Holly Bennett,
wordsmith
"Holly Bennett is a
superb writer.
A graceful wordsmith with a storyteller's eye for detail, Holly is also an incisive reporter with seasoned editorial judgment. What all her pieces have in common is clarity of thinking and grace of expression.
It adds up to a powerful impact on the reader. That's why I’m a huge fan."
– Caroline Connell,
former Editor-in-Chief, Today's Parent
Of course you want the writing to be good – that’s a given. But when you hire a freelancer, you also want careful research, accurate quotes, clean copy and respect for deadlines. I know what makes a client's life easier, and strive to provide it.
My interests are many: health, social and community issues, the natural world, and the human life stages from pregnancy to death. I've written everything from magazine features to web copy and sales sheets. And I am always ready to try my hand at something new.
On the other hand, if I'm not confident I can do an excellent job for you, I’ll tell you. I’m into quality, not quantity.
Writing
Sample Clips
I've written many articles (including over 200 for Today's Parent) for national magazines such as Cottage Life, Canadian Living, Health Savvy, More magazine, Canadian Family, and Walmart Live Better.
I also write website copy, booklets, training materials, newsletters and children's non-fiction for clients such as Brainspace magazine, ABC Life Literacy, Pearson Education UK, Act First Safety, the Psychology Foundation of Canada, and the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada.
Totally Toddlers: An insider's guide to two turbulent, tender and terrific years, Today's Parent Baby & Toddler
Welcome to toddlerhood. In these two whirlwind years kicked off by the first birthday, your dependent little baby will become a competent young child. You won't see such a dramatic transformation – or such intense ups and downs – again until puberty. Parenting a toddler is a heart-melting, fun and funny experience... except when it's frustrating, exhausting and stressful.
Every Dog Has His Bad Day: First-aid know-how for Fido's cottage-country calaminities, Cottage Life (nominated for National Magazine Award, 2013)
It's a peaceful spring evening. We linger over our tea and watch as the sky above the lake turns pink. The dog crunches up the last of his dinner.
Wait. We fed the dog much earlier. I turn to see what, exactly, Zephyr is eating – and leap out of my chair. Somehow we've missed a plate of Warfarin that... Read more
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"Mom, I'm Gay"… for some families, hearing that their son or daughter is gay is still a very big deal, Canadian Living
For some Christians, learning that their son or daughter is gay can create a real crisis. For Anna Schubert, not so much. "We'd done a lot of learning and growing earlier, when friends in our church had come out. I am so grateful to those friends, who were willing to answer our questions and help us understand who they are, because when our daughter came out, we were really clear about the fact that our priority was to love our child." Read more
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Entrepreneurial Thinking Interactive Toolkit
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This teacher's toolkit and student workbook, a project by Brainspace, SparkEdu and ihub, guides teachers in introducing entrepreneurial and design thinking to grades 6-8. A combination editing and writing job, I took an initial conception of the project, and, in consultation with the partners, restructured it and then wrote or rewrote most of it, taking it through to copyedit and final proofing. For more info, see https://brainspacemagazine.com/entrepreneurial-thinking-in-classrooms/
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The Discipline Difference: Guidance that grows along with your child, Today's Parent (National Magazine Award honourable mention)
Kids change. It only stands to reason that our discipline methods should change along with them. But keeping pace with your growing child can be tricky. To help, here's a look at kids' typical behaviour challenges – and strategies to suit each stage. Read more
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On Pens and Needles: At an age when freedom beckons, a diabetes diagnosis is sure to tie a kid down. Or will it? Today's Parent
"This isn't very pleasant, but I imagine you'll get used to it. You'll be doing this yourself, four or five times a day."
The emergency room nurse takes a finger-stick blood sugar reading from my 13-year-old. He's already had an IV insertion and blood sample taken, and been either too brave or too sick to react, but he jumps at the glucometer's prick. Read more
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More Credits:
Writing for children: Non-fiction mini-articles for Brainspace magazine and Pearson Education U.K.'s Bug Club reading program.
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Plain-language adult education: For ABC Life Literacy, modules for their UPSkills for Work curriculum, health literacy materials, and a module on financial literacy for caregivers of people with diverse abilities.
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Articles, marketing materials, blog entries and web copy on occupational health and safety: for Act First Safety and Dental Practice Safety.
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Yes, You Can! Positive discipline ideas for you and your child (co-writer with Teresa Pitman): Award-winning booklet in the "Parenting for Life" series, Psychology Foundation of Canada
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"I would highly recommend her.
Holly has been incredibly helpful in developing sales and marketing materials for our small but growing business. Always professional, honest and punctual, she has been a valuable contributor to our marketing program."
– Lauren McFarlane
President, Act First Safety
