New to home working? here are a few tips

Mention home working, and the reaction usually falls into one of two camps. One is the “I wish I could do that” and the other is “how do you get anything done?”. If you fall into the latter, it may just be working from home isn’t for you, and that’s fine.

Either way, if you’re newly freelance or a remote worker for the first time (in the era of virtual offices, this is a growing reality for permanent employees too), it can be a little daunting.

One of the most common threads I see on Facebook groups (more on those later), is on this very subject, and even seasoned freelancers struggle at times. Typically people struggle with managing their time or keeping motivated without co-workers.

My freelance life is a mix of work I do onsite for agencies, and projects I can do at home. I fall firmly in the camp that enjoys home working best, but when I first started out figuring out how to manage my time was more daunting than I expected

I’m sharing a few tips that helped me, but obviously everyone is different If working in your PJs till the afternoon helps you hit your stride, do it. But, if you need to dress as if you’re meeting clients to get in the zone, do that. No one has the right to tell you you’re doing it wrong, as long a) you’re getting work and b) you’re getting that work done well and on time. I favour the “whatever works.” approach. That said, it can take a while to figure out what that is.

Let’s start with the basics.

Try and wake up at the same time each day

I’m not someone who writes best at night, but I’m not naturally a morning person either. I became a full-time freelance writer during the winter, when it’s even tougher to get out of bed. I decided, to get up at the same time every day – without a regular commute, even getting up at 8 am is a lie-in anyway! Getting up at that time of day means I can get cracking by 08:30 and plan the day ahead, after a cup of tea, obviously.

A white desk with a planner, bulldog clip, pen, rule and safety pins on top.

Find your routine

Probably the most important tip, and emphasis on ‘your’, it’s a very personal thing. If you’re someone who can roll out of bed and straight into work – I salute you, others might function better after a run, I double salute you. If you’re remote working on a contract, your hours are reasonably fixed anyway. Freelancers with kids have to make the most of when their place is interruption-free and will be working around someone else’s routine.

I’ve recently added 10 mins of Yoga into my morning, the idea is not to look at emails straight away but to uncurl from sleep, and do a bit of exercise before sitting down for much of the day! It’s not a hard and fast rule, but it definitely feels good when I can do it. One of the most disorientating things I found as a newbie was tracking days of the week. It sounds odd, but unless you have an imminent deadline, one day can easily blur into another and it’s unsettling. So check-in with yourself, and other people because it does get easier. Of course, you don’t have to justify how you spend your time, but remember that even when you’re not working on something specific for a client, there is still work to do. Don’t know where to start or how to prioritise? Break your tasks into manageable chunks, don’t let admin like your expenses or chasing invoices pile up. If all your best creative ideas happen early on, make the most of it. If it takes a while to get going, tick things off the ‘to do list’, maybe do some research on your sector or niche, or update your website or portfolio.

Set client expectations early on

I would never say ‘don’t work weekends or evenings’ but the ‘feast-or-famine’ cycle can sometimes mean you’re working more than you did on your day job. If that’s the case, there are still things you can do to preserve your sanity – and claw back time for yourself. That means, no emails to clients at night – you can always reply and leave it in draft until the morning / on Monday. When you communicate over weekends and evenings (unless specifically agreed) – you’re making yourself available 24/7 and you can’t blame a client for calling you at 11pm, if they see an email from you at 10pm.

If you take a contract role, don’t neglect your existing clients, but make them aware you’re working around the 9-5 so they know you might be checking emails on your lunch break or after 6 pm.

Create a working ‘zone’ – and stick to it

This one can be tricky, and applies equally to remote workers as to freelancers. Many of us don’t have the luxury of a spare room or study to work in, and it can be hard to mentally separate work and home. So, even if you’re working in a corner of the living room or kitchen keep a separation between the work ‘zone’ and the living space.

What I mean is, if you can’t literally build a space to work in, do what you need to set it up for when you’re working. For example, my ‘writing nook’ is in my lounge, by the window, surrounded by plants and few useful books on writing. I have my laptop and my second screen up when it’s in use for writing, but I make a point of packing the screens up after 6 pm. Even if I plan to do a few bits later on, it’s important to move the room back to a living space because I share a flat, and it helps me mentality create a work/home separation.

Track your time and projects

Related to finding a routine, tracking your time will help in several ways. Chances are if you’re a remote worker, you might be used to using timesheets or tracking software anyway. When you’re freelance, it helps to manage your workload, quote accurately and highlights what’s taking up a lot of your time.

