Hello. I’m a freelance web copywriter and editor. I create concise, accessible copy in plain English. Nice to meet you.
I’ve had a lovely LinkedIn reference from Emily Gibbs, Communications Executive at The Financial Times, after working with her on an FT.com project in 2010. Read the rest of this entry »
The CS Forum has just launched its website for its London event, 5-7 September 2011. It’s aimed at content strategists, writers, web designers, developers, entrepreneurs and basically anyone with an interest in what goes into websites.
Speakers confirmed to date include web-content expert Gerry McGovern and usability/IA/UX guru Karen McGrane.
The first CS Forum ran in 2010 in Paris and was the “first public conference solely dedicated to content strategy”. The organisers aim to make it an annual European event for learning, sharing and networking.
It sounds like a brilliant event and I was planning to go. But the truth is, at the moment I feel that the price is a bit steep and inflexible (especially for freelancers) at 549 GBP for a two-day conference (no one-day options) without any workshops!
I know it’s really important to network and develop new skills, so I’ll have to think about it… Watch this space.
Lots of things fascinate me about the way we communicate with the written word. I’ve recently stumbled across a few alphabet-related facts that might interest you too.
Browsing in a local bookshop, I was delighted to find the Diccionario del origen de las palabras (‘Dictionary of the origin of words’)*. I’ve been looking for an English equivalent for some time, but without success.
Anyway, under abecedario, I found out that our Latin ‘alphabet’ takes its name from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet: alpha and beta. In contrast, abecedario refers to abcd (a, be, ce, de), the first four letters of the Latin system.
So, abecedario is the actual name for the collection of Latin letters that we use. Here in Spain, it is often used interchangeably with alfabeto when referring to the alphabet. (I can’t find a different English translation of abecedario – is there one? Or did it get lost on the way to the UK?)
I then spotted a post on the origins of abc on the superb I Love Typography blog. This excellent article starts at the very beginning of the use of the written word (well, systems), taking us on a journey through their evolution and arriving at the alphabet as we know it today.
Both well worth a read, if you can (the book’s only available in Spanish).
* Diccionario del origen de las palabras; Buitrago A, Agustín Torijano J; 978-84-670-2521-7; Editorial Espasa Calpe; Ed. 2008
Want to delete a Facebook group that you created but can’t work out how? Here’s what you need to do – it’s straightforward once you know.
I think it’s time for Facebook to add a ‘Close group’ option for group administrators – it would be much more user friendly…
July — November 2010
The ‘About us’ section of the FT.com website was being updated and the content migrated from its current CMS to the WordPress platform.
The copy needed reviewing and rewriting or editing to make it as informative and engaging as possible. It also had to be ‘SEO friendly’.
Visit the FT.com ‘About us’ website.
(Click on the image for a larger version.)
Contact me to find out more about this project or to talk about working together.
I’ve been intending to talk a bit about my new logo since the updated site went live a few months ago. A featured post interviewing the logo’s designer, the talented Mariana Murabito at Monok, on popular blog LogoGala has kicked me into action.
It was important to me to establish a brand from day one of freelancing, to make me look professional, credible and also memorable. I spent quite some time thinking up a name that described the service I offered, then used the logo on my website, invoices, quotes and other documents.
The first design was my amateur attempt using Photoshop. I’m sure it would have made any ‘proper’ designer have kittens! However, as I was starting out with little funds, it was the best solution at the time.
The original, amateur logo
I can’t say I gave any reasoned thought to its appearance; I tried out some simple colourways that I liked and chose a font that was easy to read (reflecting online best practice for web-friendly typefaces).
Two years into freelancing, it was time for a fresh look for both the logo and the website. I’d been working with the team at Monok and had already admired Mariana’s work for other brands. So, as she knew my services and my personality, it seemed logical to ask her to come up with something for me.
The updated, fresh and modern logo
The end result speaks for itself; it’s modern, easy to read and includes a unique ‘speech bubble’ device (based on the two ‘C’s of the brand name and the copyright mark) that can be used on its own.
Read the interview with Mariana on the LogoGala blog or visit web agency Monok’s website to find out more about the company’s work.
I’m a big fan of plain English on websites for a wide variety of reasons, most of which boil down to reaching the widest audience possible. While there are of course instances where more flowery language is appropriate, communicating important information is not usually one of them.
So if there’s an easier way to say something, use it. And this is what went through my mind as I was browsing the Climate Action website today, when I saw its strapline:
Assisting business towards carbon neutrality
As the platform is produced in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), I think it’s fair to assume the target audience is at least Europe-wide. The majority of those people will speak English as a second language.
Even though English is my native language, I still need a split second to unravel the meaning, which isn’t ideal. In addition, the wording has a distinct whiff of ‘corporate speak’. I think the following is clearer while still saying exactly the same thing:
Helping business become carbon neutral
What’s your opinion?
Fix-It Friday is a series of posts where I show how a website page can be improved by applying a few web copywriting principles. My primary aim is to make visitors’ lives easier.
Within just an hour, it’s possible to make a page more readable, accessible and search friendly. I also explain what else I’d do if I had more time. Look at the difference a web copywriter can make!
The Energy Institute (EI) is the professional body for the energy industry. It develops and shares knowledge, skills and good practice, while supporting over 14,000 individuals and 300 companies across 100 countries.
The EI website looks great — modern, fresh, professional and easy to navigate. I’m going to look at its ‘About us’ page from a web copywriting perspective.
(Click on the image for a larger version.)
(Click on the image for a larger version.)
Do you want me to make over a page on your website? If you’d like to suggest a site for me to consider, get in touch!
Fix-It Friday is a new series of posts where I show how a website page can be improved by applying a few web copywriting principles. My primary aim is to make visitors’ lives easier.
Within just an hour, it’s possible to make a page more readable, accessible and search friendly. I also explain what else I’d do if I had more time. Look at the difference a web copywriter can make!
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an independent, not-for-profit and international organisation. Its aim is to improve ‘the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas’.
I’m going to look at the WEF’s ‘Social media: Twitter’ page from a web copywriting perspective.
(Click on the image for a larger version.)
(Click on the image for a larger version.)
Note: Within the copy, I did not change ‘organized’ to ‘organised’ because this appears to be the WEF’s house style.
Do you want me to make over a page on your website? If you’d like to suggest a site for me to consider, get in touch!
Fix-It Friday is a new series of posts where I show how a website page can be improved by applying a few web copywriting principles. My primary aim is to make visitors’ lives easier.
Within just an hour, it’s possible to make a page more readable, accessible and search friendly. I also explain what else I’d do if I had more time. Look at the difference a web copywriter can make!
Dulas provides professional renewable energy services from its base in the heart of Wales. I like its website; the design’s fresh, modern and uncluttered, with clear navigation.
I’ve decided to look at the ‘About Dulas’ page from a web copywriting perspective.
(Click on the image for a larger version.)
(Click on the image for a larger version.)
Do you want me to make over a page on your website? If you’d like to suggest a site for me to consider, get in touch!
