Words Works - Ernest Hemingway

Six words to remember

You may have heard the tale of how, in the 1920s, Ernest Hemingway bet ten dollars that he could write a complete story in just six words. He wrote: “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.” He won the bet and often referred to the story as his best work ever.

There are now dozens of websites devoted to six-word stories (just try Googling it). One of the best, recently featured on Radio 4, is from US online magazine Smith, which tweaked the rules by asking its readers to sum up their own lives in just six words.

The results are surprisingly poignant; often funny (”No more kisses, whisker burn lingers.”), sometimes sad (”Two sons. One died; now none.”), sometimes regretful (”Wishing I’d jumped sooner, missed mark.”), even a little scary (”He seemed ok at the time”). You should try it; we did.

As business copywriters, we’re always banging on about conciseness and short sentences. And while we don’t expect you to turn your firm’s client newsletters, your website or your marketing material into heart-wrenching six-word stories (wouldn’t that be fun, though!), it’s a reminder of just how emotional and powerful words can be, even just six of the little blighters.

So think of that, next time you’re trying to explain to your boss why your ten word sentence is better than his 30-word jargon fest.

Archived in the category: General musings
Posted by: Gareth Chadwick on Thursday, February 28, 2008 - 1 Comment

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Confabulation

Word of the month

Archived in the category: Word of the month

Our word of the month is confabulation (noun). It means familiar chat or informal talk.
Example: “I took Justine by the arm and led her onto the balcony, determined to distract her with a spot of romantic confabulation.”

Or: “You boys, cease your incessant confabulation before I inform the headmaster.”

Posted by: Gareth Chadwick on Monday, February 18, 2008 - 1 Comment

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Professional Copywriting Agency - Followers of Fashion Article

Followers of fashion

It’s funny how certain words or phrases become fashionable. I’m not talking about obvious mots du jour like groovy or wicked, but more discrete verbal fashions. Iteration, last month’s word of the month, for example, seems to have been popping up all over the place in the last few months, as people presumably try and find a more high falutin’ way of saying version.

Take fit for purpose. Ever since John Reid, then Home Secretary, condemned the immigration service as ‘not fit for purpose‘, it’s become a phrase of choice for everyone from politicians to small business owners. A quick Google throws up, among millions, Sequence diagramming that’s fit for purpose and a cover sheet for small guest accommodation businesses to use as checklist when applying to be ‘Fit For Purpose’. We’ve even received press releases about ‘fit for purpose compost’.

Now, we’re all for rediscovering new words and improving our vocabularies, but it does become a bit annoying (not to say cliched) when everyone suddenly starts using the same phrases. Not to mention that there are numerous single words that could make the same point more concisely and just as, if not more, clearly.

Spoonfed is the longest word with its letters arranged in reverse alphabetical order.

Archived in the category: General musings, Writing tips
Posted by: Gareth Chadwick on Friday, May 30, 2008

New Writer at Wordsworks Copywriting Agency

Wordsworks Has a New Writer

Copy-writing agency Wordsworks has taken on a new writer following a busy summer, bringing its team up to four.

Stockport-based Wordsworks has employed Catherine Dolman as a copywriter to help look after the company’s growing client list. Catherine is a former freelance copywriter and has spent the last four months writing the content for the NUS’ new website.

Said Catherine, “it’s a great opportunity for me to apply my skills and experience as a freelance copywriter to a wide range of clients. I’m looking forward to helping firms in different sectors communicate their message in the clearest, most engaging way possible.”

Wordsworks is a specialist copy writing consultancy, with a particular focus on copywriting for the professional services, environmental and larger corporate sectors.

It was set up by journalist Gareth Chadwick in 2003 to provide outsourced copywriting and copy-editing services to businesses. Typical projects include copywriting for firm brochures, web sites, case studies, recruitment brochures, client newsletters, reports, and in-house magazines.
Explained Gareth: “companies need to communicate their expertise and their brand in a way that reinforces their credibility, not detracts from it. So much written material is badly written and poorly presented. It’s not so bad it goes straight into the bin, but it’s the missed opportunity that it represents.”

Wordsworks’ copywriting client list includes KPMG, Savills plc, Baker & McKenzie, JP Morgan, the Northwest Regional Development Agency, 3i corporate finance, Addleshaw Goddard, The College of Law, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, Ince & Co, Cobbetts and TLT Solicitors.

Prior to setting up Wordsworks, Gareth was a journalist specialising in small business and professional services. His credits include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Independent, Manchester Evening News and Growing Business magazine.

For further information, please contact:
Gareth Chadwick
Wordsworks
Tel: 0161 443 4135
Email: gareth.chadwick@wordsworks.co.uk
http://www.wordsworks.co.uk/

January's 'Word of the Month' - Spoken like a President Article

Write headlines that entice, not mystify

A great post over on the main Wordsworks business copywriting blog here, about how to write headlines that pull your readers in. Check it out.

