My name is Vanessa Chiasson, and I bring clarity, calmness, and ease to complex ideas—and the people working with them.

In an often tumultuous media landscape, I work with editors to deliver thoughtful, well-structured stories they can rely on. My freelance writing is grounded in meticulous research, strong narrative shape, and over a decade of experience specializing in travel and human interest pieces. I’m known for clean copy, steady communication, and work that arrives on deadline, ready to publish.
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My writing resonates with readers who want more from the content they consume. I add depth to service pieces, bring warmth to essays and features, and shape stories that feel both engaging and quietly meaningful—work that invites readers to slow down, connect, and return.

I understand what it feels like to navigate an industry that is constantly shifting. That perspective shapes my coaching work. I support freelance writers as they find steadiness in their careers—helping them clarify their direction, make thoughtful decisions, and build work that feels both sustainable and satisfying.

My bylines include The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Ottawa Citizen, Canadian Geographic, Chatelaine, Modern Farmer, Reader’s Digest, Buzzfeed, USA Today, Thrillist, Matador, Cottage Life, Serious Eats, Eating Well, Esprit de Corps, Insider, Atlas Obscura, and more. In 2013, I was honoured as the Travel Writer Of The Year by Norfolk County Tourism for my piece The Golden Spruce of Norfolk County and again in 2021 by the Ottawa Tourism Travel Writing Awards, receiving an honourable mention for my article Planning the Perfect Cozy Ottawa Staycation. I was a finalist for Feel Good Story Of The Year at the 2024 Canadian Online Publishing Awards for my Broadview piece, Domestic Violence Fundraiser Invites Brides To Wreck Their Wedding Dresses and again in 2025 when my Chatelaine article, How A Former Math Teacher Became The Queen Of Grown-In-Quebec Figs, was a finalist for Best Patriotic Story.

I am also the voice behind Turnipseed Travel, a personal travel blog chronicling my cozy microadventures since 2012. In 2014, TurnipseedTravel was named to the White House’s list of the top 100 most influential travel blogs and was awarded second place in the Canadian Web Log Awards for best travel blog.

My passion for writing has been shared with CBC Radio, CTV Morning Live, the Travel Bloggers Exchange Conference, the Women in Travel Summit, Travel Massive, the Travel Media Association of Canada, the Society of American Travel Writers, and more. From 2014-2021, I owned a boutique digital marketing agency, Sculpt Social.

Currently based in Ottawa and originally from Nova Scotia, I have lived in Kingston (Ontario) and St. John’s (Newfoundland), as well as France, Ireland, England, and Malawi. I’m a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada, the Society of Environmental Journalists and the Canadian Freelance Guild.