Why pay someone to write?

Surely there’s no need to pay someone to string a few words together? Words are a common currency. We all use them all the time.

Sorry to disagree, but here's where a lot of 'in-house' copywriting (especially for the internet) goes wrong:

• You know your business inside out. That's the problem. It's possible to be too close to what is being written about, and an assumption that your audience has the same level of knowledge. They probably don't.
• A failure to identify the audience. The secret to selling yourself, your company, your product is to focus on the needs and wants of the customer and write addressing these.
• A failure to identify the purpose of the writing. This is closely linked to the point above. What it's for must influence what it says.
• A lack of awareness of the 'rules' of writing for the internet. For example, web content should have roughly 50% fewer words than its paper equivalent. It's easy to spot the copy that's been taken from a brochure and plonked onto a website. People won't read it.
• Lack of knowledge of the basics, like spelling, grammar, punctuation. You may think these things don't matter. But your audience will.

What can I offer?

I write corporate brochures, case studies, newsletters, press releases and magazine articles, as well as copy for a wide range of websites. My clients include:

• Scroll LLP – web editor working on websites that include TeacherNet, a site for the education workforce belonging to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
• Berwickshire Housing Association – PR, tenants’ bulletins, organisation of events
• Seton Care Ltd – copy for www.setoncare.co.uk website
• Thurston Manor Holiday Park – copy for www.thurstonmanor.co.uk website
• Borders Fire and Stone - my husband's business, but still a well written site

What does it cost?

I offer a free initial consultation, ideally face-to-face at your business premises. After that I'll be able to give you a price either by the hour or at a fixed cost for the entire job.

Please go to the Contact Me page to get in touch.