Tartan Pen

Copywriting for digital marketing agencies who do things differently

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Want to scare a copywriter?

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Forget spooky pumpkins and animatronic witches. Here’s how to truly scare your copywriter.

Watch them work live in Google Docs

Bonus points if your display name shows up as UnselfishWalrus or EffervescentAlbatross.

Make them put their copy into a spreadsheet

Ah, the terrifying copy matrix in the equally terrifying Excel.

“I’ve just made a few small tweaks.”

For best results, follow up by completely changing their copy so that it’s totally unrecognisable.

“I don’t like it. But I don’t know why.”

Ensure you provide no further details or steer for your copywriter and watch the blood drain from their face.

Don’t give them a brief

The vaguer you are, the scarier you’ll be.

Are you a copywriter? What would you add to this list?

Out of office – officially on!

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Hello from the gorgeous Isle of Jersey!

After eight years of exile, I finally made it back to an island that holds an incredibly special place in my heart.

I first visited Jersey back in 2013 and then again in 2015. It’s always felt like a second home for me. Perhaps it’s the family connection to Jersey, or perhaps it’s the fact it’s a simply magical place.

On my first full day, I ticked off something that’s been on my To-Do List for ages: actually going inside Mont Orgueil Castle. I’ve seen the castle loads of times, but this is the first time I’ve ever made it through the doors.

The first thing I saw was a delightful little lizard scuttling across the sun-warmed stones. It was the first of many and I spent quite some time lying on the grass watching them, hoping they’d come a little closer!

There was so much to see and do inside the castle, from a falcon in the courtyard to a trebuchet to fascinating and heart-breaking stories of executed prisoners.

For my second day (today), I wanted to visit the Devil’s Hole. This was another first for me: my first venture up to the north of the island.

After a short, slightly steep walk, I found myself at the Devil’s Hole – and it did not disappoint! The north of the island reminds me very much of the north of Scotland, where I hail from, and the sense of familiarity was very endearing. Jersey’s richly-coloured soil and stone was the only hint I wasn’t on a craggy rock in the Hebrides!

At one stage, it was possible to climb down into the hole itself and explore – but sadly I couldn’t see a way to do that safely. However, just the sound of the surf and the noise of the waves on the rocks was very soothing – and it was well worth the visit.

Tomorrow, I’m hoping to return to some old haunts, like Portelet Bay and La Corbiere.

I will be back at my desk on Monday 18 September, so do reach out before then if you have any copywriting needs and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

Anniversary giveaway!

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Fancy winning a £20 Amazon gift card? Head over to the Tartan Pen Copywriting Facebook page and like and share the pinned giveaway post to win.

Saturday 5 August marks three years of running my own copywriting business – and the anniversary honestly just crept up on me!

Three years ago, I created the Facebook page, paid for an advert and got my first clients through likes/shares and advertising. I did everything wrong, made just about every mistake I could make and bumbled my way through until I finally figured out what I wanted to write and who I wanted to write for.

Every year, I host a wee giveaway to celebrate. I never forget the fact that I get to wake up every morning and do my dream job.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to my page, like, share, tag your friends and be in with a chance to win!

Terms and conditions

  • When sharing, remember to set your privacy settings to PUBLIC. If I can’t see you’ve shared the post, it may invalidate your entry.
  • Your name will be entered into a random name generator and a live draw will be held on Monday 7th August.
  • For every entry you have, your name will appear.
  • Liking and sharing form one entry. You need to do both in order to be entered.
  • This competition is in no way endorsed or affiliated with Facebook or with any other organisation.

Why freelance copywriting isn’t my side hustle

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Opinion

Warning: ranting ahead.

I’ve seen numerous posts on LinkedIn describing copywriting as a profitable “side hustle” – and this rubs me up the wrong way.

What’s a side hustle?

The Cambridge Dictionary definition above is pretty straightforward.  

Is there anything wrong with starting a copywriting business while you do other work?  Absolutely not.  I started my business while I was working full-time in a pizzeria, often scribbling business ideas on the backs of old orders. (And, occasionally, live orders that I forgot to pass to the kitchen. Oops.)

But the idea of copywriting being reduced to something that never develops into anything further than a side gig doesn’t sit well with me.  Here’s why copywriting isn’t my side hustle.

