01 Why did you choose a career in copywriting, and how did you get into it?
I was a teacher for just under a decade, and always dreamed of becoming a writer. Towards the summer of my last year teaching, I had an article published in the Guardian. That completely changed my perspective on what was possible.
After that, I resigned, with nothing to go to. I cold-called marketing agencies and found an internship, working my way up from knowing absolutely nothing. Those early agency months taught me more than I had learned at University, and I never went back to teaching.
02 What work are you most proud of, and what makes it stand out for you?
I’m most proud of the work I’ve done that has challenged expectations within industries. For two clients we’ve decided to spotlight the stories of women and under-represented groups in certain sectors. I once wrote an article about an engineer who took a 16-year break to raise her family, then returned full time to highly challenging technical work, and I still think about it.
This is the work I’m most proud of. It’s also often the work that performs the best online, because it’s so appreciated by people who want to see faces like theirs in the media.
03 What piece of copy do you wish you’d written?
It’s a bit ‘90s of me, but I’m still so in love with Ronseal’s ‘It does what it says on the tin.’ I love the simplicity of it, the regional accent you hear in your head when you read it, and how (almost) rebellious it is in tone. One of my favourite lines of copy ever.
04 What principles guide the way you work with clients and approach your craft?
As I’ve got older and had children, I’ve definitely become softer and more gentle with my work. I care about my clients, I really want great outcomes. A lot of my work now is highly collaborative, very closely attuned to people’s day-to-day lives, and therefore I’m guided by the principles of humanity, care and authenticity.
I approach my craft like my clients, as gently as I can, with a sense of humour, and a deep respect for what people’s actual words mean on topics they understand better than I do.
05 Do you have any favourite copywriting hacks or techniques you’d care to share?
I still take old-school notes, even in the age of AI, on an old-school notepad. I swear by it. I don’t know if my brain filters things a certain way, but for me, the best hack is a good notepad, a keen pair of ears and asking questions. Oh, and shutting up and listening really well.
06 How has AI affected your work as a copywriter, and what do you think about its role in the industry going forward?
At first I was saddened and galled by the rise of AI. I felt an existential threat. But I was challenged by new friends I made in the last year, instead of resisting what they saw as ‘the wheel’ to embrace it, or at least understand it better.
I now feel more empowered to embed AI in a process if it saves me time, but to never implement AI as a replacement for creative thinking.
07 What do you do when you hit a bit of writer’s block?
I got a dog, 6 months before my 40th birthday. I read another copywriter’s post on LinkedIn once that said, ‘Getting a dog improves your life by 100%’ and I fully agree. Dogs work wonders on writer’s block.
And even if they don’t get the words flowing, it’s always wonderful to walk up a hill with a furry friend.
08 Any copywriting pet hates?
I think that our industry can be a little snobby, and my only pet hate is copywriters who look down on others. It takes all sorts of people to make up a creative sector, and inclusivity is important to me. I don’t like the Don Draper old guard, I believe copywriting should be varied, multi-platform agnostic and open to change.
09 What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?
‘What’s the difference between an amateur and a professional? Amateurs get rejected. Professionals get rejected more.’ Angie Belcher, comedian.
10 What advice would you give to people starting out on a copywriting career?
Keep going and don’t worry about the amends. Your work is not your own. It’s your clients. And though it may hurt, every comment, every tracked change, every amend is a pathway to you becoming more confident, clearer and a better writer.
11 How does ProCopywriters membership support your goals?
It’s just a great organisation, much-needed, and I enjoy the events, the research that comes out and the community it creates.
12 Where can people find out more about you?
The best place to find out more is definitely LinkedIn:
Or you can visit my website.