‘I like it. But it needs to be… Different.’ Hmmm. Give feedback in the right way, and get the results you want – faster, and without any fuss.
Copywriting
Going solo: what I’ve learned
It’s been almost two years since I handed in my key fob, tore up my travel card and became a freelance writer.
Why cutting back on drafts is a false economy
Thinking of cutting costs by cutting back on the number of drafts your writer creates? Hmmm. Careful now. It might cost you in the end…
Freelance writing: things I’ve learned
It’s more than 18 months since I went freelance. Now I’m looking back at everything I’ve learned, so I can do better work and clients can run more successful projects.
A painful conversation
The language we use tells people whether we’re on the same page as them. It tells whether we want the same thing. And that’s one of the reasons why language is extra important for those people who work in healthcare…
Oi, Barclays. Have a word.
I don’t love calling my bank at the best of times. It usually means I’ve overspent again. But one recent call left me seething, all because of a single word…
The EU: explaining the little things in a big issue
With many voters unsure how they’ll vote in an EU referendum, how can the ‘in’ and ‘out’ camps win them over? The right words are the only answer…
CopyCon rambles #3: Web project woes
OK, these really are my final thoughts from last year's Copywriting Conference... UX marks the spot One of the most practical talks I heard all day was by Tim Fidgeon, Digital Marketing Trainer and Consultant. It was all about user experience - or UX, as those in the...
CopyCon rambles #2: I swear, by the moon and the stars…
Before I forget, just a little more from last week's Copywriters' Conference... The last talk of the day came from Doug Kessler, Creative Director at Velocity Partners. He talked about brands who successfully use swear words in their marketing. Not awkward cringey...
Learning from literature
There are loads of style guides out there, all designed to turn you into the next Pulitzer prizewinner. Some of the good ones - like Strunk and White's much-loved Elements of Style - offer some really useful advice about things like grammar. But, for me, there's one...