Biodiversity in Development project
Cameroon - January 1995 – December 1998
writing, editing, design, photography, layout and typesetting
· In-house magazines for Shell and Mobil; brochure for UNICEF
· Publicity brochure for new British Council teaching centre
· For a design company: copywriting and designing a magazine, brochures and articles
· Report editing and re-writing: a report for IUCN brochures
·
Publicity material for the Mount Cameroon
Project, Limbe.
Editing, design, layout,
typesetting and illustrations
for Medicinal Plants of the Limbe Botanic
Garden,
a 90pp book for visitors to the Botanic Garden
· Taxonomic manual for the Darwin Initiative
· A4 brochure for UNDP
· Freelance writing for magazines in the UK: London Portrait, Homes and Gardens
· Translation from French
·
Teaching English as a Foreign Language at
British Council
Britain - January - June 1998writing and editing
·
Articles for magazines: interviews; interior design;
architecture; gardens
(for The English Garden);
food; environmental issues
·
For a design company: a magazine, brochures and
articles; report editing and re-writing:
a report for IUCN
·
Brochures and publicity material
Kenya - January 1991 - August 1994
writing, editing and design
A major international fundraising brochure for the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) on Alternatives to Slash and Burn agriculture
Design, typesetting and editing of a brochure for the World Bank
Brochures for an interior design
company,
the ODA Non-Government Organisation programme and magazines
Writing and editing work on new version of Jex Blake: Gardening in East Africa
United Nations - writing, editing and design
· Research and editing for The World Environment, for UNEP
· Research, writing and design of the History of UNEP: Twenty Years after Stockholm
· Editor/writer for UNCHS/Habitat for the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul
· translation from French - 98% in proficiency test
Journalism
Magazines and newspapers in Britain (Homes and Gardens, London Portrait, Dialogue) and in Kenya (The Standard, Executive’s restaurant critic, Equatorial, Consultant Editor for Kenya Airways’ magazine Msafiri).
Sierra Leone - June 1988 - December 1990
writing
ghostwriter: Manhunt (Sidgwick and Jackson, February 1990).
Shell Guide to Sierra Leone. My idea, so solely responsible for design and layout, content, typesetting, collecting advertising and management of staff.
broadcasting
BBC World Service: Arts and Africa, Focus on Africa, Network
Africa.
Interviews and features.
fundraising
Helped set up the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone, and raised funds and support from all the major companies and organisations.
training
Devised and ran a two week intensive course for women journalists, funded by the Overseas Development Association (now DFID).
Set up Publicity Department for the British Council and trained Sierra Leoneans. Various publicity projects i e Wimbledon F C visit after their FA Cup victory.
Went abroad in 1988 because of husband’s job
Kept up journalism and editing, and learnt new design,
broadcasting and management skills
Britain - until 1988
1986-1988 Country Homes and Interiors
Deputy Editor
Acting Editor while Editor on six months maternity leave.
Commended for increased circulation
1983-1986 London Portrait
Senior Editor, then Editor. Magazine of the Year 1986
1982-1983 Freelance Writer
Articles, profiles, features, travel (both with photographs), reviews, styling for national newspapers and magazines, including: The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, The Standard, Design, Creative Review, Homes and Gardens, The Director, Woman’s Journal, A La Carte, Options, Honey. Member of start-up team for Riverside (Editor), a magazine subsequently bought by Associated Newspapers
1980-1982 Vogue
Sub Editor then Assistant Travel Editor
Only finalist in 1980 Talent Contest to be offered a job
1978-1980 CAP-CPP
Editor of the internal publications of a computer software house
Education
1974 - 1977
Bristol University English BA (Hons)
References
Penelope, Lady Sitwell
Renishaw Hall
Derbyshire
Galore Publishing
Ed Adams, Editor
Lean Publishing
Joe Gregory, MD
Lucy Mccarraher, Commissioning Editor
LEAF
Jeremy Boxall, Commercial Manager
Brogdale
Lady Jane Garrett, Chief Executive (garrettj@btconnect.co.uk)
European Commission (-2001)
Philip Lowe, Director General, DG Competition.
Tim Clarke,
Head of Mission, Tanzania
(e-mail contact: name.surname@ec.europa.eu)
Magazines
Vanessa Berridge, Editor, Country Homes and Interiors, until 1993.
Editor, The English Garden, until 2002
Should you
wish to take up any of these references,
I can supply you with emails and telephone numbers, but I would like to alert the person first.