Three clients. Three weeks. Thirty years of loyalty – and I’m not scrambled.
In an unusual run of events, I lost three separate clients – one per week for three weeks in a row. I’d been the copywriter and voice for each of them for 10 years. That’s 30 combined years of history, trust, and shared work gone in just 21 days. Yet, I’m still standing, and definitely not scrambled. Here’s what 30 years of loyalty have taught me about resilience.
How to annoy your readers
Most writing advice tells you how to charm and convince your readers. Here I’m going to show you how to annoy the hell out of them instead. My guide comes from over 20 years of copywriting and helping aspiring writers on the tricky art of storytelling. So, if you want your words to work as hard as you do, just do the opposite of everything that follows.
How to make your words work as hard as you do
Writing isn’t magic. It’s about making words work. They need to serve a purpose, carry weight, and leave an impression. Writing requires practice, patience, and a willingness to learn from your mistakes. Here are 10 quick tips I’ve learned in over 20 years of writing.
Tips on how to write as yourself
This is something I get asked a lot. How do I write as myself? How do I write authentically? It’s not always easy. You may worry if you sound too casual, professional enough, or if people will like it. Here are my tips.
Are your words working hard enough?
Vigorous writing breathes life into your sentences and keeps readers hooked, even in an AI-saturated world. When I first started as a copywriter, one of the very first house style guides I followed emphasised the importance of vigorous writing.
Beware of fake freelance offers. How I dodged a £5,000 scam
As a UK-based freelance copywriter, I regularly receive project inquiries from around the world. Most are genuine, and I’ve secured some fantastic clients this way. But every now and then, a request comes along that seems off. And sometimes, it's more than just vague, it’s dangerous.
When your writing’s fine, but not quite right
There’s a point in most writing projects where a sentence technically works, but it doesn’t feel quite right. It’s not wrong, but it’s not working as hard as it should. This usually comes down to two things. the verbs are vague, and the language is too busy.
Who wrote that? Does your writing sound like YOU?
I don’t think AI is necessarily ruining writing. But it’s changing it. A major risk is that your voice and brand will sink in the noise of metallic, soulless, sterile writing. Here’s some ways to spot it and tips on how to use your real voice instead.