 

Who are you trying to impress?

I had an interesting discussion recently with a lawyer I was writing an article for. It illustrates one of the key lessons of good writing that all of us, not just lawyers, can learn from.

He'd asked Wordsworks to help write an article a general business magazine. It was about current sentiment in the corporate finance market. In the notes the lawyer gave me and in our conversations, he insisted on using complex terminology and industry jargon.

I suggested that it would make more sense, given the audience, to ditch the jargon and instead explain the issues in simple, easy-to-understand language.  He responded that, "I have to use jargon to show people I know what I'm talking about."

This shows a common but dangerous confusion about the purpose of business writing. You're unlikely to impress your readers (often potential clients) by using jargon and terminology that they may not understand.  You are in effect saying, look how well I understand my business. But what is more relevant to your readers, is how much you understand their business. And that means using clear, simple language; language that shows that not only do you understand the issues well enough to explain them in plain English, but more importantly, that you understand how those issues relate to their business and the challenges they face.

Overseas Work - UK Copywriting Agency

1. WORDSWORKS GOES DUTCH

Professional services copywriting agency Wordsworks is exporting the power of the written word to the Netherlands.

The Manchester-based agency has been appointed by MindsinMotion.net, a Dutch-government funded website on ‘green’ transport, to provide weekly news and features in English on environmental transport issues from across Europe.

Wordsworks, which already has several clients in the environmental sector, will research and write weekly stories on topics such as alternative fuels and environmentally-friendly buses.

It will also provide ad hoc support to the development and branding of the website and associated marketing communications material.

Gareth Chadwick, managing director of Wordsworks, says that, “English is a hugely important language in the international business arena. Companies all over the world use it to communicate across borders and reach new markets and new clients. To do that effectively can be a challenge for non native English speakers. Wordsworks can help them overcome that challenge.”

Wordsworks is a specialist writing consultancy, with a particular focus on the professional services, enterprise and environmental sectors.

It was set up by former journalist Gareth Chadwick in 2003 to provide outsourced writing and editing services. Typical projects include firm brochures, web sites, case studies, blogs, recruitment brochures, client newsletters, reports and in-house magazines.

Wordsworks’ client list includes The College of Law, Ince & Co, Foresight Venture Partners, Addleshaw Goddard, UK Centre for Environmental and Economic Development, TLT Solicitors, Northwest Regional Development Agency and The Independent.

Prior to setting up Wordsworks, Gareth was a journalist specialising in business and professional services. His credits include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Independent , The Lawyer, Legal Director and Managing Partner magazine.


Editor’s note
Wordsworks is based in Stockport, South Manchester, and employs three people. It also has a roster of experienced external journalists and copywriters that it uses for specific projects.

For further information, please contact:
Gareth Chadwick
Wordsworks
http://www.wordsworks.co.uk/
Tel: 0161 443 4135
Email: gareth.chadwick@wordsworks.co.uk


2. WORDSWORKS FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE

Professional services copy-writing agency Wordsworks has won its second overseas commission in a month.

The Manchester-based agency has been appointed by Singapore-based international business association XL Foundation to write its first annual sustainability report.

Inspired by the UN-sanctioned Global Reporting Initiative, the sustainability report outlines the work of the XL Foundation in the context of its environmental, social and cultural impact. It will include feature articles, interviews, case studies and profiles.

The new clients cap a busy summer for Wordsworks, which has recently finished writing recruitment brochures for two major law firm clients.

Gareth Chadwick, managing director of Wordsworks, said, “this autumn has been our busiest quarter ever. More and more firms are recognising that they need to communicate their expertise and their brand in a way that reinforces their credibility, not detracts from it. Creating professional, clear and engaging written material is fundamental to that.”

Wordsworks is a specialist writing consultancy, with a particular focus on the professional services, enterprise and environmental sectors.

It was set up by former professional services journalist Gareth Chadwick in 2003 to provide outsourced writing and editing services. Typical projects include firm brochures, web sites, case studies, blogs, recruitment brochures, client newsletters, reports and in-house magazines.

Wordsworks’ client list includes The College of Law, Ince & Co, Foresight Venture Partners, Addleshaw Goddard, UK Centre for Environmental and Economic Development, TLT Solicitors, Northwest Regional Development Agency and The Independent.

Prior to setting up Wordsworks, Gareth was a journalist specialising in business and professional services. His credits include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Independent , The Lawyer, Legal Director and Managing Partner magazine.


Editor’s note
Wordsworks is based in Stockport, South Manchester, and employs three people. It also has a roster of experienced external journalists and copywriters that it uses for specific projects.

For further information, please contact:
Gareth Chadwick
Wordsworks
http://www.wordsworks.co.uk/
Tel: 0161 443 4135
Email: gareth.chadwick@wordsworks.co.uk

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