Stephanie Wood

Stephanie Wood: A Voice for Human Complexity and Social Justice

Stephanie Wood has carved a distinguished career as a features writer and author, blending investigative rigor with empathetic storytelling. Based in Sydney, her work for Good Weekend, The Guardian, and her Substack newsletter Vamp explores the intersections of personal struggle, societal challenges, and environmental crises.

Career Trajectory: From Food Writing to Social Advocacy

Wood began her journey as a food writer and restaurant critic, honing her observational skills before pivoting to deeply human-centric narratives. Her career shifted after the publication of her memoir Fake, which exposed emotional manipulation in relationships and resonated globally. This pivot marked her transition into social justice journalism, where she now investigates systemic issues through personal stories.

Notable Investigative Work

• "The Epidemic of Brain Injuries Among Domestic Violence Victim-Survivors" (The Guardian)

This groundbreaking piece revealed how repetitive head trauma in abusive relationships often goes undiagnosed, drawing parallels to athlete concussions. Wood combined medical research with survivor testimonies, prompting Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme to re-evaluate support criteria for victims.

• "Koalas Facing Extinction: A Silent Crisis in Australia’s Bushlands" (Good Weekend)

Through habitat analysis and conservationist interviews, Wood highlighted the koala’s precarious status amid climate change and urban expansion. The article spurred parliamentary discussions about wildlife corridor protections.

• "Mid-Life Unemployment and the Invisible Struggle" (Vamp)

In this Substack essay, Wood blended labor market data with personal accounts of professionals facing age discrimination, creating a manifesto for workplace equality that went viral among HR communities.

Strategic Pitch Recommendations

1. Human-Centered Environmental Stories

Wood prioritizes narratives connecting ecological issues to community impacts. A successful pitch might explore how coastal erosion affects Indigenous fishing traditions, mirroring her approach in the koala conservation piece. Avoid purely technical climate models.

2. Mental Health Through Systemic Lenses

She seeks stories examining mental health infrastructure gaps, particularly for marginalized groups. Her brain injury reporting demonstrates interest in underrecognized medical issues affecting vulnerable populations.

3. Transformative Personal Essays

Wood values first-person accounts that reveal societal truths. Pitches should balance vulnerability with analytical depth, akin to her Substack work on unemployment’s emotional toll.

4. Intersectional Feminism

Stories exploring how age, class, and disability compound gender inequality align with her book Fake and domestic violence reporting. Focus on systemic solutions rather than individual tragedies.

5. Conservation Success Stories

While highlighting crises, Wood equally seeks narratives of ecological restoration. A pitch about urban rewilding initiatives could complement her extinction coverage while offering hope.

Awards and Industry Recognition

"Fake is a breathtakingly honest account of emotional fraud that redefined personal journalism in Australia." - Kate McClymont, Investigative Journalist

• Jim Oram Award for Outstanding Feature Writing (2017): Won for her Good Weekend investigation into Melbourne’s thunderstorm asthma epidemic, combining medical reporting with survivor narratives to drive air quality policy changes.
• ANZCA Media Award (2019): Recognized for exposing Australia’s prescription opioid crisis through pharmacy audits and patient stories, leading to real-time prescription monitoring reforms.