Samantha Garner, Freelance Web Writer & Editor

Over the past couple of years, I’ve met a lot of people who didn’t know that copywriters or editors were available for them. This surprises me, but only because I’m so close to it – I’m the one providing that service so I’ve always known I exist! I thought it might help to talk about when a copywriter or editor comes in handy, and for what projects.

When do you need a copywriter?

If you’re not good with words at all and you wish someone would just write the thing for you – a copywriter can do just that! We take all the necessary information about your project and give you the words you were struggling to find.

When do you need an editor?

If you are pretty comfortable with words, it’s a good idea to have an editor take a look at it as well. You’ve probably spent a lot of time on your project, so letting someone look it over who’s new to it will help. Especially if this person is good with words too – we can make your written project even better.

What projects can a copywriter or editor help with?

• Website content

• Brochures

• Newsletters

• Product descriptions

• Resumes

• Print, online, TV and radio advertisements

• News releases

• Books

• Scripts

• Catalogues

• Articles

• Direct mail content

• Grant proposals

• Case studies

• White papers

• Financial reports

• Company blogs

• Sales letters

• And more (in fact, if I’ve missed any, feel free to let me know)

Every copywriter or editor has different skill sets and interests, so be sure to ask if they do offer writing or editing services for your specific type of project. If they don’t do grant proposals or news releases, for example, they might be able to point you in the direction of someone who does!

A few days ago, I was making an appointment with my dentist. The receptionist asked me if the same day of the week as it was then (let’s say it was Wednesday) was fine, and I said yes. Then she said I had a cleaning booked in a few weeks for a different day of the week, and did I want to change it to a Wednesday too?

That’s when I heard myself saying, “Oh, no, that’s okay. I only work two days a week so the other three days are fine.”

She made this face as if to say, “Wow, lucky!” Then I realized the bonehead sentence that came out of my mouth. At that point it was too late to explain what I’d meant – that I only work at someone else’s office for two days a week, and I freelance from home the other three days.

I really need to not explain the wrong part of the equation – I need to just say, “I work from home most of the week.” It’s funny how I’m still not used to saying it myself! Explaining it the way I have been makes it sound like I spend three whole workdays sitting around making kissy faces in the mirror.

I mean, I only do that on Sundays.

(Image courtesy of stock.xchng user SheCat)

So, this is turning out to be a very geeky, “I love the internet!” week! It’s true – the internet can be pretty great. I do all kinds of freelance writing and related activities like editing and proofreading, but writing for the web is my favourite. Here’s why.

It’s fluid

For the most part, web writing is always in motion. I’m not just talking about the fact that you can usually edit things while they’re live (this can get you in trouble depending on what you’re writing), but also about how quickly web writing is informed by other things that happen online. Comments, blog posts, even new thoughts you had after you posted – these make web writing ever-changing and fluid. It’s a constant dialogue.

It’s immediate and trackable

Yes, I like the fairly instant gratification of web writing. I also like how much more trackable it is than other forms of writing. I’m not gonna lie, if I work on a web writing project that has stats available, I check those stats a lot. It’s fun to see what people respond to and search for and it helps me improve. I’m all about things that are fun and educational!

It’s fun

I know I’ve used the word “fun” about 20 times in this post, but I really do find web writing fun. I have experience writing content for all kinds of projects like brochures and newsletters and, while I enjoy these, I find my style of writing is very well-suited to the web. With web writing you have to be concise and entertaining. You’re allowed to be more relaxed and a bit funny, which is great. You can’t help but love a format that encourages this!

Yesterday, when on my way home from Gail’s seminar, I started thinking about the way the web has changed since “my day.” I know that’s kind of a silly phrase, because A) It’s still “my day,” and B) Only 75-year-olds say “my day.” Either way, it really amazes me how different things are online since 1997 when I first started being active on the web.

It’s okay to use your real name now

I can’t count the number of aliases I had in the ’90s. Back then, it’s kind of what you did. There were a few people that blogged under their real names, but most of us didn’t. If your “real life” friends found out you were active online, you would be labelled a freak! It was about as socially acceptable as whooping cough. Thankfully, we can now spend less time thinking up clever aliases and more time building blogging communities as real people.

There were no “bloggers” then

When I started blogging, it wasn’t blogging – it was “online journalling.” I remember when Blogger started and slowly started moving through the ranks of online personal writers. Back then, hand-coding your site in Notepad was a badge of honour – some of us even proudly displayed icons on our sites bragging about it. Blogger was kind of divisive back then and yes, I was one of the purists who decried it as too simple, a tool for de-personalization. Now, thankfully, I am wrong. Yes, it’s a bit more bite-sized now, but blogging is just as personal and community-building as “the old way.”

Blogging is more credible now

Blogs turning into books? Being cited as sources on the news? These were impossible dreams in 1997! Then, lots of people didn’t see the appeal of personal websites. It was much more than “this is what I ate for lunch” – it was sharing experiences and ideas and discussing them with people all over the world who felt the same way (or didn’t). It’s been truly remarkable to see the world at large slowly come around to this idea, making blogging more powerful than it ever was.

Image courtesy of stock.xchng user PocketAces.

This morning I attended a social media workshop and seminar given by my friend and colleague Gail Helmer. It was educational and, because I’m a geek about the web, it was really fun. There are roughly 10 billion more social media outlets than I thought there were. I’ve been active on the web for over 10 years, but I’ll never know everything about it. It’s really part of what makes it great, in my opinion.

I don’t want to poach Gail’s scene and reveal everything she talked about, but I will share one tidbit. Today I was introduced to Samepoint, which is a search engine targeted specifically to social media. You can filter by media type and keywords – it’s really quite fun. I actually had to remind myself to eat lunch because I was getting so carried away!

Anyway, I had a really great time and I walked home with my brain full of ideas – always a good sign!

The other day I read this great blog post on the CBC’s website: Dan Brown and me: My day spent reading the Da Vinci Code sequel. It’s so funny and exactly the kind of writing assignment I dream of. Spending a whole day reading a book, even if it’s not my type, and getting paid (hopefully) to blog about it? Sign me up!

Anyway, I’m in a bit of a lull with freelancing projects at the moment, so I’m taking the chance to settle in with a cup of coffee and work on my own writing. After faithfully watching an episode of French Food at Home, that is. For some reason, I am addicted to this show. I’ve been doing a lot of writing at a coffee shop lately, but the temperature today is supposed to reach into the 30s (Celsius), so I’m going to stay here in my nice, cool apartment.

I’m working on two stories right now – one new and one old. I keep having mini “revelations” about the old one, but with me, they’re often false. I have a problem with over-tinkering, so I have to kind of approach these so-called revelations with a bit of wariness before I dive in. I’ve got a list of these ideas sitting in front of me now that I have to work through. So, wish me luck!

(This image is actually mine – I found the photos I’d taken last year on my DIY writing retreat!)