I keep it simple, I have categories like client work, marketing activity (blogging, social media etc) and new business. I stick it all in a simple Google doc and then I can tell how many ‘billable’ hours I’ve clocked up and how long jobs take me.

Project management might not be your core role, but all freelancers or remote workers have to manage multiple deadlines, and keep clients happy. There are plenty of tools out there to help, from the easy boards and cards set up of Trello to more involved platforms like Asana or Wrike.

Join freelance and professional groups online

One of the downsides to working solo is you don’t have people to bounce ideas around with. Except you do. There are tonnes of groups on social media for pretty much any discipline, I joined groups like The Copywriter and Untamed Writing on Facebook. These groups are great for problem solving, swapping stories and tips. Basically, they’re the colleagues you don’t see every day and you’ll be really glad you found them.

Take regular screen breaks

When you’re ‘in the zone’ / insert appropriate working hard cliché it can be hard to stop. Without colleagues getting up from desks around 1pm, how are you supposed to know it’s lunchtime. Oh, that’s right, you’re getting ‘hangry’ – better eat.

Listen to yourself, not your overactive brain box, but your rumbling stomach, your full bladder or your square eyes. Walk away from that screen and do something completely unrelated to work for a bit.

Don’t forget to leave the house

Sounds obvious, but it can hard to do, especially when the work is piling up and it’s cold outside. But it will really help with the ‘losing track of days’ fear too. Apart from anything else – you want new opportunities? Then you’ll need to get out. The loneliness of the long-distance worker can get to even the most resilient of us. Sometimes just being where other people are helps. I’m a big fan of an afternoon cinema trip. It’s cheaper, there’s usually a nice café if you want to do a bit of work beforehand and it’s breaks up the day. Walking is also great for clearing the mind cogs, (especially good if you’re a dog owner or you have friends who are). Some people co-work with other home-workers and there are Meetup groups if you don’t have other freelance pals who live locally. Lunch or coffee with friends breaks up the week, and if you’re curling your toes at the thought of networking – remember they are often more friendly and less about business speak than you might think.

I hope these tips helps you, I’ll leave you with one final thought: time doesn’t = productivity. For some working a standard 9-5 helps, but others need to work when it suits them, whatever the hour, and that’s fine.

Video script tips for your business

As a freelance copywriter and scriptwriter, I work on lots of video content for business. This ranges from larger agencies and their big brand clients to start-ups and small businesses. Budget sizes and scope aside, video content is only effective if it’s well thought through and that all starts with getting the script just right.

Here are a few script tips for your business. Whether you’re outsourcing or writing in-house, these tips should help you get the most from video for your brand.

1. Clarify the brief

Number one is get a decent brief together first. Of course scripts go through a few iterations, but if you get to the point when you’re working with an editor or animator and decide the story isn’t quite right, corrections are going to get costly and you may end up in an editorial muddle.

It doesn’t have to be a complex document to begin with, just answer these questions:

Why are you making the video?
What does it need achieve?
Who are you talking to?
What are the core messages?
Where and how will it be shown?

And once you’ve done that….it’s time to:

2. Consider the medium again, is this the best way to tell your story?

As tempting as it might be, ‘a video version of our about us page’ or other marketing material isn’t going to work. What is your film doing that web copy can’t, or a brochure? Perhaps you want to use it for a launch or in a pitch, alongside other marketing collateral.

Effective videos engage the audience, getting a specific point across quickly. Not only do they know their audience, they get the most from the medium by talking directly to them.

Unroll.me does this elegantly and simply.

It works because it addresses its users pain point (time spent managing email subscriptions) and its USP (Unroll deals with that for you) across with humour and a light touch in under a minute.

Bonus: it’s user focused, and the tone feels like it’s come from ordinary people not the brand. Yet the brief ‘we’ messaging is confident and professional. It’s scriptwriting that seems unscripted. But that’s another skill for another day.

3. Get to the point quickly

A common mistake in draft scripts by non writers is burying complicated or core info too far down. Your audience want to know what’s they’re getting within the first ten seconds. Make them count.

This Spotify promo – is a great example. Music discovery is at the heart of its offering, so the video smartly leaves out a voice over in favour of strong visuals and captions that cleverly weave actions in a few words like “It’s never been this easy, to share, to play, all your favorite music”.

4. Show don’t tell (or think about visuals and style)

Another important factor to nail down early is what you want to video to look like. Are you working with footage? Filming with actors? Or using infographics and animation? Remember, anything you mention needs to be illustrated. Are there technical processes to break down? Info-based videos on social media sometimes use a mix of voice over and captions, so they work with or without sound on and consider that most viewers will be watching on a mobile device.

