About Chris Alden, a UK freelance writer with 20 years' experience

Home » About Chris Alden

I’m a UK-based writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience. I’ve worked for national newspapers, specialist technical publications, and clients in technology, travel, and related sectors.

If you need a chronological bio, you can find it on LinkedIn. Instead, for some background on who I am and what makes me tick, read on …

I’m a professional copywriter

I’ve been writing copy for commercial markets for more than a decade. I started out writing branded advertorials for national newspapers, in journalistic style, for a wide range of household-name brands.

I have an expertise in case studies, white papers, product sheets and core web pages – the essence of today’s B2B marketing.

I have a background in journalism

Before becoming a copywriter, I was a journalist, where I had a fantastic time working in sectors such as technology, travel, the arts, health, and general news.

I worked for a few years at the Guardian website – then freelanced for the Guardian for many years afterwards. I wrote interview-led features (such as this one, on the dotcom crash), presented travel podcasts, and was a writer on the UK’s first newspaper blog.

I’m a lover of languages

As a writer of mixed English, Welsh and Cypriot heritage, language has always been important to me. Some of my earliest memories are of trying to decode languages and understand why – and how – people express things in different ways.

Since childhood I’ve also been a fan of cryptic crosswords, which use a language of their own, with its own set of shifting conventions and (some say) rules.

I studied English at Oxford – an experience which was no great preparation for the pragmatic worlds of journalism and B2B copywriting, except perhaps in that it taught me the importance of deadlines. That said, it was fun and I read a lot of books.

I run marathons

A lot of writers seem to be long-distance runners. Like writing, distance running is something which is attractive in its apparent simplicity – until you realise it’s not simple at all, but by which point you’re hooked. Much like a writer, a runner has to work bloody hard to make things look effortless.

When it comes to finding a work-life balance, I find that running and writing complement each other pretty well. When you’re working on a piece, it can be good to get out into the hills and let your thoughts take their own path. At least, that’s what works for me.

I love the Med

Because of my Cypriot background, I have a love of Mediterranean travel. For a few years I turned this into a job, writing travel features, both commercial and journalistic, for the Guardian and the Telegraph.

I once had fun self-publishing a dip-in, dip-out guidebook to Cyprus (I’d lived there, which made it easier) and a quickfire guide to the Greek alphabet.

… and, for my sins, I’m a Pompey fan

My English side was a Navy family from Portsmouth – so I support Portsmouth FC, although these days I try not to get too emotionally invested. It’s easier that way.