Apart from being an excellent writer, the newest Flowstar to settle in at 231 Oxford Road admits to being an extreme greenie who has a chronic fear of spiders … meet Melanie-Ann Feris.
Having started her career at a small-town newspaper in Kimberley, Melanie has paid her dues as a journalist, reporting and managing news production for The Star and City Press newspapers. However, earlier this year, Melanie decided to give it all up to join Flow Communications.
“I wasn’t writing anymore,” she explains. “I’ve always been a journalist and, when I was made managing editor at CityPress, I never had enough time to write.”
Melanie matriculated at 16 but, due to a lack of funds to pay for university fees, found herself spending her days at the Diamond Fields Advertiser (DFA), in Kimberley.
“I knew I wanted to either be a journalist or social worker. And because I am such a greenie, I wanted to write on environmental and science matters. My first job was at the DFA.
“I don’t know why I started hanging around there, but eventually I became such a pain in the butt for them that they gave me a job.
“My lucky break came when a girl that had been interning there left at short notice. I was then recruited into her position. I couldn’t write that well then, so I learnt everything I know on the job,” says Melanie.
Melanie has always been a city girl at heart and, when the opportunity presented itself, she asked the DFA to transfer her to The Star’s Johannesburg office on an internship. After a few months she was asked by management to remain on a permanent basis.
“I was a general reporter when I arrived at The Star, however, after nine months on the job, the news editor – almost as if she had read my mind – approached me with an offer to write on green issues! I travelled a lot, going to places I had never dreamt of visiting, which is when the travel bug bit I suppose,” says Melanie.
“The Star restructured and I didn’t fit in there anymore, so I approached the former editor of The Star, who had since moved over to City Press, and asked him if they had a job for me.”
In the same vein as Melanie’s first job, someone had moved on and left a position vacant at City Press. She then started moving up the ranks, from assistant news editor, rising to deputy news editor and then managing editor.
“As a manager, I wasn’t writing anymore, and this frustrated me. However, even though the job entailed much admin, I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave until the day an invoice for R39 for a plumbing job landed on my desk, and I had to sign off on it. I sat there thinking, is this what my life has come to?
“So I sent out a few messages on Facebook to friends and people in the writing industry, asking them if they knew of any job openings. Flow CEO Tara Turkington was one of the people I approached and, as they say, the rest is history!”
Melanie was attracted to Flow Communications because of its youthful spirit and because she will once again be able to concentrate on her writing.
When she’s not plying her trade as a wordsmith, Melanie enjoys beading and taking holidays in wide, open spaces where she can enjoy long walks and view nature’s unspoilt wonders.
“I am really excited to work with Melanie, mostly because of her position on environmental issues,” says colleague Kevin Collins. “We will sort out the garbage, write weblogs and make a great team for South African Tourism.”
Colin Ford, head of Flow’s writing team, says, “We are delighted to have a journalist of Melanie’s calibre joining Flow Communications. Her experience and talent will add enormous depth to our already brilliant pool of writers.”
With a rich background in journalism and a larger-than-life personality, Flow Communications extends a warm welcome the newest member of the growing Flow team.