We were lucky to catch up with Emma Kershaw recently and have shared our conversation below.

Emma , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

I’ve always had an interest in journalism since I was young. English was my favorite subject at school and I studied Multimedia Journalism at college in the United Kingdom.

After my copywriter job ended at the start of 2020 and the COVID-19 lockdowns were in place, I began researching the steps to become an independent journalist. After brainstorming some ideas and making connections, I sent my first pitch, and as they say, the rest is history.

There was a lot of planning (and a lot of rejection in the beginning) but I will never forget the feeling of seeing my byline for the first time.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a lifestyle journalist originally from the UK. Throughout my career, I have reported for many major outlets, including Forbes, PEOPLE.com, BuzzFeed, Food & Wine, Business Insider, and Cosmopolitan.

After working on stories across many London-based outlets, I began connecting with U.S.-based publications who wanted to commission me to write articles and edit content for them. It was then that I truly found my niche – lifestyle journalism – where I cover interior design, culture, entertainment, and travel.

I work on many different types of stories, so each day is different. Some days will require me to speak with experts about the latest trends, DIY professionals about their home design, or celebrities about their latest projects. Other times, I will be traveling to another state to check out a new hotel or attraction. E-commerce stories are also a big part of my career. I cover the best deals and products that American shoppers will love. It’s a fun part of the job because the research part means I get to shop and test out products for a living.

Since starting my career, I have received a lot of recognition for my work. I’ve been a finalist for the “Lifestyle Journalist of the Year” category of the Property Press Awards and my work has been featured on The Drew Barrymore Show. In early 2023, I was granted an O-1B visa for my “extraordinary ability in the arts” and moved to the United States to continue my career.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Seeing my name in the outlets and magazines that I grew up reading. A lot of people may not realize that my work often requires a lot of additional jobs beyond writing, including research, interviewing sources, attending events, testing products, and more. Sometimes stories take weeks or months to be completed, but it’s all worth it to see my name on the webpage or in print.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I feel my passion for my subjects really shines through in my work as a lifestyle journalist. Every story I write, I get very excited about presenting a new product, trend, or interviewee to American readers, and beyond. This is shown through my clean copy and the extra research that I will often put into a project.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emmagkershaw.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmagkershaw