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Hi, I'm Melinda.

I'm a freelance writer based in Melbourne mostly. I've been freelancing since 2008 and have well and truly logged my 10,000 hours (IYKYK). 

I provide content strategy and creation, UX, content and copywriting, and for the love of it - features and creative writing. 

Plus a bunch of other stuff for kicks and bucks. 

If you know you need some help with 'content stuff', get in touch and we can work out what you need to do next. Email me using the button below or call me on 0434 049 286 and let's chat! 

Get in touch
Welcome to ...

Welcome To: Abu Dhabi 2019/20

Abu Dhabi may not have quite the fame of its neighbour Dubai, but the UAE’s capital can be proud of its fortunes and treasures in equal measure. Offering a unique contrast between past and present tradition and modernity. Abu Dhabi is a shining beacon of how to prepare a city for the innovations and demands of its future, whilst preserving and strengthening its cultural heart. The second largest of the UAE’s cities, Abu Dhabi is brimming with life and vibrancy, as it’s ever changing skyline evolves, shaping the city of today into the metropolis of tomorrow.
Huffington Post

GenDIY profile: Spyros Fotiou

Spyros Fotiou is a great example of GenDIY success. Based on what he saw the job market was demanding, Spyros bridged the gap between the skills he had and the skills he needed. In three months Spyros transitioned from being unemployed to working as a full-scale web programmer. How?

After pursuing a mainstream education pathway of electrical and computer engineering in college, Spyros graduated with new skills but was unable to find work. Relocating from Athens, Greece to Berlin, he arrived wit
Getting Smart

CompetencyEd And why everyone should learn to code

The speed of progress in the 21st century has almost surpassed our capacity to exist in a functional way within it. Traditional models like time-based learning are not equipping us for the future we are hurtling towards that requires everyone, especially students, to demonstrate mastery in flexible learning environments. A foundation of literacy in reading, writing, and arithmetic are no longer enough. The need for students to improve their tech fluency, to learn to code, and to be capable and c
Getting Smart

Coding in the classroom: how teachers are learning to code

Like a slow moving barge, the discussions around teaching students to code have remained afloat, drifting slowly towards a far away destination for many years. Although there is still progress to be made to achieve the goals of code fluency, current activities indicate that significant change is happening and thankfully, on a global scale.

In recent years, things have started to pick up speed. Steve Jobs of course was a passionate advocate of everybody, everywhere learning computer programming
Recruiter.com

Why the tech skills gap is an opportunity for those willing to learn

We’ve all heard about the tech skills gap: thousands of jobs available, but not enough people with the right skills to fill the positions. As an industry, technology is expanding at a faster rate than any other. However, it suffers from a huge gap in basic education. Children aren’t being trained in tech skills like Web development at school, and many adults are unaware of how the products they use every day are built or maint
Roche Horizon magazine

Horizon magazine: The Discovery Issue. Launch edition

Case studies and features. This sample is an excerpt from the magazine of all articles written by Melinda Barlow for this issue. Horizon magazine is a publication for the Roche R&D Academy global network. It's aim is to provide thought leadership in science. By sharing knowledge and know-how in groups, more can be discovered and showcased ensuring everyone is better equipped to serve patients in the future.

In this issue ‘Discovery,’ the articles cover the lessons learned with two molecules - Balovaptan and Etrolizumab, from their Phase 3 studies; that failures are of significant value in science, and as we learn from them, we are further inspired to make science even better in the future; why the R&D Academy presents a case for change; aspirations for drug development; thought leadership from Teresa Graham on change as the catalyst for innovation; and from Lilyan Wright on the career choices that matter.
Hitachi Global Air Power

Pharma company's innovative cyrotechnology for vaccine production

The CryoCube is a game changing innovation that – to achieve its full potential – required product partnerships with internationally recognised brands to achieve global reach and deliver worldwide support capabilities. For the purpose of this case study, AFCryo’s client is a pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturer involved in vaccine and serum co-ingredient development as part of the COVID-19 response.
The Victorian Connection

Regional Victoria, the transformation of all things and KPMG

We are now on the cusp of the Internet of Things revolution. It’s estimated there will be one trillion things connected globally by 2035, which for Australia, translates into a potential A$116 billion in annual economic value. Much of this comes from the building and development of smart cities, smart power and utilities, and smart agriculture.

In regional Victoria, cities like Geelong are looking to the Internet of Things to potentially reinvent themselves, to emerge from the constraints of th
The Victorian Connection

Bosch Australia and the enabling of all things

Victoria’s traditional strengths in engineering are proving a strong basis for innovation in the Internet of Things. At the recent Internet of Things Festival Conference in Melbourne, Gavin Smith, President of Bosch Australia talked about the transformation of the company’s business model, its plans for the future and the Internet of Things. The Bosch Australia headquarters in Victoria has recently undergone a $40m upgrade including new workshops, test facilities and offices in an eco-friendly e
æternity blog

The evolution of owning one's identity - SSI for beginners

None of us needs convincing that we are who we say we are. When it comes to proving this fact to others, however, our word is rarely enough.

From the moment we are born we are issued verifications of who we are, from birth certificates to student ID cards, health care cards to passports, work IDs, utility bills, fingerprint IDs and retina scans. Without one or more of these, we can perform very few of the tasks essential to being a functioning member of the society in which we currently live.
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Rates.

First date.

I like to work collaboratively with my clients so if it suits, it's great to meet and chat before the work kicks off to see how we like each other. It can be as quick as a phone call or as long as a coffee somewhere local. My shout. 

$0.00

By the hour.

I updated my rates in January 2024 and they're fixed for 12 months. I'm happy to negotiate project rates for larger jobs on a case by case basis. I can provide a customised quote on request. 

$110.00 per hour plus GST

Collabo-rate.

I like to work with people and organisations making a difference. If you're a charity, NGO, NFP or a social enterprise, you're eligible for mates rates, billed in 8 hour blocks.   

$800 per day plus GST