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

I came to copywriting from software engineering. I’ve always written articles about software (usually software written by others, but sometimes by me) because I like to break down complex topics and make them easy to understand.

Lots of companies want that for their marketing content and so I found myself working as a copywriter.

What work are you most proud of?

I’ve got some copy waiting to go live for a popular cloud hosting company that I’m particularly proud of. But I also poured an unusually
long time into this piece and I’m really happy with how it turned out: https://papertrailapp.com/solution/tips/logging-in-docker-how-to-get-it-right/

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

Basically any of the economist ads but especially this one from AMV https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/best-ads-50-years-economist-poster-defined-brand-agency/1519024

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

I go running or read a chapter or two of whichever book I’m currently in the middle of.

What are your favourite and least favourite writing tasks?

My favourite writing task is starting and my least favourite writing task is starting. Sometimes I know exactly what I want to say
and other times I have to write to figure it out.

Any copywriting pet hates?

Slavish adherence to style and grammar rules, e.g. when editors insist on writing in active voice, always. Like anything in writing, there are times when you should break the rules.

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

Specialise. Be the go-to person for a particular niche.

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

Specialise. It will be painful at first, but you’ll gain confidence over time as you continuously get the kind of work you want.

Why do you find ProCopywriters membership useful?

I like being part of a peer group of amazing writers. And the discount for Copywriting Conference tickets is the icing on the cake.

Where can people find out more about you?

Find me on twitter (@readmodwrite) or writing on my blog www.readmodwrite.com/blog