Tech Insider’s How Deep is Ocean is a fantastic example of how to break down complicated info, full of facts in a conversational way. The words enhance what’s shown on screen as they should.

5. Less is more

Ok, so that’s true of any type of copy, or writing really. But make sure you don’t try and say too much or you risk saying nothing. Put another way, make one point per sentence and keep those sentences short.

As a general rule, sentences should contain fewer than 20 words. Average reading speeds vary, but a trained actor or voice over artist will be quicker than an inexperienced person (but really, pay a professional). Whoever you use, if they get out of breath mid way through a sentence – it’s too long.

6. Read it aloud and time it

Following on from wordy sentence culling, the best way to test a script is to read it aloud. Scripts are generally around 180 words per minute, so you can use that for timing. Reading aloud is the only way to make sure your script flows, makes sense and that the word choice fits the medium.

Once you’ve done that, try recording it, even if it’s just on your phone. A guide track can really help the pacing, especially when your editor has some footage so you can quickly see what does and doesn’t work.

7. Build to a strong ending

Don’t make the mistake of starting strong, but fizzling out. Your video’s ending is the perfect place for a call to action or memorable tagline. Either way, it should be a one-liner summary of the key take-away you want your audience to take.

Something like

Download the app from the App Store/Google Play

Join the conversation #greatcampaignhastag

Or this brilliant Millennial-focused Internet Explorer video. It pokes fun at old-skool perceptions of the Microsoft brand, and brings it back to being relevant to a new generation.

“You grew up, so did we…..reconnect with the new Internet Explorer”.

Liked my tips? Remember it’s good to share!

We need to talk about copywriting feedback

Feedback, it doesn’t always have the most positive connotations, does it? Bad creative feedback can be anything from “Oh, that will just take 5 minutes” and “Well, personally I love it, but the end client isn’t so keen” to complete radio silence.

For me, that’s the worst (well, ok, the absolute worst is they hate it) but think about the phrase ‘no comment’ It’s non-committal yet completely loaded.

Eventually, of course, you want to get that all important sign-off but what if there is some lingering doubt or something that hadn’t been previously picked up?

Don’t be too prescriptive

If your client is a creative agency, then you’re at an advantage because communication is based on a mutual understanding of how one another’s job works, feedback can be collaborative. But, not every client is a creative one, and it doesn’t stop them having an opinion on how the job should be done. Do tell me what you expect, but please don’t come back with a paragraph of copy and say “can you write it like this?” or worse tell me exactly how long it should take to write.

Instead, let’s go back to the why. What are we trying to achieve with this content? Tell me what you think is missing what might have worked in the past, and which elements don’t quite fit.

After all, if you hired a plumber, you probably wouldn’t tell them which tools to use, and how long they need to spend on fixing your problem — but you might help things along by explaining the history of previous works in your home at the start.

Actions speak louder than words

Yep, I did it. Shamelessly reclaimed a cliche to make a point. But what do I really mean? Put simply, I mean to identify the issue and provide an appropriate action. You can waste a lot of time on both sides by talking about things in lengthy vague exchanges. Bullet points are great for eliminating this.

For example, written feedback like this:

Could we add a few more features and benefits to the web copy?
Please add in some disclaimer copy for this offer
We need to include a bio for the CEO, please can you update the existing one and mention recent awards and achievements

Is easier to digest and respond to than:
“ I’m not quite sure if this is on-message, could you maybe try again with a different tone of voice.”

A colourful illustration of a group of people and speech bubbles.

Make sure the right person is feeding back

One of the worst scenarios of a freelancer is feedback by committee. This tends to happen with large end clients and smaller companies who have little or no experience in working with creative freelancers. The biggest problem with disparate feedback is it can be conflicting. If there are several stakeholders then make sure one person is collating it and checking it aligns before passing it to the copywriter.

The barrier of assumed knowledge

Sounds obvious, I know, but unhelpful feedback can sometimes come from the mind of someone who knows exactly what they mean. The only problem is, not everyone else does. What do I mean by that? Well, sometimes miscommunication occurs because the client is holding a lot of ideas and technical insight in their mind. And their mind is a brilliant place, but it doesn’t land on the page without a little filtering. Now, any good copywriter does their research, but what if a process is so unique to a particular product or an update is in the works, and that information is only known by a chosen few?

