About Me

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I am a 68-year-old gay disabled amateur part-time writer living in Slough, Berkshire UK. I have published around 60 articles in 20 leisure and lifestyle magazines. I live with a range of health issues including heart disease, chronic kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes, depression, atrial fibrillation and restless leg syndrome. (I'm working my way through the medical dictionary!). I'm a member of Slough Writer's Group which is interesting and informative. Latest News. 10th July 2023 Awarded 'The Sandy Lee-Guard Award for Endeavour' by the Slough Writers Group. 6th December 2023 Completed studying 'Writing for Magazines' with CityLit University. January 2nd 2024. Fell over in the lounge and fractured my left femur (whilst recovering from fracturing my right femur in July 2023). Recovery expected to take 6 - 8 months. May 2024. Completed studying ' National Centre for Writing' course 'Creative Non-Fiction - An Introduction'. You can see the articles that have been published in the 'LATEST WORK' section of my website. It's at http://richardhill.co.uk/latest.html

Thursday 9 November 2023

Week 2 Assignment - Completed Pitch

 Is life happier with a dog?

Dogs are more than just cuddly companions. Time magazine reports that ‘Owning a Dog Is Really Good for You.’ Moreover, research shows that dogs have many positive effects on the health and quality of life of their owners. Amongst other benefits, owning a dog decreases levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lowers blood pressure.

Research from The Kennel Club shows that stroking a dog is the top choice for stress relief. Two thirds of dog owners choose to cuddle or stroke a dog as their first port of call for comfort. Half also believe walking their dog improves their mood and well-being.

This article examines the value of owning a dog on the happiness levels of the owner. It is ideally suited for publication in the March edition of ‘Dogs Today’ magazine to coincide with the International Day of Happiness – Wednesday 20th March 2024. I propose a length of around 1000 words.

Research reveals that dog owners are turning to their four-legged-friends to help with feelings of stress and sadness and shows that dogs have provided a vital source of comfort to their owners, with more than two thirds claiming that stroking or cuddling a dog would be their first port of call when feeling stressed or down.

·         People with dogs have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without. One study even found that when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months.

·         Playing with a dog, can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.

·         Dog owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without dogs.

The article would also include interviews with dog owners/lovers explaining their own experiences of how their own happiness is brought about by owning their dog(s).

I have written a number of articles about dogs, for ‘Dogs Today’ and ‘Mad About Dogs’ magazines. As a dog lover myself I am confident that this article would appeal to your readers.

Examples of my recent dog related articles can be found here:

·         http://www.richardhill.co.uk/teameliot.pdf

·         http://www.richardhill.co.uk/newfsinaction.pdf

I would be grateful if you would consider accepting this proposal for publication in your magazine.

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