SmithWriting Blog

Last night, Kim and I participated in our second straight CreateAthon—and we had a great time doing so!

What is CreateAthon, you ask? It’s a 24-hour creative blitz during which advertising agencies and design firms around the country work on a pro bono basis for nonprofit organizations. The event was hosted locally by smith&jones, a full-service marketing and advertising agency in Sturbridge, Mass.

We at SmithWriting donated our copywriting services to the cause, drafting a brochure, poster, and ad for an organization that provides free resources to first-time parents under the age of 20. Needless to say, our few hours of volunteering were productive and deeply satisfying (and all the yummy food didn’t hurt!).

Best of luck to the crew at smith&jones, now entering their 21st consecutive hour of creative designing (and probably pouring their 21st cup of coffee!). We know that your eight lucky clients will be thrilled with their new marketing materials!

For more info about CreateAthon—and real-time updates—tune into smith&jones’ blog.

Filed by rebecca at 9:51 am under Copywriting
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A few weeks ago, while compiling financial documents for my accountant, I sat down to prepare a 1099 tax form for my subcontractor. A simple task, right? Well, you can imagine my surprise when I learned that the form had to be typewritten on special paper from the IRS. Well, that’s all well and good, but who has a typewriter in this day and age? I sure don’t, so I had to have a tax professional prepare the form for me.

It all worked out fine, but it got me to thinking: Where have all the typewriters gone?

There was a time not too long ago when every office had at least one typewriter. B.C. (Before Computers), typewriters were used for writing memos, letters, and other important documents. An office just wasn’t an office without the melodic sounds of tapping keys and typewriter bells.

Then along came the personal computer and dot-matrix printer in the 1980s. And it was goodbye typewriters. But where did they all go?

Well, unfortunately, most went to the landfill. Can you imagine millions of perfectly good typewriters piled haphazardly in dumps all over the country? What a waste!

Luckily, some typewriters were salvaged and continue to be in existence. Some offices use them for typing labels and envelopes, and, of course, they are needed for completing certain forms. In fact, most U.S. birth and death certificates are filled out by typewriters.

I also know some writers who swear by their typewriters. They eschew computers and opt instead to compose their works using the more romantic, vintage typewriter. Can’t you just picture the struggling novelist bent over his typewriter, frustratingly ripping out page after page of copy and tossing the rolled-up paper balls into the wastepaper basket? (Wasteful, yet poetic.)

With their unique look, sound, feel, and smell, typewriters are iconic in the writing and business worlds. Although I won’t be replacing my PC with one anytime soon (how do you possibly write without the “backspace” key?), I sure hope typewriters will be around for many years to come.

Filed by rebecca at 9:11 pm under Copywriting
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For the past few weeks, I’ve been working diligently as an editor on an 80-page, full-color magazine with a circulation of more than 40,000.

In this capacity, I’ve interfaced with freelance writers and photographers, designers and printers, copyeditors and consultants—and worked hard to keep everyone on track and on deadline. And I’ve loved every minute of it.

A few things I’d like to share about the editing process:

The editor’s job is not simply to decide what goes into the magazine. There’s a lot of project management involved, from coordinating meetings and interviews to tracking down photo credits, from editing copy for content, style, and length to writing titles, call-outs, and captions. And much, much more.

Copyediting is correcting errors in grammar, spelling, usage, consistency, and style as well as basic fact checking and minimal rewriting for clarification. Copyediting is crucial. Both the assistant editor and I reviewed every draft before it made it into design—and then a few more times after that!

Designers do a lot more than just copy and paste text into templates. They artfully work with fonts and colors to create a visual display that enhances the copy and its message. They never fail to impress me with their ability to turn a simple Word document into a stunning spread.

The final, vital stage of the editing process is proofreading. With skilled eyes and red pens, proofreaders look for typographical and mechanical errors on copy that has already been typeset. Their hieroglyphic marks can make all the difference between an embarrassing printed piece and a beautiful showpiece.

Filed by rebecca at 9:05 pm under Copywriting
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Last month, my associate Kim and I had the pleasure of donating our time and copywriting services to CreateAthon, a 24-hour creative blitz during which advertising agencies and design firms around the country work on a pro bono basis for local nonprofit organizations.

We worked with smith&jones, a full-service marketing and advertising agency in Sturbridge, Massachusetts—the only New England agency that participates in this annual event.

Although we admit that we did not work all 24 hours, Kim and I are very proud of the advertisement, poster, and brochure we wrote for a local senior center. It was very rewarding—and invigorating—to be part of a creative team of people volunteering our talents to help our local community.

We can’t wait to participate again next year!

Learn more about CreateAthon.
Check out smith&jones’ CreateAthon blog.

Filed by rebecca at 6:04 pm under Copywriting
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Time to take a break—
summer vacation is here.
Back to blogging soon.

Filed by rebecca at 12:38 pm under Copywriting
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Over the years, my dog, Riley, has taught me a lot about life, love, and yes, even writing. Resting here on my office floor, she’s been with me through countless copywriting assignments, phone interviews, and research sessions—heck, she knows the business so well that if she had opposable digits, I’d hire her!

Here are some of valuable lessons I’ve learned about writing from my dog:

Stick to a schedule.

