[frequently asked questions]

People hire me for any number of reasons, the most obvious being that I'm good at what I do. My final draft will end up a lot stronger than if you took a stab at it yourself. No offense, but after writing professionally for years, I've learned the techniques necessary to step back, evaluate the unique audience for each project and effectively write to it, all the while keeping the customer's needs in mind.

You'll also find that hiring a freelance writer is fast and cost-effective (no overhead, benefits or salary, and you pay only for the work you need), allowing you to allocate money, time and resources elsewhere.

Finally, while no one knows your product, services or organization as well as you do, a strong copywriter will be able to offer you a fresh perspective on your messaging and provide you with honest and strategic recommendations about your communications.

What are your qualifications as a copywriter?
I've been writing and editing professionally for more than five years. In that time, I've served as a copywriter both on the agency side, as well as within an internal marketing team. Things like a degree in print journalism, a background of managing a weekly news publication and experience with various public relations/marketing/advertising campaigns don't hurt either.

Are you a full-time freelancer?
Currently, I work full-time as a Senior Copywriter for one of the world's largest advertising agencies. What does that mean for you?

If you'd feel more comfortable moving forward with a full-time freelancer, that's fine, but my working full-time won't affect you negatively. Instead, I think there are several benefits.

First off, it forces me to manage my time well. And as a result, I only accept one to two freelance projects at a time, allowing me to give each project the time it deserves. Further, working at a leading agency, I'm able to work on national campaigns for Fortune 500 (or larger) organizations. So, you get a big-brand writer at a fraction of the cost.

Lastly, working in an agency environment affords me the opportunities to be pushed by other creative professionals and stay on top of both creative best practices and trends within marketing and advertising.

Do you have experience in my field?
Probably, but if I don't, I'll learn it. It's really as simple as that.

The most important part of every project happens before a single word is written. I call it "Discovery." Essentially, it's a fancy way of saying "I'll do my homework."

The Discovery process is when I really research and consume any information available about your organization, your products or services, your competitors and audience.

Do we need to meet in person?
Nope. Rarely do I meet with clientele in person. I'll provide you with any and all contact information you need, including phone number, fax number, email address, VOIP and IM screen name.

Where are you located?
I call Salt Lake City, Utah home. I'm an East-Coaster originally and have worked in New York and Boston, but there's something to this area that brought me back. The nature of my work allows me to easily telecommute anywhere.

I've written for clientele all across the land, including places like Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Utah, and various Canadian provinces (to name a few).

How much will it cost?
This is the question that everyone wants answered. Like anything else, you get what you pay for. While my services may not appear cheap at first glance, ultimately, you'll find them to be extremely cost-effective and invaluable. Plus, my rates are far less expensive than those of some writers.

To get an idea of what I charge for my services, view my 2007 Fee Schedule. You can also download a PDF copy. The costs are shown in ranges to demonstrate differences in project needs, including timeline, amount of background material provided to me, amount of research necessary, interviewing requirements, and medium-specific concerns (SEO keyword insertion for web copy, for instance).

To find out how much your project will cost, contact me now. Give me a brief description of your project and I’ll provide you with a FREE estimate--generally within one business day.

How long will it take?
Depends on the project. Chances are, I'll get you a polished first draft within a few weeks of start date (if not sooner), but if I can't, I'll let you know up front.

Do you take on rush projects?
Sometimes. It depends entirely on the project itself, as well as my current workload. Please note that any project I accept with a turnaround time of 10 business days or less will be subject to a rush fee (generally a 30% surcharge).

Do you offer graphic design or web design services?
No. While I'd be happy to make suggestions on the visuals, offer my opinions of look and feel, or even recommend a professional designer, I will only be providing you with copy and conceptual ideas.

What is the deliverable product?
The copy will be sent to you via email attachment. All copy will be written using MS Word.

Is a deposit required?
Yes. All projects require a 50% deposit. The remaining balance is due upon project completion.

What forms of payment do you accept?
You can pay both your deposit and balance by business check or PayPal (MasterCard, Visa, American Express).

Is a purchase order required?
No, just a signed Agreement for Copywriting Services and 50% deposit, However, if your company issues a purchase order, I would appreciate a copy of it. I find that being able to reference a purchase order number makes things run more smoothly.

What's your style?
Yours.

Will you audition?
Sorry, but no. Chances are, I have a sample hidden deep in my portfolio that's similar to your project. Regardless, I've been burned with the writing auditions in the past. Think about it... it's basically asking me to work for free.

What background information will you need to begin?
Anything you can provide me with, even if you're not entirely sure that it may be of use to me. The truth is that most of what I learn about your organization won't be literally spelled out in my copy; however, it's important to learn as much as possible. It helps me to define the tone for your copy, develop a better understanding of your customer's needs and prioritize information.

I'll take new or outdated:

• Web content
• Brochures
• Sales sheets
• Internal memos or emails
• Customer demographics
• Competitor's sales collateral
• And anything else that may be useful

What if revisions need to be made?
Up to two rounds of revisions will be included in your quote. (Note: only available for projects with flat rate quotes. If you prefer to have me work on an hourly rate, no revision rounds are included.) Please assign the necessary changes within 21 calendar days of initial receipt of copy. If we're working within a tight timeline, revision requests may need to be made sooner.

What happens if I need to cancel a project or change direction after it's begun?
No problem. Things happen and I understand that. However, I don't volunteer my services, so if a project is cancelled, all work performed to date will be billed, based upon hours worked, including background reading, research, interviews, concepting and writing. If the direction or scope of a project changes significantly, I'll bill you just as if the job was cancelled. Then, I'll put together another estimate for you.

Who owns the rights to the work?
Basically, you do. You're paying for it after all.

However, rights are not transferred to you until completion of the project. At that time, you will own all rights except portfolio rights. In other words, I reserve the right to use your project in my portfolio--both in hard copy or digitally.

That said, I require an electronic copy of the finished (designed) product. If it's a printed piece, I would appreciate the electronic file and three (3) hard copies.

May I reuse/recycle the copy?
Sure. Once it's completed, you can do whatever you'd like with the copy because you own the rights. Out of courtesy, I would appreciate it if you made me aware and sent me copies (electronic and/or hard copy) of any re-purposed work. I'm continually looking for additions to my portfolio.

Are you available for permanent positions?
Full-time, permanent positions are considered.

Are you available for on-site freelance assignments?
Generally, no. However, I would be happy to negotiate a daily rate and travel arrangements if a project demanded my being on-site.

Do you offer copy review? (Or, what is copy review?)
Copy review is a more economical option of taking existing copy and essentially cleaning it up or optimizing it for the appropriate medium.

I do offer copy review, however, I certainly prefer to take a project over completely and write it myself. Why? When you hire me for copy review, the copy will certainly improve, but you're not employing my abilities to their full potential.

Instead of a full re-write, I'll do my best to keep the original context of the copy provided to me and make it read much the same. So, in essence, my changes will be very subtle at first glance.

What's the first step in hiring your services?
Well, if you're satisfied with what you've seen here, you're already well on your way. Contact me now and we'll discuss your project(s).

From there, we'll broadly discuss your project and its budget. If it appears to be a good fit for both of us, I'll have you fill out a creative brief to gain more details on the project. Doing so will allow me to more accurately provide a quote via an Agreement for Copywriting Services.

The quote listed is valid for 30 days. Once you sign the Agreement for Copywriting Services, return it to me, and issue a deposit, work on the project can begin

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