Barclay Ballard

Freelance Journalist/Editor/Copywriter

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

Inspired by Cal Newport’s cognitive fitness idea, when did you last check your writing fitness?

In a world of messy Slack & AI drafts, our writing muscles have atrophied. Clear prose is about clarity, stamina & results.

#WritingFitness #CognitiveFitness

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

"There’s a very different risk profile between power you can use straight away and power that relies on grid upgrades." - M. Lindner, Antin

Grid scarcity is a major bottleneck, so investors must look to the physical reality.

My latest keynote: https://t.co/gbtCw8DxqP

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

Writing about politics is a minefield, but crucial for my latest feature on the global data centre dilemma: https://t.co/vk8QGAA3gL

Thanks to Mehdi Paryavi (@IDCA_org) & @EY_Parthenon’s Gordon Bell for contributing!

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

Today marks the end of my 365-day challenge in memory of my son Arthur, who passed away from Alexander disease.

Starting at 1, I added one press-up daily, finishing with 365 today (66,795 total!). Please support the amazing hospice that helped us:

https://t.co/7cOpXhVNgv

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

For #WorldOceanDay, re-sharing my piece on deep-sea mining. It’s an easy issue to ignore, but the economic drive means long-term environmental damage could hit home before we even realise it.

Read here: https://t.co/nKmmyuRBpc

#DeepSeaMining #Sustainability

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

What I’ve been writing this week:
🔹 2 keynotes on infrastructure debt resilience & investment consistency for @InfraInvestor
🔹 2 pieces for Times Higher Education on Duolingo English Test rules & Sabancı University
🔹 Telecom web copy edits

#FreelanceWriter #WritingCommunity

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

My latest feature in PERE's Residential report is out now (https://t.co/TOTqPiiQo0), "Pricing in the green gap." Data consistency is now a major challenge -the winners will be those who accurately price climate risks and capex.

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

My writing week covered:
• HKU’s aurora "Space Battery"
• Ultra-flat diamond films
• Digitisation in history research
• AI-driven blood tests
• Cyber resilience strategy

Unsurprisingly, AI was the thread tying it all together.

#Freelance #Writing #HigherEd #AI

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

It's great to write about common topics from a fresh angle. I interviewed Osman Barghouth at GUtech Oman on how green hydrogen can drive epistemic justice and prevent energy transition inequalities.

https://t.co/ZOJk9m8D41

#GreenHydrogen #HigherEd

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

Can art teach while maintaining nuance?

Great art is a two-way dialogue. The issue with didacticism isn't the message, but when it's done uncritically - and when audiences consume it just as uncritically.
https://t.co/XJxoHfLX97

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

One of my favourite parts of #freelance #writing? Variety.

This month’s work:
• AI projects for a global consultancy
• Logistics web copy
• Higher Ed research in China
• Sustainable investing & data centres
• Tech CRM reviews

A solid brief + good interviews = great content

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

The passive era of renewable investing is over.

I spoke with Ardian’s Benjamin Kennedy & Federico Gotti Tedeschi for @InfrasInvestor on why investors must now act like industrial operators to win the #EnergyTransition.

Read more: https://t.co/mPjyCPWd1m

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

The energy transition is no longer just about capacity—it’s about sovereignty and flexibility.

Great insights from Sosteneo’s Federica Gallina on why battery storage is now a strategic necessity.

Read more here: https://t.co/U7Ketd3LoX

#EnergyTransition #BatteryStorage

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

AI spend is hitting $3trn in 2026, yet 95% of firms see zero #ROI.

The problem isn't the tech—it's the workflows and the human element. My latest for @Eraneos explores how the best companies actually embed #AI to drive real value.

Read more: https://t.co/b5t6u28mT0

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

That topical piece you wrote eventually loses its edge. I’ve had success pitching content refreshes to past clients.

Like this TechRadar update on the Best CRM for Startups: https://t.co/ivZQQ8zqOP

Don't wait for the client to ask. Pitch an update to build on your previous work

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

AI can be a helpful #freelance tool, but it can also be a #plagiarism machine.

The NYT just dropped a freelancer for using AI to write a book review, after the tool borrowed from The Guardian. It hasn't just cost him a job; it's nuked his reputation.
https://t.co/LSxXooeN2j

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

The BBC is cutting 2,000 jobs, but the work isn't going away - it’s going freelance.
https://t.co/mXwyJCY2uZ

It could be that the corporation adopts the "1 + Freelancer" model: a lean core team supported by an army of external experts

#Freelance #BBC #FutureOfWork

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

Great conducting this keynote with Greystar for @InfraInvestor’s Mid-Market report.

We discussed the mid-market's potential for innovation and liquidity - offering the alpha and agility mega-funds can miss.

Read more: https://t.co/6d2DayDU17

#Infrastructure #Investment

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

The biggest misperception in finance? Emerging market risk.

S&P data shows EM default rates at just 1.1%, vs. 3.8% in the US. While cautious investors stay away, mid-market GPs are engineering high-yield returns.

You can read more here: https://t.co/GwEiBVgxo4

[Barclay Ballard @bsquared90]

The lines between real estate and infrastructure are disappearing.

Mid-market investors are now turning fragmented social assets into resilient, high-impact platforms, with the aim of creating long-term returns that meet societal needs.

Full article: https://t.co/62QjpemXbD