How to Write Clearly isn’t officially out until 13 September, but blog readers can get a printed copy right now! How to Write Clearly is for anyone who needs to write – for business, marketing, education or just everyday life. It looks at every aspect of the writing process, from defining your message and understanding your reader through to plain … Read More
Charge for projects, not time
If I had to give a freelancer just one tip to earn more money, it would be to switch from time-based to project pricing wherever possible. Time is an input rather than an output. It only reflects what you put into a project – not the value that the client gets out of it. You’re far more than just a … Read More
How to Write Clearly on preorder now
My new book How to Write Clearly will be published on 13 September – and the ebook is on pre-order right now. How to Write Clearly is for anyone who needs to write – at work, in education or just everyday life. It’s here to make your non-fiction writing more colourful, expressive and precise. I learned so much writing this … Read More
Why you should charge for ‘just having a look’
Near the start of most copywriting projects, the client will share the text they already have, which I need to work on. If it’s bad, I’m actually relieved – because it will be easier for me to improve it. But what if it’s actually quite good? The temptation would be to fiddle around the edges, changing a word here and … Read More
Writing stories that don’t suck
Jeremy Corbyn’s attacks on ‘billionaires’ and ‘corporations’ fell flat because the ideas were too abstract – too up for grabs. People look to corporations for goods and services, not to mention jobs. And a billionaire is something they might one day hope to be. In contrast, the Johnson/Dyson tax-breaks story looks set to run and run. Dyson, cannily spotting his … Read More
Emotions are freelance fuel
I guess the three most important resources for a freelancer are time, energy and goodwill. But emotions come close after. Your emotions aren’t a shortcoming to be overcome, or a fault to be lived with. They are a strength. They are how you direct your time and energy. Positive emotion means productivity and growth; negative emotion means stress and stasis. … Read More