Portfolio Highlights
Joni Sweet has a robust portfolio of work to showcase her skills and experience as a freelance writer.
Here are the highlights.
This Island Paradise Is The Caribbean's Best-Kept Secret
| Forbes
When I visited the little-known island of Saba, I knew other travelers would fall in love with it as quickly as I did. I covered t in this travel story for Forbes, which went viral, earning 50,000+ unique views in less than a month. Several readers emailed to say the story inspired them to book a trip to the destination.
What It’s Like to Sleep in Space, According to Astronauts
| Sleep.com
Do you know how hard it is to recruit astronauts for media interviews? I didn’t until I took on this assignment. But when sources are hard to find, I go into full-blown detective mode—in this case, finding two incredible astronauts to dish on what it’s like to sleep in space, resulting in this pop science story.
World's Greatest Places 2023: Budapest
| TIME Magazine
During my trip to Budapest in spring 2022, cranes dotted the skyline—evidence that the city was undergoing a facelift ahead of its 150th anniversary. My on-location reporting experience and deep connections in the travel industry gave me the scoop to successfully pitch Budapest for TIME’s World’s Greatest Places in print and online.
Traveling by Motorcycle to Bring an Empowering Message to People with Disabilities
| The Christian Science Monitor
As part of an independent, immersive reporting project, I spent several days with a paralyzed woman in Central Java used a modified motorcycle to inspire her community. I also combed through public health data in Indonesian for the story, which ran in print and online.
Why You Should Take Narcan Training Right Now
| VeryWell Mind
This story challenged me to personalize the opioid crisis—an issue I’ve reported on for years. I found relevant sources and earned their trust to convince them to speak with me. Then, I conducted deeply personal, emotional interviews with people affected by the crisis and strived to cover their stories with compassion, while calling all readers to take action.
Taking a Bite Out of the Big Apple
| Ohio Wesleyan University Alumni Magazine
This story (my first for an alumni mag!) highlights three of my skills: Profile writing, travel writing, and ability to weave complex information into a compelling narrative. In this case, braiding quotes from one-on-one interviews with 10 fascinating alumni into a multipage feature, complete with a sidebar of travel tips.
15 Travel Books That Will Change The Way You See The World
| Forbes
This story was in the top three Google search results for the keyword “travel books” for years—literally. I leveraged SEO best practices, recruited top travel experts, and wrote a punchy title to help the story appeal to both readers and search engines alike. It has earned clicks from more than 300,000 unique readers, and counting!
Why Does the COVID-19 Vaccine Have to Be Kept So Cold?
| Health Magazine
Reporting on novel advances in medicine always presents an exciting challenge. I got to play detective to find out why the Covid vaccines needed to be kept at sub-zero temperatures. Once I figured out the science, I had to convey it in a way that would engage and inform readers—without losing the nuanced details.
Oru Kayak Review: This Kayak Feels Like Forest Bathing in a Lake | Ness Well
My editor green-lit my pitch on a product review for Oru Kayak, but with one caveat: Give it a wellness spin. This portfolio piece demonstrates how I write critical product reviews with a health and wellness edge. It also shows how I can adapt my writing style to the unique voice and tone of publication.
Alcohol-Free Vacations: How to Join the Sober Travel Trend
| Frommer's
Given my expertise in travel and wellness, I was the go-to writer when Frommer’s wanted to cover the emerging sober travel trend. Not only did I investigate what’s behind the movement, I also turned the piece into a service journalism story by providing tips on how readers could take their own dry getaway.
9 Ways to Save for the Vacation You Deserve
| Real Simple
A story on personal finance gets a travel spin in this piece for Real Simple. I leaned on experts to uncover practical and actionable financial tips readers could use for their dream vacation. My writing makes personal financial management feel approachable and empowering.
Taste of Home: Where the Ambassadors Dine in New York
| Where Guestbook
Hearing the French consul casually reference his favorite French restaurant in New York sparked an idea for a feature on where ambassadors dine for a taste of home. I interviewed eight of them for this multipage piece in Where Guestbook, a hardbound book that’s displayed in hotel suites for a full calendar year.