Meet the Talk to the Press team who will guide you through selling your story.

 

If you want to sell a story, email the team on message@talktothepress.com or fill out the sell story form to the right.

 

 

 

 

Natasha Courtenay-Smith

Natasha Courtenay-Smith, founder and journalist.

 

Natasha Courtenay-Smith is a freelance journalist and founder/director of press and publicity agency Talk To The Press.

 

Natasha has been a full time journalist for over a decade. Two years into her career, she was shortlisted for the PPA magazine awards "Young Journalist of the Year award." Prior to founding Talk to the Press, she worked on a number of women’s magazines, the Sunday Times in New Zealand and spent three and a half years as a writer at the Daily Mail newspaper. 

 

Natasha has also appeared as a media expert on numerous radio stations across the country, including Radio 4 and BBC Radio Five Live, on the BBC Breakfast sofa and been featured in The Guardian, Press Gazette and The Independent. Plus, she won the “Women in Business” category of the 2009 ‘Start Ups Awards’ for new business in the UK.

 

Natasha understands that selling a story to the national press can meet a deep-seated need, yet at the same time, it can also be a nerve-racking experience. What if your words become misconstrued? What if you end up appearing in a magazine you don't even like? And what if your reputation suffers as a result? She knows that selling a story to a newspaper or magazine is a once in a life time opportunity and not a decision that has been taken lightly.

 

Natasha says: 'My main aim in setting up Talk to the Press was to help those who need advice in dealing with the media, plus to ensure their experience of speaking about their lives is as positive as possible. I want to make selling a story to the press a straight forward, transparent and rewarding experience.'

 

Natasha has a vast network of contacts across national newspapers, glossy magazines and television stations.

 

Natasha also founded and owns the journalist's search tool www.casestudylink.co.uk, which journalists on many national newspapers, magazines and TV use on a daily basis to find individuals who will talk to them for the stories they are working on.

 

 

 

 

Boudicca Fox-Leonard

Boudicca Fox-Leonard, Feature writer

 

Boudicca (Boo) is an experienced journalist who has guided dozens of people through selling their story to tabloid newspapers and women's magazines.

 

Boo writes and sells many stories each week, and her most high profile interviewees include Kara Hoyte, who changed double jeopardy laws in the UK, and Juliet Hill, who's daughter became the youngest teen in the UK to have a gastric band for obesity.

 

Boo says: 'I want to make it as easy as possible for you to sell your story to newspapers and magazines. My aim is to get you the best possible fee and write your story in such a way that you could almost have written it yourself.'

 

What people who have sold their story with us say about Boudicca

'I am very grateful to TTTP for handling my story with understanding and compassion. Boo made me feel very much at ease and I found it quite easy to open up to her. So if anyone out there is thinking of doing the same, don't be afraid it is really good therapy to get things out in the open.'

June Redman, who told her story about being reunited with her son, who was conceived through rape and adopted 42 years earlier, to the Daily Mail and Woman's Own.

 

'Thanks for all your assistance, and please forward my thanks to Boo she was excellent and very caring in our situation.'

Eunice Lander, whose daughter Kara was nearly murdered by her ex-boyfriend and who's brave testimony changed double jeopardy laws in Britain forever to the Sunday Mirror and Closer magazine.

 

'My experience of selling a story with Talk to the Press was wonderful.  When I approached them about selling my story I was at a real low point in my life. I emailed through the sell story form on the website, and a lovely lady called Boo contacted me and listed to my story. Boo sold my story to Closer magazine, then she wrote a brilliant piece about my son Nathan and I. When I read the finished piece, it was as though I'd written it myself. The story was exactly as I'd told it, word for word. And to top off the whole experience, I also got a large amount of money which gave Nathan and I a lovely Christmas. If you have a story to sell I can recommend Talk to the Press.'

Samantha Harris, who sold her story about her struggle to control her son's weight, to Closer magazine.

 

 

 

Editorial assistant, Laura MacDonald

Laura MacDonald, editorial assistant

 

Laura came to Talk to the Press as an intern in the summer, and was so good, we asked her to stay immediately! Unfortunately for us, Laura has recently learned she's beaten over 3000 applicants to gain a place on the BBC graduate trainee scheme, which she'll start in March 2010.

 

Until then, Laura will be the first port of call for anyone contacting Talk to the Press with a story.