Hello!  I’m Roz, a freelance copywriter and I help out London-based agencies.

I often get asked about my services, what’s involved in being a copywriter and where I’m based, so I thought this blog would help answer some of my frequently asked questions and serve as an introduction.

Who am I?

My name is Roz and I’ve been a writer since I could scribble.  I specialise in working with digital and creative marketing agencies.  Over the years, I’ve written for clients such as NatWest, Shell, Virgin Media UK, Lexus, Samsung, Microsoft, Coutts and Specsavers.  I’ve also photographed and reported on HRH Prince Charles, Sir Rod Stewart and Amy Macdonald.  You can see my favourite projects over on my portfolio.

What do I do?

So, what does a copywriter actually do?  I get asked that question a lot. 

Essentially: Copy = Text

Copy + Writing = Text created especially for the purposes of selling.

As you can imagine, that includes a wide variety of possibilities.  That tagline on the back of your juice?  That’s copywriting.  The label on your jacket?  Copywriting.  Web content?  Blog posts?  Social media posts?  All copywriting.

Here’s a breakdown of the work I do:

Web content writing.  Whether it’s writing from scratch or auditing existing content, I’ve helped agencies create SEO websites for all manner of businesses.  A typical website includes Home, About, Services and Contact pages, often with product descriptions and a Blog.  

Biographies.  The About page is arguably the most important page of a website.  I’ve created biographies that showcase my clients’ unique personalities and introduce them to their clients virtually.  Biographies don’t just have to be included in web content – I can also create profiles for LinkedIn and Google My Business.

Proofreading.  When I was much younger, my mum sent me out with a shopping list and I came back with the list proofread and corrected – and probably about half the shopping! I find myself mentally correcting just about any piece of text. I’ve worked with agencies to proofread and sense check all manner of text, from health and safety inductions to emails and everything in between.  They don’t call me Eagle-Eyed Roz for nothing!

Articles.  Whether you’re looking for editorial content or want an article for use in a magazine or newspaper, I can help out.  In 2020, I was sub-editor of The Skye Magazine, creating articles and photography for use in the glossy annual magazine.  More recently, I created an article for Microsoft Pulse.

Blog posts.  Regular blog posts are vital for SEO and for keeping site visitors updated with what’s happening in your world or your clients’ world.  I can give you one less thing to worry about, creating SEO-optimised blog posts that capture tone of voice.

Email marketing campaigns.  I’ve written multiple marketing emails for the likes of Samsung, Lexus and Microsoft – as well as conversation ads designed for LinkedIn.

What don’t I do?

I don’t take on every client.  I carefully select the people who are going to be the best fit for me and my business.  I specialise in working with creative or marketing agencies and help them create copy that gets results for their clients.

I also only write about subjects that I’m interested in and want to support.  I’ve written a more in-depth blog about what I won’t write about, but the main subjects I avoid are:

Subjects that require specialist expertise, including:

• Finance/insurance/accounts/bitcoin
• Health/pharmaceutical
• Religion/spiritual

Subjects that don’t align with what I want my brand to support, such as:

• Gambling
• Tobacco/smoking
• Animal cruelty/exploitation/hunting

Who have I written for?

I’ve worked with agencies to create copy for Shell, BT, Unilever, Toyota, Samsung, Virgin Money UK, Lexus, Microsoft, Specsavers, plus the University of the Highlands and Islands, as well as smaller businesses and individuals.  To get a good idea of my experience, check out my portfolio. 

What do people say about my copywriting?

“I’ve never met Roz. I don’t need to.  I can tell she’s got a talent for copywriting – adapting her style to match our different clients’ needs and tone of voice.  She’s dead quick as well.  Picks things up really quickly and I can rely on her to write lovely words that are of a peculiarly high standard.”

— Simon Martin, Head of Copy at Wunderman Thompson.

“There is no doubt that Roz is a gifted writer.

She infuses her writing with imagery that makes you feel as if you are there.

Roz took my brief and ran with it, impressing my client immensely turning bland web copy into beautiful prose to entice the visitor to find out more.

Nothing is too much trouble for Roz.

She’s professional and works to exacting and high standards. I’m hoping we can work on many more projects together.”

