Jess Novak

Brooklyn, NY USA
Contact

Professional Experience

I cover everything from the challenges of nonprofit start-ups to fun date ideas to luxury resorts for a variety of publications, including Men's Journal and Thrillist. Fun fact: my story is the first result if you Google "kale smoothies." Is that a testament to the power of good SEO, strong research, and kicky writing, or the stranglehold kale has on an increasingly health-conscious public? You be the judge.

Expertise

Content Editor (online)
3 Years
Editor
3 Years
Writer
3 Years

Specialty

Entrepreneurship
Entry Level
Food
1 Year
Health
1 Year

Industries


Academia Teaching
4 Years
Magazine - Large Consumer/National magazines
1 Year
Online/new media
3 Years

Total Media Industry Experience

3 Years

Media Client List (# assignments last 2 yrs)

Men's Journal (6-10), The How (3-5), Thrillist (3-5)

Other Work History

Former Positions: Drink Editor - The Daily Meal Freelance Reporter - InStyle Online Editor - The Southeast Review Staff Writer - Newslo

Technical Skills

Basic image editing skills

Computer Skills

Experienced in SEO, multiple CMS platforms, basic HTML, photo acquisition and editing, Microsoft Office programs, social media savvy

Equipment

MacBook Air, iPhone 6

References

References available upon request

Awards

Nominated for teaching award (2011, 2012); Pushcart Prize (2011, 2012, 2013); Best New Poets (2012, 2013); anthologized in a collection nominated for a Lambda Literary Award (2012)

Showcase

Writing Samples - Travel

10 Tips For Preventing Luggage Loss
(Men's Journal 11/4/2014)
Several travel experts weigh in on the best ways to keep luggage intact and retrievable.
The 10 Best Water Villas In The World
(Men's Journal 12/1/2014)
Roundup and descriptions of the most remarkable overwater hotels in the world.
A Quick Guide To Enjoying Cannes Outside The Film Festival
(The Daily Meal 5/20/2014)
If you're in town for the film festival, this guide can help you decide where else to go and what to do.
Ile Saint-Honorat: 20 Minutes from Cannes Into Another World
(The Daily Meal 5/21/2014)
A monastic community has been living and making wine on this small French island for centuries.
$5 Worth Of Food Around The World
(The Daily Meal 2/28/2014)
What can $5 buy you in cities as diverse as Dubai, Phnom Penh, Mumbai, and London?

Writing Samples - Dating

42 Actually Great New York Date Ideas
(Thrillist 10/16/2014)
New York is full of fun date ideas that aren't always obvious, from floor shuffleboard to burlesque shows to craft beer tours on a sailboat. This list suggests them based on the number of dates you've been on.
15 Reasons To Date Someone From Washington, D.C.
(Movoto 10/17/2014)
Characteristics of D.C. residents and why they're so fun to date. Published under pseudonym Alice Earnshaw.
14 Things You Need To Know About Dating Someone From Oklahoma City
(Movoto 11/3/2014)
What defines the residents of Oklahoma City, and what makes them fun to date? Published under pseudonym Alice Earnshaw.

Writing Samples - Wine, Beer, & Spirits (Booze!)

8 Questions About Booze You Were Afraid To Ask
(The Daily Meal 4/21/2014)
Why CAN'T you drink rubbing alcohol? What exactly are tannins, anyway? What's the stuff that gets filtered out of vodka? Why don't we drink cocktail bitters? I answer all questions about the world of booze. With science.
The 101 Best Wineries In America
(The Daily Meal 6/25/2014)
The list of 101 wineries was shaped with the help of many experts, including personal hero Alice Waters. I was interested in creating a list that is geographically diverse without being disingenuous.
52 Wines For 2014
(The Daily Meal 1/24/2014)
A panel of experts helped me determine a wine a week for the whole year of 2014.
The 50 Best Craft Breweries in America
(The Daily Meal 7/21/2014)
A panel of craft beer experts helped me develop a list of nominees, then our readership was invited to vote on the results. This story received attention from Guyism, NBC Chicago, and Businessweek.
The Best Tom Collins
(The Daily Meal 8/4/2014)
A look into the origin and literary relevance of the classic cocktail, and an inclusion of my own tried-and-true recipe. Because I am a narcissist, I determine it to be the best in the world.

Writing Samples - Health & Wellness

The Best Beverages For Pregnant Women
(The Daily Meal 5/12/2014)
Pregnancy articles always seem to be about women aren't allowed to do. This piece focuses on delicious drinks that are beneficial for pregnant women. Does not include whiskey.
Drink Your Way To Healthier Skin
(The Daily Meal 12/27/2013)
Juices, smoothies, and spices that can improve your skin's tone and repair damaged cells.
How To Make Kale Smoothies You Actually Want To Drink
(The Daily Meal 4/10/2014)
Do you like kale smoothies? Neither does anyone else. Here are some hacks to make them palatable. Let's hope these allegedly magical cruciferous vegetables are as good for you as everyone says.
The 13 Unhealthiest Cold Starbucks Drinks
(The Daily Meal 8/6/2014)
Most of these drinks have enough sugar to put a Shetland pony in a diabetic coma.
Anti-GMO Activists Take A Stand
(The Daily Meal 2/20/2014)
I interviewed a DC-based GMO activist whose work leads her to protest through a variety of means--including the preservation of heirloom seeds.

Writing Samples - Start-Ups

Funding Risk in Mission-Driven Startups
(The How 10/2/2014)
Nonprofits and socially-minded businesses experience challenges that other startups don't face. How do you take risks and "fail forward fast" when real people's lives are on the line?