Why did you choose a career in copywriting and how did you get into it?

I came into copywriting while on a long, solo trip around the world, where I fully leaned into the cliche and ‘found myself’ (and, along with it, the confidence I needed to pursue my craft professionally). My first role was a part-time internship at an independent art gallery in Sydney, where I would update their website with graphics and write product descriptions.

That was almost 10 years ago. Since then, I’ve gained a journalism degree, edited a magazine, and dabbled in communications, but have always come back to copy. I have both a creative and analytic mind – for me, copywriting satisfies both; as well as writing and some basic design skills, I can also
monitor their impact and understand why a web page is performing a certain way.

I’ve found rather than water down my skill set, my varied experience has broadened it, providing me with a deeper understanding of writing, SEO and website design – something I now offer as a package to my clients. Over the last 10 years, I’ve worked both alone and alongside agencies to deliver projects for international airlines, travel agencies and other business leaders. I’m really excited for what might come next.

What work are you most proud of?

It gives me an enormous sense of pride seeing the copy I’ve created published on a page – even better if it’s also bringing my clients results.

My favourite examples of my work right now are those where I’ve supported my clients through rebrands with a combination of tight, clean, optimised copy and design consulting… For me, it’s those sparkling, new websites that better reflect my clients’ positioning that I’m most proud of.

What piece of copy do you really wish you’d written?

I loved the A British Original collection of short films and ads released by British Airways in October 2022. A really clever acknowledgment that travel is far more personal to all of us than simply business or leisure.

What do you do if you hit a bit of writer’s block?

Go for a walk, take a shower, or play a video game. Sometimes all it takes is a quick break or a change of environment to get those creative juices flowing again.

What are your favourite and least favourite writing-related tasks?

I find there’s real art and skill to pulling together effective web copy from scratch, and I thrive in the challenge it poses. I love all the stages of the process:

• devising a tone and style guide
• completing keyword research
• liaising with a designer

Then working some magic with a carefully crafted combination of longer form and shorter UX copy.

Despite being quite adept with these skills in copywriting and branding, however, I struggle to apply my knowledge to my own self-promotion. If there was ever anything I was going to outsource, it would be that!

Any copywriting pet hates?

Spelling mistakes are reasonably simple to fix and easy to overlook, but something that really gets me is an inconsistent brand tone – something that seems to be particularly common on social media.

In my experience, a company that sacrifices its branding – by trying to be edgy or something it’s not – tends to alienate loyal consumers far more than it attracts new ones.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?

Hard work, likability, and punctuality are the cornerstones of success (and
you don’t always have to juggle all 3 at once).

What advice would you give to people starting out on a copywriting career?

If you’re not writing, read. And if you’re not reading, write. Gain all the experience you can. And never think you’re too old or experienced to learn more – we can always, always improve.

Why do you find ProCopywriters membership useful?

Being part of a huge community of copywriters offers so much in terms of invaluable support, both as a copywriter and a sole trader or business owner. I wouldn’t be without it.

Where can people find out more about you?

My full portfolio of work can be found at nammiematthews.com, but I’d love for new working relationships to start a little more personally.

For any questions or queries of any subject or size, please get in touch with me directly on hello@nammiematthews.com.