— Sonia Rosenblatt – Savvy SEO

“Roz, you are worth your weight in gold.

I cannot recommend you highly enough.

The copywriting work that you undertook for our website is fantastic.

From me asking for help on LinkedIn, you were the only one of many responses where you took an interest in our business and found out what we wanted to achieve in our project that enabled us to trust you to complete the work you did.

Indeed, you didn’t mind doing four drafts until we both felt we had got the message over that we wanted to.”

— Sean Wright – Cumbria Tech

“It’s very rare for me to be impressed.

I have woken to a dull morning and then I started to read the document and WOW! I love it and it put a smile on my face and all of a sudden, it’s not dull any more.

This writer is truly talented and love what she has created adding all the everyday details I have missed.

I think this has made me realise for the first time it’s worth spending the money for good words.”

— Kal – Point Clair House

If you want to hear more lovely things people have said, you can check out my testimonials here.

How do people hire me?

The first step is to send me a message with a little information about what you’re looking for.  We’ll discuss all the logistics, including my day rate, and then lock in a briefing so I can get familiar with your project.

What do I do when I’m not copywriting?

When I’m not copywriting, I’m usually driving my car, or fixing my car!  I also love reading, exploring and cuddling my cat, Rascal.  I’ve also started playing badminton again after a six-year hiatus – it’s amazing how rusty I am!

Tartan Pen Copywriting

Interested in a service that isn’t listed?  I’d love to hear from you anyway – chances are if I can’t help, I can recommend someone who can.

The title of this blog is “How to give your copywriter feedback” – although perhaps it should be “How to give your copywriter feedback that is so constructive and inspiring, they’ll immediately rush off and start typing furiously*.”

It’s worth noting that the need for multiple revisions can often be negated by ensuring you’ve given your agency/copywriters a good brief. 

Having worked with agencies for a good while now, I’m all too familiar with more nebulous feedback like “The client doesn’t like this.”  The conversation usually goes like this:

AGENCY: The client doesn’t like this.

ME: No problem, I’ll amend it.  Did they say what they didn’t like specifically?

AGENCY: No.

ME: Did they recommend something they’d like to see instead?

AGENCY: No.

ME: Do you know if it was the tone of voice, the content, the particular wording or something else entirely they didn’t like?

AGENCY: No.

So how can we avoid this scenario and the ensuing head-scratching and guesswork?  Here are my five tips on how to give your copywriter great feedback – even if you don’t like the work?

Be clear
Your copywriter is highly unlikely** to break down into tears if you say you don’t like their copy.  If something’s not working for you, be clear about it – but also be clear about what you’d like to see instead.  It’s not enough to say you simply don’t like it – but being constructive about what you think could improve it will ensure everyone is on the same page.

Explain why
It makes a world of difference when a copywriter knows why they can’t do something.  Keeping an open dialogue fosters mutual trust and respect – so you can both do your jobs in synch, rather than simply issuing a command without an explanation.  Of course, there’s no obligation to do this, but, as a copywriter, I can confirm it makes a world of difference to know why something needs to be written a certain way or why we can’t use certain wording.  It can also help ensure consistency.  For example, if I know the client can’t use the word “starfish” in the copy, I can make sure it isn’t present in any of the copy I write.  

A little praise goes a long way
If you do like something, a small comment in a Word document goes a long way to making your copywriter’s day.***  It also ensures you’ll get more of what you like in the future.  Plus, your writer has likely worked very hard.  It’s nice to acknowledge that.

Keep the goal in mind
Maybe the copy doesn’t speak to you personally – but are you the ideal client?  It’s fine to have personal preferences, but it’s good to keep the goal in mind – and to ensure your feedback is in line with the overall strategy.  

Give written and verbal feedback
Now, I appreciate when you’re flat out at work this isn’t always possible.  And it may also depend on your copywriter’s preferred way to receive feedback.  I like both – I think a meeting works very well in tandem with written feedback.  But, if my clients are pushed for time, I far prefer to receive written feedback.  Whether that’s comments in a Word document or an email full of suggested amends or just some scribbled suggestions on a piece of paper, I digest comments far better if they’re written down – and can then action them.  This is different for everyone, of course, as we all communicate in different ways.  But ensuring you deliver feedback in a way your copywriter can understand is essential.  

