Making It as a Local Author

Living a Digital Nomad Life as Medical Writer

What if your job didn’t tie you to one place? Christie Whitehouse traded a traditional path in biomedical science for a fully remote career as a freelance medical writer. Now, she’s travelling across New Zealand, working from wherever she lands, and figuring out where (and how) she wants to settle next. In this episode, Christie shares what it really takes to build a location-independent career, the realities behind the digital nomad lifestyle, and how she turned a specialised skillset into a flexible way of working.

Running a Surf School

From freezing cold waves in Massachusetts to the world-class lefts of Raglan, and now helping others catch their first wave. If you’ve ever dreamed of building a life around what you love: this one’s for you. In this episode of How to Make It Work, I sit down with Wes Rogers from Green Wave Surf School to talk about turning a passion for surfing into a career. Wes breaks down what it really takes: from writing for the World Surf League and chasing waves across the globe long before “digital nomad” was a thing, to coaching beginners in Raglan today. Plus: he shares what it’s like being part of a tight-knit surf community as the World Surf League Championship Tour hits town.

Making It as a Local Author

She turned Raglan into a novel, and a creative path into a real career. In this episode of How to Make It Work, I sit down with local author Sarah Johnson to talk about her new young adult novel Not A Babe, set right here in Whāingaroa. We dive into Sarah’s journey into writing, and how she’s building a creative career from a small coastal town. From juggling family life and late night shifts to the power of community through the writer's collective Raglan Inkspillers: This conversation is an honest look at what it really means to make it work as an author.

Keeping Print Alive

Print is supposed to be dead, so why is this magazine growing? In this episode, I sit down with Michael Andrew, the owner and editor of On the Land, an independent print magazine telling the stories of people living closely with the land across Aotearoa. After buying the magazine for just $1, Michael took a risk on something most people would walk away from: print media. From his base in Ruapuke, he has rebuilt the publication with a clear mission, and a deep connection to a growing movement of people returning to the land. We talk about what it really takes to make a print magazine work in 2026, and why slow, thoughtful storytelling still matters in a fast digital world.

Coaching Families with Neurodiverse Children

From asking "what is wrong" to asking "what is strong!" In this episode, I sit down with clinical psychologist Annick Janson to talk about what it really takes to turn research into real-world impact, and why she’s bringing her globally recognised program Now & Next to Raglan. After securing funding to launch the initiative locally, Annick shares how Now & Next empowers parents of children with disabilities to create meaningful change for their families. Rooted in positive psychology and co-designed with lived experience, the program is about turning challenges into possibilies, and building stronger, more connected communities along the way. For more information visit the Now & Next website TinyUrl.com/raglan2026 or contact Annick: nowandnextteam@gmail.com [nowandnextteam@gmail.com]