Writer of the Month: Charlotte Bird
City Girl Magazine is home to over 200 volunteer writers and editors who give their time to help us create content for this amazing platform. We want to celebrate the exemplary writers who have shown dedication to the magazine, as well as helping to build resources and masterclasses for our Volunteers Hub. The magazine truly wouldn’t be what it is without their hard work and creativity.
Our Writer of the Month for June is Charlotte, let’s get to know her a little better…
Name: Charlotte Bird
Age: 25
Occupation: Doctoral Researcher
City: Birmingham
Photo Credit: Adrian Simon
WHEN AND WHY DID YOU JOIN CITY GIRL MAGAZINE AS A VOLUNTEER?
In the windswept October of 2019, I joined City Girl Network after my sister regaled me with tales from her fabulous Birmingham Girl meetup. I wanted the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, meeting fellow Brum-dwellers (who would hopefully become friends), but sadly it hasn’t yet happened (fingers crossed for some time soon). However, I love reading the amazingly varied content in the magazine and have always enjoyed writing creatively, so I dived straight in with talking about one of my favourite hobbies – crafts (because knitting is cool, I promise)! I now create the monthly Travel Diaries feature, which I love.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT VOLUNTEERING FOR CITY GIRL AS A CONTENT CREATOR?
I really appreciate the freedom writers are given to create content on whatever subjects matter to them. From hard-hitting topics and female empowerment to essential health tips and where to find the best cream teas in your city. The content and writing styles are inspiring!
TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU ENJOY WRITING ABOUT...
I adore travelling and I want to bring my experiences to City Girl. The past year has made me appreciate even more the incredible opportunities I have been lucky enough to have across the world and makes me so excited for what I can one day do again. Writing the articles has been the pick-me-up I have needed when the storms have battered the window or I’ve needed to procrastinate from my PhD (shh, don’t tell my supervisor!). Revisiting my favourite holiday photos has also allowed me to reflect upon the wonderful family holidays I have had; appreciating time spent with the people who mean most to me.
Photo Credit: Hannah Bird
WHAT TOPICS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ON IN THE FUTURE?
Writing articles in real time would be awesome, bringing in-the-moment experiences to my articles will be such a refreshing change. I’m looking forward to showcasing some great places to visit in the UK, as well as some bucket-list destinations (I’m eying you up, New Zealand and Alaska).
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE IN THE MAGAZINE?
It’s hard to choose a favourite, but I feel one of the most impactful articles is How I Discovered My Own Body Positivity At 50. Kirsteen honestly charts her life experiences with her body image and how the power of social media has given her a new-found confidence. I can vouch for the fact that her TikTok channel is hilarious, in the best way - she has a wonderful sense of humour and I’m so glad she took the step to create the channel and shared it with the Network.
IF YOU HAD TO PICK YOUR TOP THREE ARTICLES, WHICH YOU HAVE PUBLISHED, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
Number one is really easy – my Austrian Christmas article. I wrote about my happiest childhood memory and most treasured holiday with my family, my first ‘winter wonderland’ in Austria, and it still makes me feel magical now just thinking about it.
How To Turn Your Hobby Into A Successful Business would be my second choice. I spoke to the wonderful Mike Norman and learnt so much from his pearls of wisdom, all of which I hope will one day help me to be as successful in a creative business as he is.
For British Science Week, I loved writing about my academic journey, showcasing my current research and the importance of the science communication work I do. I hope to one day make science communication my career, so putting that in writing in this article was an exciting commitment to my future self. Plus, I love talking about fossils, so I had to get them on the City Girl Network somehow!
Help us keep the City Girl Network running by supporting us via Patreon for the price of a cheap cup of coffee - just £2 a month. For £3 a month you can also get yourself a Patreon exclusive 10% off any of our ticketed events! You can also support us by following us on Instagram, and by joining our City Girl Network (city wide!) Facebook group.
Written by Charlotte Bird