Journalist at The Guardian

Find Elle’s personal twitter here, and follow her passion project (an octopuses, cuttlefish and squid fan account) here.

Who or what did you want to be when you grew up?

A journalist – I lack imagination

What is your professional background?

Student journalism, print journalism, digital journalism ... and now a mix of all three  

When do you feel the most creative or inspired?

Reading brilliant writing. Away from my desk, talking to people. Or one glass of wine down

When are you happiest?

With dogs, or underwater

What’s the best stress relief advice you’ve ever been given?

Sometimes it's better to sleep than to work the way through. Also, delete the Twitter app from your phone

What is your most treasured possession?

A ceramic hand

What is the most important thing life has taught you thus far?

Quite a lot of things are actually outside your control

What is your number one business tip for surviving (and thriving) in your industry?

To be a self-starter, and to take care

What is your big project or goal for 2018?

I'd like to report and write a feature of some length (3,000+ words), from a foreign city

Who or what is inspiring you at the moment?

Rebecca Traister, Caity Weaver, Taffy Brodesser-Akner – writers who I'll go with wherever they take me

What do you continually ask yourself?

Is this accurate? Is it fair?"

Who do you collaborate with best?

People I trust

Who has challenged you to be better than you once were?

The people who know me best

How does courage manifest in your work?

Reading the comments (I don't do it very often).

When has mentorship played a role in your life?

Every win I've ever had.