Frequently Asked Questions
Who are you ?
Where are you?
Are you a marketer?
Are you a designer?
What is the difference between a copywriter and a
writer?
Who is your typical client?
Why should I hire an outside writer?
What experience do you have in my field?
How do I know if your services are right for me?
What kinds of projects do you do?
How much will it cost?
How long will it take?
What if I don't like what you write?
How do we get started?
Who are you?
I'm a freelance writer, a communications consultant. I enjoy writing and telling stories, sharing information, and finding creative ways to make stories more interesting. The more I work with clients across industries, the more I realize that stories are at the heart of almost every marketing piece or bit of content for corporate communications. They aren't always complex or long stories. But one thing I enjoy very much is finding ways to make them really speak to the audience.
I have a Masters in Library and Information Science. I spent most of my time in that field as a research librarian, working to find valid, verifiable, and trustworthy information on specific topics; then communicating that information effectively so my clients could use and act on that information.
Where are you?
I'm based in Boston, although many of my clients are not. Many clients know me only from our phone conversations and email correspondence. Never been to Boston? Watch this video as I visit some of my favorite places.
Are you a marketer?
Yes. Much of the copy that's written for a company is marketing material or has a marketing slant. As the person who helps provide that content, I am a marketer. With my experience in business and working with other clients, I can help you with some of your strategic and research needs, as well.
Are you a designer?
No. But I can offer a couple of options if you need web or graphic design services for a project. I can do basic graphic design work. Or I can bring into the project a graphic or web designer from my network of creative professionals. That way, you don't need to spend time looking for other consultants for your project.
What is the difference between a copywriter and a writer?
The traditional definition of copywriter is someone who writes ad copy or copy for publicity. Typically these days, a copywriter is someone who writes for businesses. While that usually takes the form or marketing or ad copy, it can also mean writing articles, newsletters, reports, and all sorts of other things.
Often, when people think of a writer, they think of a journalist writing stories for newspapers and magazines. I do both, so I refer to myself as a writer.
Who is your typical client?
My typical client is someone in marketing or communications--such as a marketing director, marketing manager, creative director, or corporate communications VP. Depending on the content that needs to be written, however, I've also worked with investor relations managers, editors and others in a publications department, and with engineering and technical teams.
In addition to corporate clients, I also work with marketing and web development agencies that need help developing content for their clients.
Why should I hire an outside writer?
1. An outside writer gives you more time for a project.
Each of us only has so many hours in the workday. For marketing managers, corporate communications directors, or anyone with responsibility for writing reports or other materials, writing is just one part of a multifaceted job. And very often, writing drops to the bottom of the list after developing marketing and business strategies or launching new products or services. An outside writer takes care of the content, while you take care of the bigger picture.
2. An outside writer brings a new perspective to the project.
Just by being outside the day-to-day world of your organization, an outside writer can see nuances that those inside the company may miss for being too close. It's a matter of being able to see the forest despite the trees.
3. An outside writer can revitalize communications.
Because outside writers work with many different companies in diverse industries or aspects of an industry, they get exposure to new ideas and news ways of presenting information. It makes for an exciting mix in a workday and helps freelance writers bring a fresh approach to each client's project.
What experience do you have in my field?
To date, most of my clients have been in the fields of higher education, technology, finance, government, and consulting. I work equally well in business-to-business and business-to-consumer. If I haven't yet worked on something in your field, I've probably worked on something similar—either similar materials or a similar type of client.
When you're looking for an outside writer to help with a project, ask yourself this: Am I looking for a subject matter expert or a talented writer?
With my experience in consulting and as a business researcher, I can get up to speed on a topic very quickly. Part of my work as a writer is to gather information—talk to the subject matter experts, read what's been written on the topic, and use the materials my clients provide as the basis for the content.
Each project brings something new, either a specific type of messaging or audience, a new subject or approach, or even a new medium. That's part of what makes my job fun and keeps me fresh and on my toes, so I can write the best content for each client.
How do I know if your services are right for me?
I offer a free consultation and evaluation of your project. It won't cost you anything but a bit of time. If you're interested, contact me to get started. I'll send you an email with a few questions about your project and your content needs. Then we'll schedule a telephone consultation in which we talk about the goals of your project, get a chance to ask and answer questions, and find out if we're a good fit for each other.
What kinds of projects do you do?
I write materials such as advertisements, annual reports, articles, books, brochures, case studies, newsletters, reports, scripts, technical documents, website copy, and white papers.
How much will it cost?
Each project is unique, with different purposes, different formats and lengths, varying amount of information available and research needed, and different types of deadlines. Let’s discuss the project you have in mind.
How long will it take?
Whenever possible, I prefer to schedule the start date for projects at least one month in advance. If you can't plan that far ahead or need a project in less than 2 weeks, let's talk. I can't promise I can do it. But I can promise that if we agree on a deadline, I'll meet it.
What if I don't like what you write?
I'll fix it. I recognize that I don't get it right every time. Every project includes at least one round of revisions for a document for just this reason. The specifics of the project, including the turnaround time and number of revisions, are included in our agreement when we start the project, so there won't be any surprises.
How do we get started?
Get in touch--send an email or give me a call to talk about your projects. It's that easy.