Showing posts with label freelance copy editor North England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freelance copy editor North England. Show all posts

Friday 10 May 2013

The Business of Professional Writing


Looking through the window I can see a dark, overcast day in May. Typical British weather! You can barely see through the glass because it is obscured with fat, glistening raindrops. Every so often the sun will appear as if by magic, temporarily transforming the raindrops into brilliant kaleidoscopes of colour. Just as suddenly, it disappears, to be replaced by black clouds that proceed to pour forth more heavy moisture onto the soaking pavements and sodden gardens in our town.

My attention returns to the room in which I sit. I am an observer. The people in this room are far too important to notice me, perched high up on the wall. I found a comfortable seat on top of a picture. It is a standard office decoration, a framed certificate for some obscure qualification received by the company. What do they do again? Ah, yes, they offer professional writing services to the UK and beyond. From this office building the bosses spin a web all around the world, via the Internet, gathering together a top team of freelance writers to provide high quality content for their clients. The energy is fast paced, making the most of an emerging market primed for development.

“Alright then, people,” announces a man dressed in black suit trousers and a grey pinstripe dress shirt with no tie. He looks fairly young, maybe around 35, and he has black hair and dark eyes, with a complexion that is tanned, suggesting that he has been either on a tropical holiday recently, or he enjoys tanning salons in his spare time.



“Let’s get down to business,” says the man, sitting down at the head of a highly polished wooden table. He sets down a white mug of coffee just collected from the pot on a side table near the door. The rich aroma wafts around the boardroom, warm and comforting. There are three other people in the room with him; two women and one man. They all look of a similar age, mid to late thirties, all dressed in a kind of contemporary office uniform: not quite formal but still smart and well presented. The table is strewn with notepads, Ipads, mobile phones and a couple of folders containing documents necessary for the meeting.

“We need a tagline,” the boss informs his staff members, “Something edgy, sharp, and effective that will tell people exactly what we are about here at Wait.”

Everyone nods and murmurs their agreement. Apparently they already have some ideas to present. One of the women clears her throat and begins the discussion.

“How about this?” she says, “We offer quick, concise and top quality content writing for your website, business documents and professional portfolio.”

The man pulls a face while the other occupants of the room nod and wait for his reaction. He nods his head very slightly, not quite ready to offer praise, but not totally disappointed with the woman’s efforts.

“Good,” he says, “But I’m sure we can do better. What do we stand for as a company? What is it that we present to our clients? Quality, yes. Professionalism. Swift, reliable and efficient return on projects. Close attention to detail, and a deep knowledge of SEO, web content writing and copy editing for all business needs. Now, what else have you got?”

They all begin talking together, throwing around random phrases and trying out words that might sound sharp when read out from a computer. I grow bored of listening. I am hungry. Spreading my wings, I leap off the picture frame and move toward the plate of pastries sitting beside the coffee pot. I impact with a clear glass dome, rebound backwards with a start, and sit for a moment on the table, stunned. Then I shakily take flight, seeking an exit from this now oppressive room. I leave the business executives to their meeting. I have other priorities to attend to.

*Image courtesy of Pinterest

Thursday 28 February 2013

#amwriting February Writing Schedule Review

Once again I am surprised that we have reached the end of the month, although I shouldn’t be since we all know February is a short month anyway. Still, when every day is filled with activity and you have a never-ending to-do list, I suppose it kind of keeps you on your toes. Being pregnant with my second child is an added challenge!

It has been a very productive month actually, so my 2013 resolutions are still running smoothly and I am still feeling very positive. I have submitted another short story to a competition, this time for the Writers Magazine. I have worked on my current novel about a vampire hunter in the North of England, although it is stumbling along and I’m still not sure of the direction with this one. A challenge is always good though!

And, finally on the writing front, I have knuckled down with both of my blogs (you can see my personal blog on Wordpress) to keep them updated and as entertaining as possible. I welcome any comments that offer constructive advice or guidance if you feel I am lacking in anything. Similarly if you enjoy reading my blogs, please tell me! We writers are a sensitive breed, and we thrive on praise and admiration from our readers. We have to take small pleasures where we can…

I am also working hard on my business plan as a freelance copy writer, editor and proofreader. Having spent several years working on personal projects for friends and family, I have decided to utilize my skills and build on my portfolio of published works. If you are interested, you can see me on Suite101 and Write and Share. If you have a project that needs professional assistance, do not hesitate to contact me. I am here to help!