Features Writer, Louise Quick

Name: Louise Quick
Age: 24
From: Dorset, UK
Current Job Title: Features Writer for What’s On, Open Skies and Dubai Voyager.

When did you first arrive in Dubai?
I moved to the UAE in November 2013, after having studied and worked in London for several years.

Where did you work prior?
Before moving to Motivate in February, I’d been working in Dubai as an Assistant Editor for two trade magazines.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
Small and fun, if that makes sense. There’s so much going on all the time – every event tries to be bigger and better than the rest – and then everyone seems to know each other; it’s such a small world.

Tell us about your role at Motivate…
I only started half way through February, but I will be working on content for What’s On, Open Skies and Dubai Voyager, which I am very much looking forward to doing.

What challenges do you face?
Well, I’ve only been in my new role for a short while, so it’s difficult to say just yet. Having previously worked on trade titles however, I have to adjust my ideas and tone of writing to better suit consumer magazines, which is essentially much more fun!

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
At Motivate? Ask me again in a couple of months. But as a journalist generally, I’d say working with design on some much-loved content and then seeing it finally laid out. I’m always amazed by what a good designer can do with the copy.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
There are an awful lot of different publications, that’s for sure. But that competition just drives each magazine to be better and there are some beautiful luxury lifestyle magazines out there. Then there are new magazines like Good, which feels very fresh and is writing for an otherwise-forgotten audience.

How do you find PRs in the region?
Really rather friendly considering how hard they seem to be worked.

What’s your pet PR peeve?
I’m not sure. Perhaps people that mumble or speak quickly on the phone so you can’t hear them properly.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
Landline, definitely.

What’s your most overused saying?
Sadly, it’s probably ‘sorry’ (I’m very British).

Five things you can’t live without?
My family, my notepad, biscuits, my moonstone necklace and the occasional countryside walk.

If you weren’t a journalist, what would you be?
An archaeologist (preferably one like Indiana Jones).