copywriting Archives | Philippa Writes

26Jul 2021 by Philippa Willitts

Just say no to unethical marketing: disablism in health copywriting

I got an email yesterday inviting me to be an affiliate for a health product. By complete coincidence, the product promised to rid its gullible audience of a condition I actually have, so I clicked with interest. The video sales letter, within three short minutes, was outrageously offensive. And I don't say that lightly. A man was offered life-saving surgery that involved amputating a leg. This is a big deal for anybody, of course. I would not downplay that. But the alternative was death. [caption id="attachment_2896" align="alignright" width="328"] An Indigenous Two-Spirit person ties their shoelaces while sitting in a chair. They are dressed in all black and have braided hair, tattoos, and a prosthetic leg.[/caption] Phew, you'd think. It will be a big change to my life to lose a…

05Mar 2021 by Philippa Willitts

Upcoming presentation: Proofreading and copywriting for translators: tips, tools and techniques

About Proofreading, About Writing, Speaking

I'm really excited to be a speaker for the Chartered Institute of Linguists. At the webinar, I will be talking about proofreading and copywriting and, in particular, how they are relevant to translators. Translators might want to know how to use copywriting skills to promote their businesses or how best to proofread the work they produce, or the work of other translators. I will go through all of that and more. As you can see on the event page, Translators in all sectors can benefit from learning proofreading and copywriting skills. Join freelance writer, editor and proofreader Philippa Willitts as she guides you through the tools and tips you need to improve your proofreading skills and learn about how copywriting can help you to promote your work. Key learning objectives:…

20Dec 2016 by Philippa Willitts

Fixing the Mistakes Made by Hiring Cheap Writers

About Writing

I've lost count of the number of times somebody has approached me about my writing services. They complain that they hired somebody to do this work already but, well, it was awful and now they need someone to fix it or to start again from scratch. Invariably, they paid that person around $5 for 500 - 1,000 words and the content they show me is an unmitigated disaster. So, they hire me. I do the work they need, and they pay me. They've paid out twice for writers when, if they'd only bitten the bullet and paid fair fees in the first place, they would have saved themselves both money and time, all the while reducing their stress levels as an added bonus. Those of us who charge higher rates…

24Apr 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 35: No portfolio? No problem. Get writing work without published clips.

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Lots of new freelance writers fear that they will never get any work because they don't have published articles or novels already. However, when you remember that every successful freelancer started out in the same way, it becomes clear that it is definitely possible to get hired as a writer even if you have no clips to show. But how, exactly? In this podcast episode, I go through lots of different ways to get yourself some clips, build up your portfolio,…

09Apr 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 33: How to deal with a crisis of faith

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Freelancing can be a really tough business. While it's a common preconception that working from home and working for yourself are an easy ride, like any other job being a freelance copywriter has its ups and downs. In this solo episode, Lorrie discusses what to do if you feel like your freelance writing career has reached crisis point. She talks about how to tell the difference between a career crisis and a temporary blip, and outlines a number of helpful solutions…

19Mar 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 30: It’s not about you – the art and the science of commercial copywriting

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Commercial copywriting is not what most people picture when they think about freelance writing. It is so different to typical fiction or non-fiction writing, and in this episode, Lorrie and I talk about why this is, what PPC ads can teach us about why good copy might not be that good, and what the deal is with features versus benefits. Show Notes Calmingmanatee.com Entrepreneur.com: Marketing Features Vs. Benefits Google Adwords keyword tool 10 Amazing Free Online Writing Courses Episode 23: How to…

12Mar 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 29: How to Get Started as a Freelance Writer

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. In this brilliant solo episode, Lorrie goes into detail about how to prepare for starting out as a freelance writer, and what to do and where to go to start finding work. There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what…

05Mar 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 28: The 11 biggest myths about professional copywriting

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. There are lots of myths and fallacies around about what being a freelancer really involves. In this podcast episode, Lorrie and I talk about 11 of the most prevalent ones, and thoroughly debunk them! Show Notes Marissa Mayer banning working from home Zemanta for Google Chrome Zemanta for Firefox Zemanta Wordpress Plugin 57% of online shoppers will wait three seconds or less before abandoning the site Expertise vs. Humility – A Writer’s Battle Royale? There are several ways to make sure…

26Feb 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 27: How to Cope with Feeling Overwhelmed

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Having "too much" work is usually seen as good news for a freelancer, but it can become overwhelming and stressful at times. In this episode of the A Little Bird Told Me podcast, I talk about how to cope with feeling like you just have too much on your plate, and aren't sure how to manage. Show Notes Renny Gleeson: 404, the story of a page not found There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on…

15Jan 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 22: The Hows, the Whys and the Wherefores of the Perfect Press Release

Podcast

We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Knowing how to write an attention-grabbing, appropriately formatted press release is an essential skill for any copywriter. Whether your clients are in industry, the public sector, sole traders or charities, you will almost certainly be asked to produce press releases on different topics and you will be expected to know exactly the style and tone that is required. In this episode of A Little Bird Told Me, Lorrie and I discuss when press releases are useful (and when they should be…

Tag: copywriting