I am an editor, journalist and copywriter with wide-ranging experience of writing, commissioning, editing and sub-editing within the medical, consumer, health, education and parenting markets, writing on subjects relevant to health professionals, pregnant women and new mums. I have worked across magazines and websites for consumers and health professionals, including Midwives and Health Visitors, and have led projects where I have managed liaison between managerial and editorial boards and professional bodies such as the RCM and the RCGP. I have written for national magazines and newspapers on a variety of subjects and have headed the Press Office at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. As a copywriter, I have worked with major FMCGs to launch consumer-facing content and with baby product brands to create engaging content and social media posts.
I am experienced in launching and re-launching both print and online magazines, creating content plans and creative concepts and working closely with designers, sales teams and professional boards and professionals. I have good knowledge of magazine layout and design and picture research.
I work effectively across InDesign, Photoshop and MS Office and am adept at writing for digital publishing, including uploading to the CMS and writing copy optimised for SEO with a meticulous eye for detail. I have run Social Media plans including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram schedules. I am also familiar with uploading content digitally onto platforms such as Magzter to increase reach and using Affiliate programmes.
I am degree educated (University of London, BA Hons, English) with excellent written English, grammar and Sub-Editing skills.
Recent clients:
The Evening Standard
Trinity College London
Netmums
Imperial College London
The Times Higher Education
WHO
Kimberly Clark, Huggies
MadeForMums
Rocketmill Digital Agency
SnoozeShade
PetPlan Insurance
Future Publishing
Latest features:
Here are just a few of the pieces I have written in the past couple of years
For the Evening Standard’s ES Best section:
https://www.standard.co.uk/shopping/esbest/gadgets-tech/best-smoke-alarms-detectors-b1082133.html
https://www.standard.co.uk/shopping/esbest/kids/best-baby-travel-systems-b996405.html
See all my pieces for the Standard here
https://www.standard.co.uk/author/sally-j-hall
For pet insurance company Petplan’s website (ghostwriting for Brian the vet and Nick the pet behaviourist)
https://www.petplan.co.uk/pet-information/dog/advice/substances-poisonous-to-dogs/
https://www.petplan.co.uk/pet-information/dog/advice/senior-dog-care-in-winter/
For wipe and toddler pants brand Huggies:
https://www.huggies.co.uk/parenting-advice/baby-development/when-to-start-baby-weaning
https://www.huggies.co.uk/parenting-advice/contributors/sally-j-hall
See more of my content for Huggies here
https://www.huggies.co.uk/parenting-advice/contributors/sally-j-hall
For luxury parenting title B Baby Magazine
For major UK website Netmums:
https://www.netmums.com/reviews/best-buys/7-of-the-cutest-items-for-valentines-day-for-babies
https://www.netmums.com/reviews/best-buys/the-most-beautiful-muslins-and-swaddles-for-your-baby
https://www.netmums.com/reviews/buying-guides/amazing-products-to-keep-you-warm-without-putting-the
https://www.netmums.com/reviews/best-buys/the-best-cup-holders-for-pushchairs-to-hold-your-coffee
For baby product brand SnoozeShade
https://www.snoozeshade.com/blogs/news/what-temperature-should-my-baby-s-room-be
https://www.snoozeshade.com/blogs/news/ten-of-the-best-travel-cots?_pos=1&_sid=416a01154&_ss=r
For major UK parenting website MadeForMums
https://www.madeformums.com/reviews/10-of-the-best-cutlery-sets/
https://www.madeformums.com/reviews/best-suction-bowls-and-plates/
https://www.madeformums.com/reviews/best-bundle-packages-travel-systems-pushchairs/
You can see more of my pieces for MadeForMums here
https://www.madeformums.com/author/sallyhall/
For The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/author/sally-j-hall
For Top Ten Reviews
https://www.toptenreviews.com/author/sally-j-hall
See more past pieces from The Independent at the bottom of this page
and others…
Ten of the best Vegan school shoes for Vegan Food & Living Magazine
Ten of the best vegan and vegetarian kids’ vitamins & supplements for Vegan Food & Living Magazine
https://www.petplan.co.uk/pet-information/cat/advice/a-cats-secret-life/
My Books
Eco Baby
Eco Baby shows new parents how to make the most ethical decisions about the products they buy and the way they live as new parents, as well as showing them an easy route to greening their babyís life. The author looks at every aspect of a new babyís life in the first year, including:
- Baby gear from cot to car seat
- Nappies – One of the biggest topics of debate recently: what are the pros and cons of disposable, versus washable nappies?
- Decorating the nursery – Besides raising concerns about the planet, paints, varnishes and furnishing materials may have an impact on your childís health, too.
- Clothing – Do you want to find clothing from organic sources that are nonallergenic and free from chemicals?
- Food – The benefits and advantages of breast feeding, a guide to formula milks, dairy intolerances and natural alternatives
- Toiletries – Some of our most famous toiletry brands, even those aimed at babies, contain artificial ingredients, fragrances and colours that raise health concerns.
- Toys and educational items – You can make your childís toy box more ethical by choosing wisely from sustainably managed materials and fairly traded products.
