Writing

• Web Copy
• Brochures
• Catalogue Copy
• Fundraising Letters
• Annual Reports

• Press Releases
• Grant Writing
• Freelance Articles
• Blog Writing
• Copyediting

Just think: there was a time not so long ago when Shakespeare’s “All the World’s a Stage” was but a figure of speech. Then came the internet. And with it, the figurative was made literal. All you needed was a computer and access to the web and, presto, the world was your stage for real. But that was only the beginning. When Web 2.0 arrived, with its blogs, YouTube videos, and social networking sites, the whole world became our audience, too.

That is why the written word has become more important than ever. And naturally, the current financial crisis ups the stakes even higher. I mean, who among us can afford not to put our best foot forward when given the chance?

Your marketing copy represents just such a make-or-break chance. If someone visits your website, picks up your brochure, glances at your newsletter, or goes to read your company blog, you have their ear! How long they'll listen comes down to what you say and how you say it. So when it comes to the writing you put online, always remember this: small as the stage may seem from where you sit, the audience section does seat millions....

That said, if you’re someone who hasn’t the time or desire to do such wordsmithing yourself, let me take care of it. Go ahead and put that blinking cursor in front of me and I promise to drive it across the page exactly how and where you want it to go. Have some copy that just needs a bit of fine-tuning? In me you’ll find not only a deft and decisive editor, but a hawk-eyed proof-reader as well. No “its” posing as “it’s” ever get past my watchful eye. Don’t even get me started on missing hyphens…yet another pet-peeve of mine. Yes, as a self-confessed word nerd and grammar nazi, I’ll whip your copy into shape in no time.

And what of style, voice, and tone? Obviously, if you’re reading this sentence, you’ve already come to know something of my writing style. But this just reflects my voice. As a professional copywriter, it’s my job to channel different kinds of voices, which I can and often do. We copywriters are equal parts writer and actor in this way.

That said, we all have our favorite roles to play. As for mine, I’m nothing if not a student of Google. Yes, one of the things I love most about the Web 2.0 revolution is how it’s liberated the way we write. Visit corporate websites like those of Apple or Google and you’ll find language that’s accessible, compelling, and authentic. No longer do corporations feel the need to sound, well, “corporate.” After all, the most successful brands have a distinct personality about them. Investing that personality in everything they do is part of what makes them so successful.

But that style of writing is just my preferred mode. Obviously, there are plenty of occasions that call for a more formal tone. So, at the risk of sounding like Dustin Hoffman in that scene from “Tootsie” where his character says to a casting agent, “I can be taller!” I say to you: “I can be formal!” Yes, I always have an iron at the ready should any of your writing require a good starching.

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