Excellence takes time
While I fully appreciate most people don’t have the luxury of leaving their current employment and immediately launching a copywriting business, in order to be an excellent copywriter, you need to devote time to your craft.  That’s extremely hard when you’re juggling a job and likely have other commitments.  

Running a copywriting business is time-consuming
The day-to-day running of a copywriting business includes all sorts of activities, including:

  • Emailing
  • Networking
  • Answering the phone
  • Cold pitching to your dream clients
  • Attending meetings
  • Keeping your social media updated
  • Keeping your blog updated
  • Keeping your portfolio updated
  • Keeping your CV updated
  • Keeping your accounts updated
  • Actually writing
  • Sharpening your skills (learning, classes, practicing, etc.)

I know that, in order to give each of those tasks the attention it deserves, I need to allocate the correct amount of time for each one – and often I fail miserably.  Add to this all the tasks you need to do in your personal life (housework, family time, walking the dog, exercising, etc.) and the idea of having another job in addition to all this would make me want to crawl in a dark hole.

Clients deserve the best
I’m fairly expensive and I want to make sure I’m worth what I charge.  For me, that involves giving each client my full attention.  If copywriting was my side hustle, shoehorned into my evenings or lunch breaks, I know my writing would suffer and the clients’ experience would be poor.  Clients often comment on my fast response times and how quickly I’m able to action amends.  This is because I have the luxury of allocating time in order to do this, in order to make them my priority. 

In conclusion
For those interested in copywriting, I say go for it!  I’d never heard of copywriting until 2020 and I honestly wish I’d started years ago – instead of unknowingly doing it in my career as a journalist.  

None of this is intended to be discouraging to anyone thinking about making copywriting their career or even dabbling in it to see if it’s a good fit.  I simply feel describing copywriting as a “side hustle” doesn’t give this incredibly rewarding career the respect it deserves.

I’m a 2023 Freelancer Awards finalist!

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I’m so excited to announce I’m a finalist in the YunoJuno 2023 Freelancer Awards!

YunoJuno is an all-in-one platform for hiring freelancers. I’ve used it for a couple of years now and it did come to my attention that they regularly had awards for their freelancers. I never thought too much about it as I didn’t expect to be nominated – and then an email popped in my inbox saying I was in!

A lovely former colleague at The&Partnership had nominated me, much to my surprise. This is the first (and probably last!) award I’ll ever be up for as a freelance copywriter – so it would mean the world to me if you could spare two seconds* to vote for me.

Here’s where you can cast your vote

Vote now

*Disclaimer: I have not voted for myself so cannot confirm if two seconds is the exact amount of time required. To be on the safe side, I’d recommend making a warming cup of Earl Grey and settling down somewhere comfortable prior to casting your vote.

Welcome to Tartan Pen Copywriting

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Most of my copywriting projects are remote – which is why it’s vital I have a website that reflects what I do and who I do it for.

So what do I do and who do I do it for?

I’m a freelance senior copywriter working with London-based marketing agencies that do things differently. I like to work with companies that think outside the box, who want their copy to do the heavy-lifting, product-shifting, soft-sell, story tell and utterly compel.

Why the name Tartan Pen Copywriting?

I’m Scottish, so introducing the element of tartan seemed like a quirky way to acknowledge that. I also wanted to tie in the fact that most of the agencies I work with are based in London, but I wasn’t sure how – until the idea came to me when I was running on the treadmill and I quickly got my phone out and puffed out a voice message: “What would it look like if the word ‘copywriting’ featured London landmarks as letters?”

Who designed my website and logo?

That would be the lovely Jess and Terry of Optic Jam. Jess is my go-to for all my design needs – she’s a total genius and couldn’t be more accommodating, even when my ideas are beyond crazy.

Why did I need to redesign?

My previous business name was Isle of Skye Copywriting, as I grew up on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It took me a year or so to realise I needed to come up with a different plan in order to market to my target audience. The kind of copywriting I wanted to take on had also shifted, so the look and feel needed to adapt to more of an urban, creative vibe.

What are my dream projects?

I love anything automotive and car related. Getting to work with Lexus and Toyota during my freelancing with Wunderman Thompson has been fantastic. My ambition is to work on copy for Jaguar Land Rover, since they’ve been my favourite car brand since I was a little girl. 17 years and four Jaguars later, this still hasn’t happened – but you never know!