Hopefully that was somewhat helpful – whether you’re got feedback to deliver now or in the future.

And, if you’re an agency looking for freelance copy support, feel free to send me an interesting message.  

* probably.  Possibly not.  They may have other things to do, like make a cup of tea, before they start typing furiously.  

** probably.  There might be some misty-eyed sniffling if they were particularly proud of their work.

*** probably.  It almost definitely will make mine.  There might even be some whooping and cheering.

**UPDATED!**

In spite of a wet and wintery start to 2023, spring isn’t far away and the days are getting a bit longer!

My 2023 opening hours are 9-5 from Monday to Friday.  I will occasionally take on work for agencies in the evening or at weekends, but this is charged at time and a half and must be agreed beforehand.  

I’m currently booked up until the end of May, although this could extend suddenly – so it’s wise to send me a message well in advance if your agency is looking for copywriting help. I will also be unavailable from 1 September to 13 September. 

I’m particularly keen to help agencies that need social copywriting, so if you’re looking for social media posts and stories with impact, send me a message.

What can I do for you?
I must have crafted several thousands of emails for my agency clients for CRM journeys, product reveals, newsletters and more.  I’ve written emails for NatWest, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Samsung, Microsoft and Lexus – you can see some examples here.  But, that’s not all.  Here’s a list of services I offer:

• Email marketing campaign copy
• Social media copy
• Web content
• Case studies
• UX copy
• Articles and PDFs
• Press releases
• Blog posts
• Product descriptions
• Straplines and taglines
• Proofreading and editing
• Tone of voice guidelines
• Billboard adverts
• Magazine adverts
• Banners
• Direct mail
• Brochures 
• Scripts
• Packaging copy
• Editorial content

Looking for a service that’s not on the list?  Send me a message – if I can’t help, chances are I know someone who can.

It seems to me freelancing is a bit like Marmite.  You’ll either love it or hate it.  

For the purposes of this blog, I’m not going to say which one I feel, but I will lay out some pros and cons that I’ve noticed after two years of freelance copywriting and several years of freelance journalism.  

Maybe you’ve been working in an agency for a while and are thinking about going freelance.  Or maybe you’re taking the first steps and want to hear what you might expect.  These are just my personal opinions and your experience may be completely different. 

Pros

Freedom
Most people cite the freedom to set your own hours and work in your own way as their favourite aspect of freelancing.  Unfortunately, this one doesn’t really apply to me as I work with agencies during normal working hours. 

Variety
It’s interesting to be able to tackle a range of different projects and subjects for a wide variety of clients – from global agencies to small businesses!  Keeping my brain engaged means my writing will be better.  This is also a good way of being able to build a diverse portfolio relatively quickly, should you want to tee up future opportunities.

Choice
You have the power to choose who you work for and the work you take on.  This is wonderful, especially if you start a project with a client you don’t get on with.  While still being professional and fulfilling your obligations, you’re able to politely but firmly turn down other opportunities with that client.  

Less meetings (hopefully)
As an employed copywriter, you’ll likely be expected to attend a number of meetings, such as morning stand up, briefings, catch-up calls, team building exercises and more.  I find meetings quite exhausting and after a full day of meetings, my brain isn’t as good at coming up with creative copy as it would be if I was left relatively to my own devices.  As a freelancer, I don’t need to attend many meetings other than a briefing and, sometimes, if I’m very familiar with the tone of voice and subject, I don’t even need a briefing.  If you’re someone who loves meetings and is quite gregarious, this may not be a pro for you.  

Cons

Admin
I absolutely hate handling my own admin, accounts, promotion and all the things that come with running my own business.  I like to show up, work hard and then go home without having to worry about looming tax bills or getting the word out that I exist.  Even though I have an amazing accountant, I still hate all the admin – which, in my view, gets in the way of me doing what I enjoy.  It’s a necessary evil, however, and important to ensure it’s done correctly.

Lack of security
I know it should be the opposite.  After all, an employer could, at any time, let an employee go.  But being employed gives me, at the very least, the illusion of job security in a way that freelancing doesn’t.  

