Marilyn Devonish. Journalist Influencer & Bringer of Fresh Ideas

I pitched a piece to a Journalist about #MentalHealth a few weeks ago with what I thought was a good idea and approach. It was hasn't my intention to influence them and change their approach however this is the reply I received from them this morning . . . . . .

Marilyn Devonish Website — Marilyn Devonish Media Influencer

The Journalist said:

"Thank you Marilyn, we weren't looking for first person styles, but you may have just changed my mind on that!

On reflection reading your piece, it would be lovely to have different people's perspectives and make it more conversational, thank you.

That's really refreshing, thank you! Very happy if you have some more like that."

#Cool :-)

Got An Old Topic and Need News Ideas or a Fresh Perspective?

"I love the way you also come up with fresh or new angles."

One consistent piece of feedback received over the past 17 years I've been writing features and articles for newspapers and magazines is that I can always come up with fresh ideas and a unique perspective even when it's an old pitch which has been done to death.

Clarity of Message

One of the Journalist's I've been writing for over the past 10 or so years summed it up in response to my submission to an article brief:

"Thanks so much! That was gorgeous - I wasn't sure how clear I was (in terms of asking the questions) and yet what you came up with made so much sense on both business, love life and another personal issue levels. Love it :) " Eve Menezes Cunningham Reg.MBACP, MANLP, RYT200, MFHT, MICCH

Let's Have a Quick Chat

This is the feedback from a Journalist at Psychologies magazine after interviewing me for an article:

"Amazing! You're amazing!! I could talk to you for ages and ask you a ton more questions but I've only got 1200 words!"

"I've Never Thought About It Like That . . . ."

At this particular event I was at the V&A Museum attending an evening talk about the fashion industry. One of the organisers beamed when she saw me arrive and said she was glad I was back again because: "I always have such great and thought provoking questions."

Marilyn Devonish with Designer Patrick Cox and Actress Elizabeth Hurley

After the talk I asked one of the Journalist's on the panel a question about the industry she has been writing about her whole career; she writes for one of the big broadsheet newspapers. She stopped for a moment, looked at me somewhat bemused, said: "great question" and that she couldn't answer the question because she had never thought about it from that perspective.

Thankfully I asked that one in private because having listened to the talk I suspected it was an important aspect no one had really considered .

"Perfect"

I often get the same response when writing for both old and new Journalist's regardless of the subject matter because my remit is wide and varied:

Often I have no idea what the Journalist even wants or what their preferred style is yet somehow it always seems to work out right off the bat with the first draft.

I Sometimes Surprise Yet Don't Surprise Myself

Marilyn Devonish on stage at TCCHE event MC — Marilyn Devonish on stage with Gregg Braden, Dr Joe Dispenza and Dr Bruce Lipton

I wrote this Facebook post on 29th August 2017:

I was taken aback this weekend, but not. To impress astrophysicists, pioneering stem cell biologists, scientists, futurists, multiple New York Times Best Selling Authors, brain Researchers, lifetime explorers of ancient secrets, journalists, those who specialise in exploring multi dimensional existences, award winning Film Makers and some the worlds top Influential People, with my:

"Intelligence, quick mind, fantastic formulation of questions, ability to hold the space and energetically gel a room of over 500 people together right out of the gate"

The feedback was lovely, unexpected, and surprising but not surprising.

I'm always banging on about the power of #PhotoReading and #NeuroSuccess and this weekend I was reminded of its power in action while I was Hosting and MCing the Conference for Consciousness and Human Evolution alongside some of the great minds of our time, all of whom provided me with the most incredible feedback after our first interviews and Panel Session on the Friday night, and throughout the weekend.

The Gregg Braden Showstopper

aMarilyn Devonish interviewing New York Times Bestseller gGre

For those who were at The Conference for Consciousness and Human Evolution in 2017 you would have also seen the Gregg Braden question incident which almost threw me for a loop because he stopped the interviews to ask me in front of 550 where the questions I was asking the panel of speakers had come from. It threw me for a momentary loop because I didn't know why he was asking; for all I knew he might have wanted to complain they were terrible and ask for a new set.

I had to confess I had made them up (intuitively channelled them after getting into PhotoReading state) at 3.30am that morning. Turns out he wanted to compliment the questions for being brilliant. Phew!