Packed with helpful tips, and with a comprehensive index of companies, products and services, Eco Baby is an essential guide for all parents concerned about the health of their baby and the world their children will inherit.
Watch My Baby Grow
By following the journey of one child and her family, Watch My Baby Grow looks at a baby’s developing abilities, from birth, through every key milestone over the course of a year. It takes a scientific approach to a very personal experience, covering every area of a child’s development and looks at the world from the baby’s point of view. I wrote several chapters of this book.
Plant Based Baby
Plant Based Baby is a helpful and practical book offering a wealth of advice for those who are vegan or vegetarian and have chosen to raise their baby this way. It’s full of great information to ensure new parents feel confident in raising their little ones on a delicious and nutritious plant-based diet, packed with all the right vitamins, minerals and protein needed for growth and development.
It includes:
• How will I know when my baby is ready for weaning?
- Ensure your baby is getting the right vitamins and minerals for healthy development.
- What about the protein?
- How to reassure friends and family that it’s healthy to bring up your baby on a plant-based diet
- Spoon fed or baby-led? Which method of weaning is best?
Plus a vivid resource of delicious recipes with stunning photographs and step-by-step guides to make for your baby, from those first tastes to eating together as a family.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and treats – your baby will love these nutritious vegan recipes and you’ll soon be eating together as a family on a fantastic plant-based diet.
Journalism and editing
2020-2023
During the past couple of years, I have been working with several clients to produce copy on a large scale and with a quick turnaround. I have been copywriting for a large FMCG client to create content for a new parenting platform. I have been writing and updating SEO-first content for the WHO, Trinity College London and Imperial College. In addition, I have provided freelance features for The Independent, ES Best for the Evening Standard, MadeForMums, Future Publishing and the PetPlan Newsletter. I have worked as Shopping Editor for Netmums.
2016 to 2020: B Magazine
In 2016, I launched B Magazine, a quarterly magazine for women who are pregnant or new mums. With a circulation of 40,000 around the UK, the magazine is given to pregnant women and new mums in their health care environments such as hospitals, scanning clinics, doctors’ and midwives’ offices, boutiques and independent Nursey Stores.
Editorially, the magazine covers pregnancy, labour, birth and baby’s first two years. I write portions of the medical and consumer editorial and commission writers and health professionals to provide additional content. I also liaise with the Art Director, printers and mailing house etc. I also run the social media channels for the magazine and the website.
B Magazine is currently on a pause due to Cobid.
2016 WI Life Subeditor
I worked on the membership magazine, WI Life, the magazine for Women’s Institute members. I subbed features for the magazine and advised on some technical details for the gardening and cooking features.
2014 to 2018: Editor, Emma’s Diary
I have helped Emma’s Diary, a large online parenting community backed by the RCGP, to overhaul and increase its consumer editorial content and to re-write, update and refresh medical content across the website. I helped them set up the Mums’ Midwife of the Year Awards, working closely with the team and the RCM for its first year. I also helped set up a series of targeted email communications across the nine months of pregnancy and baby’s first year.
I helped Emma’s Diary create a large amount of content, managing a team of freelancers I put together, for their sister site, Families Online. In addition, I provided Celebrity Baby News content for the website.
2013-14 – Launch Editor, Chelsea Magazine Company
I created concepts and editorial plans for a new baby magazine for affluent London mothers and implemented the first two issues, writing content, commissioning design, liaising with printers and creating a distribution model. I also set up and ran social media channels and the website for the title.
2010 to 2014: Editor, Bounty.com and Bounty Product Guide
I developed the Bounty Product Guide (now called Bounty Buying Guide), which is given to pregnant women in their second trimester and was contributing Editor to The Bounty Journal, a newsletter for health professionals. I advised on a refresh of the website, updated much of the core content on Bounty.com and wrote new content, uploading to the CMS. I also helped set up a series of email communications across the nine months of pregnancy and baby’s first year, and wrote and directed video product reviews.
2012-13: Contributing writer: Boots Parenting Club Magazines and eBay
Working for contract publisher Redwood Publishing across the range of Baby magazines. For eBay, I wrote shopping lists, checklists and buyers’ guides. I was also sub-Editor across the range of magazines.
2009 Media Manager: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Covering a maternity leave, I ran a busy press office and edited the School newsletter. I was responsible for disseminating research papers for the UK press and medical journals and achieved good results, notably on research into advances in cardiac care and on the drug TXA.
1996 to 2002: Consumer Editor: Pregnancy & Birth
Testing and writing up baby products. I also wrote for other baby magazines, including Mother & Baby, Baby and Baby’s Best Buys during this time.
1997 to present: Freelance Journalist
In addition to the various roles above, I have always written on a freelance basis when the opportunity arose. I write primarily in the mother and baby, healthcare, environmental and consumer areas. I am also the author of a book published by Green Books, Eco Baby, a Guide to Green Parenting, and contributing Editor to Watch My Baby Grow by Dorling Kindersley. I have recently published my third book, Plant Based Baby, available in print and on Kindle.
Features:
For The Independent
A selection of some of the many pieces I wrote for The Independent newpaper
Interview with the Environment Minister of Ethiopia on sustainable farming