Feast or famine
The quiet times, even if it’s just for a day or a week, really get me down.  I fall into a trap of thinking the work has dried up forever and nobody will ever hire me again.  Foolish, but it happens every time.  Similar to the point above, even if this does happen when I’m employed, I don’t have the same fear.  

You still have to go to the office
Even though the idea of freelancing conjures up the image of someone on a sunkissed beach with a laptop on their tanned knees, working from absolutely anywhere in the world, I’ve found most of the freelance copywriting jobs I see require you to go to the office for at least two days a week.  This makes me very sad as I miss out on jobs I would otherwise love, simply because I’m nowhere near London.  And I’m not even on a sunkissed beach.  I have been very fortunate, however, to find amazing clients who don’t mind that they’ll probably never see me in person.  

Are you thinking about freelancing?  I’d love to hear all about your plans.

Here are my 2023 rates.

What do I charge?

Currently, when I take on new clients, my day rate for working with agencies is £400.  On evenings, weekends and Scottish/UK holidays, I charge time and a half extra.

I am also able to split this into half days at half the price.  If we run a bit over, any extra hours are charged at my hourly rate of £50.

A standard working day is eight hours from 9am until 5pm.

My rates are pretty fixed, but if you’re a charity or non-profit organisation, I encourage you to get in touch as I would love to help if I can.

Even if I can’t, I may be able to recommend another writer, so it’s always worth dropping me a line.

How do I ask for payment?

Usually, once the work is done or, if I do regular work for you and it’s the end of the week, I’ll pop you over an invoice.  I include all my bank details and my payment terms, which are strictly 30 days.  After 30 days, interest and debt recovery costs are chargeable in accordance with The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 as amended and supplemented by Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations 2002.

If your agency wishes, I will also fill out a timesheet so you can see exactly when I worked and what took up my time.  I’ve used loads of systems for this, ranging from complicated to perfectly simple, so I’ll work with your agency’s protocol and how you prefer me to chronicle the hours worked.

I’m a sole-trader and happy to consider payment through an umbrella company, as long as all fees are covered.

Do I charge travel time and mileage?

Yes, travel time is charged at my usual day rate and mileage is charged at 45p per mile.  Equally, I’m happy to look into options such as trains and planes, but living on an island makes travelling by car a little bit easier.  

I believe having transparent pricing will make things simpler – you’ll know straightaway whether I’m within budget or not.  

Want to have a chat about what I can do for your agency?  Fill in the contact form or email me directly at [email protected].

What about non-agency work?

I limit the non-agency work I take on, but assuming I had the capacity to work with an individual or small business owner, I would aim to charge by the project.  This comes with a totally different structure and process.  

I would first hear about your project and decide if it’s something I could help out.  I will give you an initial quote, valid for 28 days.  If you decide you want to go ahead, I would then send you a contract outlining my terms and conditions.  50% of the total cost would be payable upfront – before any work takes place.  Included in the price are up to two rounds of edits, and I’d bill for the final amount after you’ve signed off.

It’s very rare, however, that I take on work like this as my main focus is freelancing for agencies.

I hope that’s shed some light on my copywriting rates and saves a little of your time!

If you’ve worked in an agency for many years, perhaps part of your role may well be writing briefs for copywriters and designers.  

Here’s my perspective on what makes a good written brief.  This is based on my experience working with multiple agencies and doesn’t apply so much to individual clients, as I supply my own brief for them to fill in. 

What should be included?
It helps to lay all the information in front of your creatives straightaway.  A good brief would include:

• Project name and job number
• Specs needed for designers and copywriters – including character counts, especially for social copy
• The point of the brief and what the outcome should achieve, as well as any objectives
• Relevant information about the organisations or businesses involved
• How success will be measured
• The target audience
• The deliverables – and any information about those deliverables.  For example, if the brief is to create three emails, it can be very helpful to lay out what’s involved in an email: subject line and pre-header options, hero headline options, hero body copy, CTA options – and the same for the other modules.  As a copywriter, I map out what needs written first, so then it’s just a case of going back and populating my document.  
• Dates and deadlines
• Wireframes 
• Any keywords for SEO
• Examples of previous similar copy.  This is especially useful in highlighting the tone of voice to use.
• Tone of voice guidance
• Anything else you think is relevant

As a copywriter, it’s incredibly useful to have all this information written down to refer back to when I’m writing.  

