With this post I officially launch WORD MATTERS, my new business for copywriting, editing, and writing support!
I see this new venture as the culmination of a lifetime’s obsession with language, a career empowering people through language learning, and over a decade postgraduate study in linguistics, not to mention a deep love of great writing and communication in all things. Culmination is not the right word. Culmination suggests an end point or climax, when this is very much a start point, midpoint, synthesis … convergence. Word Matters is the convergence of several paths long-trodden.
Starting a business is also an act of hope. Going it alone is daunting. Success or failure is my responsibility alone. I find this hugely stimulating and motivating. The safety blanket of a salary has always eluded me, so I did not have that barrier to overcome. In a world of increasingly casualised work and zero hour contracts, which have neither the security of a salaried job nor the freedom of freelance work, the ability to go out and find my own projects is exhilarating. Getting work is a problem to which I can find the solution. I am lucky enough to have a large network and a lot of goodwill, both of which have already helped me get this far.
I know so many people, organisations, and businesses who are brilliant, but who either lack the time or inclination to promote who they are in words. This is what I want to do. I want to use the power of language to tell the world (or at least their target audience) who they are, what they do, and how they are the answer to someone’s problem, or are simply able to enhance people’s lives in some way. If this is you or someone you know, get in touch.
So, this is me and this is what I do. I will talk more about copywriting, editing, and academic writing in future posts. I will also have some fun with words and trends in language that fascinate me. This is the start of a great adventure.