Digital Journalist
Creative Writer
Cultured Gay
Welcome to my online portfolio! Here I’ve curated my best work. You are welcome to browse through this website, or you can find more of my work at Hunter & Bligh under “Chris Kelly”.
For now, enjoy…
My Skills & Experiences
Engaging Storytelling
Great stories make you feel at home. They capture your curiosities and offer you food for thought. And once they have you hooked, you swim within the words, conjuring up fantastic ideas and new ways of thinking. This is a skill that I readily possess. Whether it’s a quirky angle on sexual health, a melodramatic opinion piece, or a touch of hope, the following articles and essays prove my skills as an engaging storyteller:
+6 Sexual Health Facts Every Straight Person Should Know
+All Clothes Are Gender Neutral
+Why I Have Hope For The Future
+HIV Is Not A ‘Gay Man’s Disease’
Masterful Interviewer
As a skilled interviewer, I’ve plucked out some evocative and richly detailed stories. This not only comes from asking the right questions, but also from building quality rapport with everyone I interview. By creating that comfortable atmosphere, along with a good connection, I can elicit better responses to all the right questions—this includes those juicy anecdotes that help butter up the overall story:
+Visas & HIV: A Silent Predicament
+4 Easy Skincare Routine Tips For Men
+Gay Conversion Therapy Is Not “Therapy”
+Are Gay Venues Still Relevant
SEO Tactics
Writing great stories is one thing, getting them listed at the top of Google is whole other ballgame. All my articles below have taken out the top spot on Google, which you can verify with their most popular search phrases:
+Katoomba’s Lost Roller Coaster: The Mystery of the Orphan Rocker
(“Katoomba Roller Coaster”)
+Hobart To Cradle Mountain: The Ultimate Road Trip Planner
(“Hobart to Cradle Mountain”)
+8 Hobart Bars You Have To Visit
(“Hobart Bars”)
+10 Best Bars In Sydney’s Inner West
(“Inner West Bars”)
Interpersonal Skills
Building quality rapport with interviewees also proves my expert interpersonal skills, which comes in handy when collecting amazing PR contacts. From setting up product/venue reviews to organising samples for article inclusions, they are vital to content writing. Interpersonal skills require candid communication and perseverance, especially when it comes to meeting deadlines:
+Hotel Review: Citadines Sydney Airport
+Flying Fish: Review
+Peanut Butter Whiskey Hits Australia
+Best Australian Hard Seltzers 2021
My Flourishing Career
Content Writer
Hunter & Bligh
2017-present
I started with Hunter & Bligh as an unpaid intern, which grew into permanent paid work. The website had just launched when I joined and, since then, their success is well-spotted. The opportunities that I’ve experienced from their growing success are exceptional—from the most lavish event invites and reviews, to an expansive list of PR contacts. It has been a pleasure to work here.
Corporate Waiter
Nosh Hospitality
2014 – present
Nosh Hospitality is a staffing agency where I’ve worked in various hospitality roles – most notably of the corporate variety. I’ve done boardroom waitering in 3 of the 4 major banks in Sydney, served the current prime minister twice, and I’ve survived with them during this pandemic. Indeed, this is shift work, which was perfectly flexible for my now-completed university degree (see below/right) and my permanent role at Hunter & Bligh.
Content Writer
The Gay Straight-Talker
2019 – present
While writing for Hunter & Bligh, I grew interested in the topics of sexuality, gender, and living your best life. Alas, The Gay Straight-Talker was born. I’ve developed my own personal writing style thanks to this blog, and I’ve garnered extra income (and a decent following) through my Medium account of the same name. Medium is an American-based blogging platform.
Bachelor of Communications
Western Sydney University
2015 – 2017
My university degree was more than just on-campus learning. During my degree, I was student reporter at the Walkley Awards Storyology event, did a week-long stint with Fairfax News in Western Sydney, and I even went to Nepal to practice journalism in the field through the New Colombo Plan initiative. I achieved all this while sailing on distinction with an overall GPA of 5.8. A full academic transcript is available on request.
I’m ready when you are!
The Gay Straight-Talker 