who we are

Pip Desmond and Pat Martin are two experienced, versatile writers with a passion for telling the stories of people, organisations and communities.

We’ve been writing, editing and designing for over 35 years, including two years sharing our skills as volunteers in Timor-Leste from 2013 to 2015.

Our strength is our ability to turn complex ideas into clear, simple language and present them in an engaging, effective way. Together we have worked in the public, private, not-for-profit and development sectors.

Whether it’s producing your publication, editing a university text, writing a speech, recording your family history, designing your  website or running a writing workshop, we  bring life to words.

2Write gives us the opportunity to do work we enjoy for people we like. It’s a great combination.

Pat Martin

Putting together the whole publication package is my strength – planning and writing stories, assembling graphics and design, polishing with a good edit, and overseeing the final production.

I work part-time for Volunteer Service Abroad, following two years as a volunteer communications advisor in Timor-Leste. In New Zealand I’ve been communications advisor for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment,  a political advisor for the Labour Government and publications manager for the Department of Building and Housing.

Along the way there have been websites and newsletters, union publications, book editing and book writing. I also have a post-graduate diploma in journalism and first class honours in Sociology and History.

Who I work for matters to me. Vast sums are spent on marketing but we don’t often hear from the people who hold our communities together. It’s satisfying when good communication shines a light on their work.

Pip Desmond

I love listening to people’s experiences and crafting them into stories they feel proud of and others can share. That’s why I wrote my award-winning book,  Trust: A True Story of Women and Gangs.

My second book, The War That Never Ended: New Zealand Veterans Remember Korea,  is also based on oral history interviews with those at the front line. In May 2017, I finished the draft of another book of creative non-fiction – more details coming soon.

Our two-year volunteer stint in Timor Leste gave me the unique opportunity to teach creative writing and write a creative writing guide in the local language, Tetun. On our return to New Zealand, I worked on the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority’s Lessons and Legacy Project in 2015-2016, recording the experiences of past and present staff before the agency wound up.

In my past life, I’ve been a ministerial press secretary and political advisor, as well as editor of publications in the not-for-profit sector for many years. I have post-graduate diploma papers in journalism, an MA in Creative Writing and a BA in History.

I love editing almost as much as writing. Plain language and apostrophes are in.  Jargon’s out. My red pen is my sword.