Acronyms can be problematic. So many industries have them, but the trouble is, they’re not always consistent, so make sure you explain what it means and whether or not your use of it differs from others. A good way of keeping track for clients and writers is to use (or update) a style guide. Smaller clients often don’t have one, but there are some fantastic examples to help create them and understand the importance of aligning design with copy. Not only does it help copywriters to explain important messages accurately, it makes for a consistent tone voice.

Consolidate the points and be clear

Often a bi-product of the feedback mentioned above comments arriving in dribs and drabs. Sometimes if changes involve technical clarification or knowledge from a specific person that can delay things, and it’s important that comments are aligned so that the copywriter can be clear about which direction to go in. This is why I’ll always build in time for feedback when I’m scheduling deliverables (unless it’s a super-fast turnaround).

Feedback is a two-way street, and I know I have to make sure my client has the time to process what I’m asking and iron out those internal discussions. If you’re really at an impasse with your team, a copy call or Skype is worthwhile to try and resolve what the conflict is, but emails should be for specific points. Otherwise information gets lost in a huge message thread.

Feedback on the overall service, not just the content

I never realised the importance of leaving feedback for small businesses and retailers until I went freelance. Now I make a point of leaving feedback for the items I purchase. For me (and other small businesses/freelancers) testimonials are the stamp of approval that helps us to grow our service. Even if it’s suggestions for an easier workflow. It may be that you prefer to use your own CMS for reviews and deliverables, and not Word or Google Docs or you’re using a slack channel to cut back on email traffic. But it’s more than that, especially if we’re building an ongoing/retainer relationship, then we need to be able to have honest reviews of what worked and what could be improved. Candour doesn’t have to be about finger-pointing and negativity, but it’s what helps us all to do our jobs better. If we’re prepared to fill in a survey or write an email, why not in personal exchanges too?

As much as copywriters love to be told their work is great, and the client is happy a little constructive feedback can go a long way.

Did you find my tips useful? Perhaps you have a different point of view, either way, I look forward to finding out.

Ghostwriting: mutual benefits for clients and writers

Ghostwriting, it sounds funny, doesn’t it? Like a spooky unseen presence scratching words in chalk. It still has connotations of an uncredited scribe, toiling over the memoirs of the famous and influential for a paycheck rather than critical acclaim. Plenty of ghostwriters still write books, but the term has evolved to the benefit of all kinds of clients and writers, particularly for blog posting.

Clients, especially CEOs have a lot to say to keep a dialogue alive with their audience, but they don’t always have the time to keep saying it. This is where they can leverage the power of a ghostwriter.

As a writer, it might feel counter-intuitive to write a post, in the knowledge that your name will not feature under the byline. Ghostwriting is not going to fill your portfolio with shareable material either, but there are plenty of reasons why it is good for your career and professional development. If copywriting is your bread and butter in particular, you’re hired for your words not for your name so that’s worth keeping in mind when pondering taking ghostwriting gigs.

So, what’s in it for businesses and freelancers?

Relationship building and trust

Clients place a lot of trust in hiring people to get their messages across, and writers are always on the lookout for a good ‘in’ to work with brands and businesses. For writers, it allows them to access sectors and subjects they may not have much experience in like finance, tech or thought leadership. Organisations can outsource their blog posts or articles in the knowledge that their writer will research the topic and their audience thoroughly. Commissioning a 500–800 word piece is a great low-risk way of testing a writer’s compatibility for your brand and fosters a good relationship for briefing on future work like white papers, reports and website copy.

Tone of Voice

One of the most valuable assets a freelance copywriter or content writer has to offer is expertise on Tone of Voice. Working as a ghostwriter for bigger brands who have established brand guideline and TOV documents is great when you’re a newbie because you can quickly pick up tips and best practices. Use those experiences to guide start-ups, small business or B2B clients who don’t have a clear tone of voice. On that note, any ghostwriting brief should begin with some listening exercises.

For clients, any existing content that you can share will be gold to the ghostwriter. Aside from written examples, footage or audio recordings of keynote speeches, webinars, podcast or interviews gives the writer the tools they need to mimic your voice and unique style with authenticity.

Return On Investment

For clients, spending money on great ghostwritten posts means cutting ‘get that blog or newsletter post’ off the to-do list and into the hands of a dedicated professional. The fee is a one-off investment for a piece that can be shared time and again. Content that is less evergreen i.e. using current affairs in a B2B/B2C context allows the client to stay on top of trending topics and increase engagement.

