About

Marie Kreft

My main job is as a copywriter for my small business, Good As Gold. But exploring places and writing about them is a dream come true for me, so I’m lucky to be a part-time travel writer too.

West Midlands specialism

I was born in Norwich and now I live in Birmingham, where I’m raising two sons who are proud Brummies. People unfamiliar with the West Midlands sometimes try to console me over my choice of home city, offering kind words about, say, the canals. But we are surrounded by beauty; you just need to know where to look.

So my focus for travel writing is here on my doorstep and the West Midlands region: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

I’ve written two editions of Slow Travel: Shropshire for the brilliant Bradt Travel Guides and I’m currently working on the third, due out in October 2025.

(Good) slow

I’ve taken slow travel to my heart: a way of journeying that encourages car-free experiences and time spent getting to know the history, landscape, culture, people and stories of a place – to a depth that’s unattainable when you’re rushing around, ticking off must-see attractions.

I always say slow travel is a mindset too: waving not frowning when your route is snarled by 57 vintage tractors (this happened to me in Shropshire).

Slow travel has environmental benefits as well. By taking public transport, walking and cycling – and supporting local, independent businesses – we can all tread more lightly on the planet.

Overseas adventures

My love of slow travel on my home turf doesn’t mean I’m sworn off the rest of the world. My husband and I prioritise holidays with our boys over pretty much anything else that costs money. We’ve been fortunate to travel to Japan twice with them, plus ten other countries so far. We avoid flying when possible and practical.

Before children, Steve and I lived in Singapore. At the end, we challenged ourselves to travel back to the UK overland, through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France. Race Across the World before it was a TV show! We had to break our journey, but that’s another story …

Outside of work

I love spending time with my family and friends, running (OK, jogging), cooking, books, TV and radio drama, comedy, films, new music, podcasts, and theatre. I can lose hours happily writing fiction, but so far have produced little that has seen the light of day. I’m a (very amateur) flautist, playing for Misfits Music in south Birmingham. Passionate about literacy, I’m also a volunteer coach for Read Easy UK, working with adults one to one to help them learn to read. It’s a joy to see someone’s confidence and opportunities grow.

Work with me

With two young boys and a small business, I never seem to find time to pitch for travel-writing commissions. I’m always excited when they land on my desk, though. I’ve got twenty years’ professional writing experience, mostly as a copywriter, so I’m comfortable with briefs, asking questions, conducting deep research and – this should go without saying but I’ll reassure you anyway – meeting deadlines. Drop me a line!