ALICE DRAPER
Freelance Writer & Editor
Hello, I am happy you are here!
My name is Alice and I am a freelance journalist and content strategist. I am based in South Africa although I tend to work with international clients.
I write social justice-focused reported features. These have been published in VICE, New Frame, The Daily Maverick, and elsewhere. I also write personal essays about relationships, wellness, and identity. You will find me talking about my relationship with body hair in Living While Feminist, my experience with quitting alcohol in HelloGiggles, and more.
To view my selected portfolio of writing click here. I also run a marketing and consultancy business called Hustling Writers.
“Alice brought a new energy into my business with her content creation, as well as with her positive attitude and demeanor. She can be trusted to excel at any writing task and hiring her has taken a huge load off my shoulders. I’d recommend her with my eyes closed!” — Juliana Costa
“Alice is an excellent writer and editor, and it was a pleasure to work with her at Kimkim. As her managing editor, I found Alice to be communicative, dependable, cheerfully responsive to feedback, and an independent worker.” — Jennifer Kotlewski, former managing editor at Kimkim
Selected Portfolio
You can access some of my favorite published pieces below.
Personal Essays
I had to give up drinking, and I realized the unhealthy ways we talk about alcohol for HelloGiggles
I don’t want to get married but I still fantasize about weddings for The Tempest
Shaving for Living While Feminist
How I took charge of my healthcare when hormonal birth control impacted my mental health for HelloGiggles
Reported Features
South Africa’s Lockdown Has Helped Homeless People Get Sober for VICE
Durban shack dwellers illegally evicted for New Frame
South African universities are facing a crisis of sexual assault committed by staff for The Tempest
The Whistle Stop School’s fast track to literacy for The Daily Maverick
Latest Posts
Consulting Services
I consult writers and remote workers of all ages and experience levels. With my guidance, my clients have sold stories to publications like Longreads, The Huffington Post, Well + Good, Working Mother, and more. I also offer specific advice to remote workers on finding quality work, building a career as a freelancer, finding a community, landing clients, and more.
I charge $75 for a one-hour consulting session. This rate is for remote workers who are new to their profession. If you are an established business owner looking for a PR strategy consultation, please book through my Hustling Writers website. I also offer reduced consultancy rates based on income and you are welcome to email me about this.
To book a one-hour consulting session, please send the payment through Paypal and email me at alimdraper@gmail.com with four dates and times that suit your schedule.
Testimonials:
“The start of my freelance career was incredibly overwhelming—learning how to find clients, how/where to pitch, communicating with editors, and finding work that pays well took a while to get the hang of. Alice’s expertise and guidance helped me find my flow. She improved my pitch structure which helped me land my first piece with HuffPost! What I love, admire, and truly appreciate about Alice is her kindness and genuine desire to help me succeed. She supports my work and my wins! I’ve become more confident with my writing, ideas, and rates thanks to her encouragement and direction.” — Sophia Shalabi.
“Alice is a wonderful writer and an even better mentor. Her knowledge of the industry is unparalleled and she is always willing to share what she knows — which is a lot! She is patient, kind, understanding, and willing to answer any and all questions you may have about beginning your freelance career. I wouldn’t have the career I have now without Alice’s help and guidance over the past six months. She made an effort to introduce me to other people who could help me and invited me to join countless freelance networks and spaces that aided my success. Networking is such an important part of being a freelancer and Alice welcomes you into the fold and invites you to take a seat at the table every single time. She is an amazing resource and a great friend, and I look forward to working with her a lot more in the future!” — Demi Drew.