Angela Steyn: Successful career change

Angela Steyn, 33, left her job as a lawyer to become an interior stylist and writer specialising in interiors, homes and design … with some help from the Australian Writers’ Centre.

In 2007, Angela walked away from her job as a lawyer to follow her passion for interiors. She knew she wanted to become an interior stylist. Angela also knew that one way to build credibility and expertise was to write about interiors and design.

She was also an avid reader of magazines like Belle, Home Beautiful and House & Garden. Angela wanted to see her byline in those glossy publications.

“Then a friend recommended the Australian Writers’ Centre and I was thrilled to discover a course tailored to feature writing,” she says.

Acquiring the tools and expertise to get there

Angela enrolled in the Australian Writers’ Centre Newspaper and Magazine Writing Stage 1 course, and started working away on a range of soon-to-be published articles. The Feature Writing course was just the training Angela needed to get started successfully. Angela says: “By far the most useful part of the course for me was gaining a knowledge of the magazine industry and learning how to pitch stories to editors”.

Achieving success

Before long, Angela did indeed achieve her goal. She began seeing her byline appear next to cover stories and articles in some of Australia’s most respected homes and interiors magazines.

“Wow, life has changed dramatically since I did the course,” says Angela, whose first article was published in a real estate magazine called Address, an LJ Hooker publication. This was followed by writing and styling a cover story for Home Beautiful. “I remember sitting on the steps of my local newsagent in shock at the wonder of my first cover,” Angela says.

Still working as a freelance stylist, Angela has also had articles published in House & Garden and Frankie. She has also started two blogs – Wicker & Stitch interior stylist blog and Mama & The Monkey parenting, blog inspired by her baby boy, Leo.

“My blogs have been a great source of joy and satisfaction, particularly when I discovered that they are read by a number of editors,” she says.

Angela’s Recommendation

Angela highly recommends the Australian Writers’ Centre as the place to learn exactly how to get your articles published in the magazines you love to read.

“The Australian Writers’ Centre gave me the tools and confidence to be able to begin a freelance writing career,” she says. “I was published within six months of completing the course and I’m convinced it was a direct result of everything I learned. I would recommend it without hesitation.”