Writer
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I'm a novelist, short story writer, some-time poet.
My first non-fiction book, Bodies Under Siege: How The Far Right Attack On Reproductive Rights Went Global, will be out with Verso in June 2023. My first book, Greta and Boris: A Daring Rescue was published by Our Street. My novel is on submission with Kate Johnson at Mackenzie Wolf. My short fiction and poetry has been published by Wales Arts Review, 3am Magazine, Visual Verse, Severine Literature. In 2017 my essay on growing up in an LGBT family in the 1990s was published in Dead Ink's hugely successful Know Your Place anthology. In 2017 I was the writer-in-residence at Spike Island (I was also the copywriter on their website). |
Perhaps it would never have started if I hadn’t noticed my passport was due to expire.” |
Journalist |
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I'm a human rights journalist with a regular gig at Byline Times. Got a story? Email sian[at]bylinetimes[dot]com
I specialise in reporting and features on feminism, LGBT rights, and the rise of the Far Right. My work is regularly published in the New Statesman, openDemocracy 50:50, News Mavens, Prospect UK and many more places, including The Guardian. Here are some of my highlights... In 2022, I travelled to Kenya to report on abortion rights and grassroots activism. I spoke to Ukrainian refugees about violence and survival, as the war in the country raged on. My reporting on the hostile environment included an exclusive investigation into the Government's Rwanda scheme, and how migrant women are charged for abortion care. In a heartbreaking feature, I interviewed the women of Grenfell, and those left behind. I travelled to my family's hometown to discuss the cost of living crisis. And I broke an urgent and unreported story on miscarriage and domestic abuse. My colleague Sascha Lavin and I explored the issue of sexual violence in hospitals, and sexual harassment of staff by patients. I went undercover to expose what the anti-choice group CBR UK believes about abortion, and was part of an 18-country investigation into crisis pregnancy centres. And took part in an 18-country wide investigation into Heartbeat International and crisis pregnancy centres. The investigation was shortlisted in Foreign Reporting in the Press Gazette British Journalism Awards 2020. On a trip to Dhaka, I met women defying patriarchy via the theatre... These women are finding creative ways to defy patriarchy in Bangladesh. ... and by defying child marriage The Bangladeshi teenage girl fighting underage marriage In the run up to Ireland's historic pro choice referendum, I reported on abortion activism in the UK for Prospect UK. The coming battle to liberate abortion in Britain. I've reported on the trans community in Nigeria and the diaspora, LGBT rights in Romania, the rise of the religious right, the impact of austerity on women and survivors of male violence, and written dozens of comment pieces about feminism, reproductive rights, sex robots, and male violence against women and girls. No one wants to report on a crisis that led to thousands of deaths. But the coronavirus crisis demanded journalists provide space to hear from the vulnerable who weren't being listened to. I reported on the situation facing women trapped in violent homes for the Guardian. I broke a story about the DWP unilaterally deciding not to enforce Child Maintenance Payments for the i. And I spoke to women seeking asylum following domestic abuse, who faced multiple barriers to get the support they needed in the crisis, for politics.co.uk. Throughout 2018/19 I held the Ben Pimlott writer in residence post at Birkbeck University of London. |
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Copywriter
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I'm a copywriter specialising in fundraising direct marketing.
I worked agency side for nearly seven years and have been freelance ever since. In that time I completed award-winning copy for Macmillan Cancer Support – including writing their first £1 million campaign... and then their first £2 million campaign. I've written copy for Greenpeace, Amnesty International, WaterAid, Christian Aid, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Save the Children, MSF, League Against Cruel Sports and many, many more international development, medical, research and animal charities. In recent years I've worked as a freelancer for Alan Clayton Associates, co-facilitating his world-famous seminars. The images are taken from appeals produced by Different Kettle |
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Producer
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I'm the founder and director of the Bristol Women's Literature Festival which has run successful programmes in 2013, 2015 and 2018. The festival has hosted a whole range of speakers, including Samira Ahmed, Helen Dunmore, Stella Duffy, Bidisha, Nimko Ali, Meena Kandasamy, Louise Doughty, Michele Roberts and many, many more. I have worked closely with the Bristol Festival of Ideas, chairing panels and Novel Writers events. During my 2017 residency, I programmed a series of literary salons at Spike Island. I also run feminist and creative writing workshops for local schools and education initiatives. Header photo credit: Jon Snedden |
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Get In Touch
If you would like to commission me to do some reporting, feature writing, or comment, to work with me as a copywriter, or to book me for your event then please email sianm[dot]norris[at]gmail[dot]com. If you would like to contact me about my novel, please get in touch with my agent, Kate Johnson at Mackenzie Wolf.