Riley wakes up at the same time every day and follows the exact same schedule: walk, eat, nap, play, walk again, eat again, sleep. Like dogs, we humans thrive on routine. Even though my life as a freelancer is quite flexible, I follow Riley’s lead and set and adhere to a schedule every day. It makes me a much more productive writer.

Listen and be rewarded.

Riley learned this one pretty early on in life. If she sat when we told her to, she’d get a treat. If she stayed when we told her to, she’d get a treat. You get the picture. This concept applies to writers too: If you listen to your clients’ needs and objectives, you, too, will be rewarded in the form of repeat business and client referrals.

Be loyal.

That mutt of mine is exceedingly faithful to me (and my husband). After three years, she still gets really excited to see us every time we come home. It’s a great feeling. Likewise, we freelancer writers should be loyal to our clients. Always answer the phone. Reply to emails right away. Be enthusiastic. And don’t give anything less than 100 percent to every project you take on.

Protect what’s yours.

For the most part, Riley is very sweet and easygoing. However, if another dog tries to take her food or her bone—or her owners’ attention—the hair on the back of her neck goes up and the growling starts. The lesson I learned here is to actively safeguard your writing, your clients, and your reputation. If someone gets too close for comfort, show some teeth.

Be curious.

We have a stone wall on our property that houses an elaborate network of chipmunk tunnels. They’re constantly going in one space and popping out another. This amuses Riley to no end. She just can’t get enough of these mysterious critters, and her eagerness to learn more about them is a great lesson for us all: Ask lots of questions, search for facts everywhere, and keep peeping in those dark holes. You just never know what might pop out at you.

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Filed by rebecca at 12:00 pm under Copywriting
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Like most writers I know, I’m a passionate reader. I read to relax, to learn, and to be inspired. And I believe that every book I’ve ever read has in some way made me a better copywriter.

I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite titles. I hope you’ll share yours as a comment (below).

“The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson”

edited by Thomas H. Johnson
This was my textbook from an Emily Dickinson seminar I took in college. Its pages are yellowed and riddled with notes, and the binding is broken from so much use. I take something different away from every reading, but what moves me most is Dickinson’s veneration for flowers, gardening, and all things botanical.

“Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation”

by Lynne Truss
My friend Jayne loaned me this book back when we were creating and editing Web site copy together. The entire time I was reading it, I remember thinking to myself, “So I’m not the only one who feels this way about commas.” It emboldened my love of grammar and inspired me to become a copywriter. And it made me laugh. A lot.

“A Prayer for Owen Meany”

by John Irving
I first read this novel in 1999, and I’ve read it pretty much every year since. It’s forever changed the way I interpret dreams (and act at baseball games when there’s a pop-up foul). Owen Meany is my all-time favorite literary character, and, in spite of myself, I have to give props to Irving for his ingenious use of the Caps Lock key.

“A Child’s Garden of Verses”

by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Tasha Tudor
My dad gave me this book when I was 7 years old. After reading it at bedtime, I’d fall asleep and dream of fairies and wildflowers. From the moment I saw it, I was mesmerized by its fanciful poems and exquisite illustrations—and I still am today.

What about you? What are your favorite books?

Filed by rebecca at 9:19 am under Copywriting, For the love of words
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Are you having trouble coming up with a creative concept, a perfect paragraph, or a striking subhead?

Then take my advice: Take a break.

When I’m feeling blocked, I head outside and weed my garden or walk my dog. Mindless, repetitive tasks like these seem to spark great ideas in me. And I’m amazed at how often I’ll work late into the night, struggling with a project, only to wake up the next morning with the perfect copy solution.

Apparently, even though my conscious mind is happily numb while I garden, walk, and sleep, my subconscious is diligently working out my copy issues. How cool is that?

So next time you’re faced with a copywriting challenge, instead of banging your head on the keyboard, get up and do something else. The more mindless, the better.

Just remember: Naps are not billable to your client.

Filed by rebecca at 9:24 am under Copywriting
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Did you see “30 Rock” last night?

As always, Judah Friedlander’s character, Frank (a writer), was sporting a clever trucker cap.

The hat, which read “SPELING EXPIRT,” made me laugh out loud.

My husband promptly looked at me and said, “I’m getting you that hat.” I honestly hope he does because I think it’s awesome.

The hat shows that even we writers—the self-proclaimed “expirts” of all things grammar and spelling—can make a mistake every now and again.

And not only that, we’ve got a great sense of humor—and fabulous fashion sense.

Filed by rebecca at 9:14 am under Copywriting, Grammar guide
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You wouldn’t tell your 85-year-old grandmother to “chillax” any more than you’d tell an urban teen to “mind your Ps and Qs.” It just wouldn’t make sense.

In writing, as in talking, you always have to consider your audience. Only when you know and understand your readers can you communicate effectively with them.

Before writing anything, a professional copywriter will always ask you about your audience. If your organization has survey data or marketing statistics about your audience, that’s great. This information will significantly inform the copy being written for your brochure, direct mailing, letter, whatever.

If you’re not sure about your audience, that’s fine too. Depending on the scope of your project, SmithWriting can conduct interviews and/or focus groups for you. Should you need a more in-depth marketing analysis, we can refer you to some of the best folks in the business.

No one wants to get a one-size-fits-all solicitation. Whether your readers are being asked to donate to your cause or attend your event, they want a message that’s customized and in a language they understand.

Capiche?

Filed by rebecca at 6:00 am under Copywriting
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