How should it be written?
A good brief is concise (not easy, given the list of things that needs to be included!) and clear.  

I’m a big advocate for bullet points – they force the writer to be concise and lay everything out in a few simple lines.  I find it much easier to process and understand lists if they’re written this way.  

Isn’t all this a bit of a faff?
It certainly takes time to put together all this information in a clear, concise way.  But it’s worth it.  Collating all the information will save you time in the long-run – and your copywriter will be eternally grateful.  

Over to you…
What do you think makes a good brief?  Let me know.

Love working in a busy agency – but don’t love being hunched over your desk past five o’clock, struggling to come up with copy in time for the deadline?

I can solve your problem.

I’m Roz, a freelance senior copywriter, specialising in writing copy for creative digital marketing agencies.  Since 2020, I’ve helped agencies provide their clients with powerful UX, B2B and B2C copy.  Let me do the same for your agency – and you’ll be able to leave the office in time for dinner!

Why hire a freelance copywriter for your agency?

I’m here when you need me. Off the payroll when you don’t.  Working with me means you’ll benefit from a decade of professional writing experience, with my recent work used by Microsoft, Specsavers, Lexus, Samsung and the United Nations for COP26.

How long do I take to write copy?

This is a very interesting question because I’ve never had anyone to compare my writing speed with.  I have a sneaky suspicion I’m pretty fast (mainly because a lot of people comment that I get the work back to them very quickly).  Once I get an idea of the work involved, I’ll be able to estimate how long it will take me.

If I finish the job quicker than estimated, I’ll always tell you.  That way you can either give me another job or get a pleasant surprise when your bill is less than expected.  You might be thinking: “I don’t believe you, Roz, why would you do that when you could just twiddle your thumbs for a bit and earn more money?”  

Good question.  First of all, I never actually twiddle my thumbs.  Secondly, I’d rather build a good relationship with every agency I work with – and, for me, that starts with being honest and reliable.  Thirdly, I genuinely enjoy my job.  I’d rather get on and do it.

What can I do for you?

• Email marketing campaign copy
• Social media copy
• Web content
• Case studies
• UX copy
• Articles and PDFs
• Press releases
• Blog posts
• Product descriptions
• Straplines and taglines
• Proofreading and editing
• Tone of voice guidelines
• Billboard adverts
• Magazine adverts
• Banners
• Direct mail
• Brochures 
• Scripts
• Editorial content

If you’re looking for a service that’s not listed, it might be worth sending me a message anyway.  Chances are, if I can’t help, I know someone who can.

What have I done for others?

Since November 2020, I’ve been permalancing with an amazing global agency called Wunderman Thompson.  I’ve had the chance to work on copy for big names, such as Microsoft, Virgin Red, Toyota, Samsung, Unilever, Lexus and Specsavers, covering a wide variety of projects.  

Other London-based agencies also bring me in, as and when they need me, to proofread and edit their pitches and presentations – having an extra pair of eyes really helps make sure everything is perfect.

I’ve also worked with WPP agency, The&Partnership, to help out on their NatWest, Coutts, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank account, which saw me create anything from direct mails, emails, social posts to window displays and informational posters.

Although I’m not restricted to one particular niche, I’ve written for and love sectors such as:

• Automobiles/cars
• Aquaculture
• Food and drink
• Tech
• Fashion 
• Hospitality 

I also have a huge soft spot for companies that are trying to make a positive impact on the world, especially charities and not-for-profit organisations.  

How much do I charge?

I’ve written a detailed blog outlining my rates for working with agencies here.

The person behind the pen

I’m one of those irritating people who always knew what they wanted to do. When I was nine, I started a university course and studied for my BA in Creative Writing along with my schoolwork.  At seventeen, a chance meeting in a coffee shop led to work experience for a newspaper company – and I achieved my dream of becoming a journalist.  In 2020, I merged my journalistic skills as an interviewer and creative abilities as a storyteller to create my very own copywriting business, specialising in working with agencies that need freelance support.  These days, you’ll find me (and my black and white cat, Rascal) at my desk doing exactly what I love.

How do you book me?

You can either book me through YunoJuno or simply send me an email to set things in motion.  

Let’s create copy that gets results!