Writers know that putting in the time to get to the know their client, research the topic and industry they are writing for (which applies to all projects) will pay off far beyond the time spent on the specific piece. Not only does it increase knowledge and expertise, but they may also find themselves recommended to other members of staff and even other organisations.

Quick turnarounds

One of the biggest advantages on both sides is ghostwritten posts usually require fast turnarounds and minimal project management. A client can send off their brief, feedback on a draft and post a finished piece in a couple of days. Writers can pick up assignments and easily manage them alongside their other projects and workflow.

Regular collaboration

Hiring a ghostwriter can be so much more than simply outsourcing your writing. It can provide you with a regular person with whom to bounce around ideas and develop your branding out outreach. Ghostwriters have the advantage of regular feedback, and collaboration on ideas for future content, as well as a pretty decent income stream.

Creative inspiration

Most of these tips are practical, but becoming a ghostwritten has a place in the creative process too. Writers don’t usually aspire to become the greatest writer nobody has heard of but the skills and attributes of ghostwriter can influence more creative writing too, like fiction. Anyone who writes narrative fiction will be obsessed with the minutiae of how people operate, speak and think.

Ghostwriting is a brilliant insight into how different people express themselves, studying the research material is great for character development and dialogue. That creative insight can tease out interesting nuances and details to corporate comms that may be lacking, or perhaps just a little hidden.

Got a list of content writing in need of some attention? Who ya gonna call? ghostwriters.

Want to get your message across? persuade, don’t preach.

There’s a whole lot of preaching going on these days. “Preach” people yell when they agree. Not so much when they disagree, naturally. People rarely enjoy being told what to do, much less what to think.

Soapboxing is rocket fuel in the click bait era. But is it really engaging people beyond a reactionary level?

I think so, and here are my thoughts on why.

Whether you’re trying to get people to buy ethically, engage in political debate or support a charity campaign: guilt trips and ranting tend to make people hit the mental off switch.

There are few reasons why a heavy-handed approach alienates people.

#1 The tone comes off as judgemental: Whether the argument being made is that direct or not, if people feel judged, they’re left too irritated to engage.

#2: Creeping dread: Some people feel so overwhelmed by what they’re being told they don’t know how to deal with it or where to begin to help.

#3 “Oh dearism”: The phrase coined by filmmaker Adam Curtis which refers to being appalled by a situation or event and carrying on as usual. In other words, feeling resigned because the person can’t see how their actions can make a difference.

In copywriting (as well as sales & marketing), we talk about answering the WIIFM: What’s In It For Me. It helps make people take action commercially, so why not ethically too?

The general consensus, including reports from Network for Good and Charities Aid Foundation, is that people give when a charity or campaign connects with them on an emotional level, including the knowledge their contribution could make a difference.

There is power in personal stories. It’s the same in news journalism, stats and facts can whizz past us, but an individual story is easier to process and empathise with. Specifics about how that money can help make it easier to decide on how much to donate like Save The Children’s succinct “£7 could pay for clothing to help children in Afghanistan to stay warm during the cold winter months” explanation.

Seeing the generosity or decisive action of others is another influencing factor. It certainly works on me. I recently changed some of my domestic products because someone shared a short video about their benefits. It wasn’t preachy; it was subtly but effectively persuasive.

The tagline reads “These easy swaps can help save the planet”. It might sound a bit hyperbolic, and perhaps it can, but look at the language. It’s positive, encouraging, and it’s not demanding effort.

The script doesn’t shy away from showing environmental damage caused by things like plastic straws, but it balances it with showing how great (and simple to use) the alternatives are.

Behaviour Change platform Do Nation combines the proven benefits of doing good and social influence and has signed up brands like Pret, Siemens and Innocent as well individuals. It’s about small changes on an individual level, and making pledges, so you’ll stick to them. The tone of voice is engaging too, mixing cold facts about things like energy consumption and eating meat with humour and always highlighting the benefits of each one. It uses WIIFM and uses it well.

The copy uses insights into what makes people engage; it makes it look effortless. Which is why people and brands respond to it.

In other words, Do Nation persuades, it doesn’t need to preach.

These insights can make a point in the commercial world too, as The Dress for Respect collaboration shows, brilliantly. On its own the statistic that 86 percent of Brazilian women have been harassed at clubs might not make an impact.

But by showing it happening, unequivocally through filming a touch sensitive dress, it might encourage more men to think about the impact of their behaviour towards women.

A beverage company taking on everyday sexism in an invented way: I’ll drink to that.

Author: natalja