Rowan Martin is the Leeds-based copywriter trying to balance life between kids and keyboard. Yet she has her own unique take on quirky copywriting and has chalked up three bylines in The Guardian. That’s some mighty-impressive juggling.
How did you get into this crazy game?
I’d worked in communications roles for charities and kept getting told my written work was exceptional (and most of my colleagues palmed their written stuff onto me, which I never really minded, because writing has never been a chore).
A former boss told me I should go freelance as I could charge a fortune for my writing and take my pick of clients. She was not entirely correct, but freelance writing has given me greater freedom and the scope to work with a wider range of clients, not just for charities.
I don’t earn ‘a fortune’ but I do have the ability to work part-time to fit around my two small children and to be available for them in holidays – so freelancing is a good fit.
What did you do before copywriting?
As above. I worked for a number of charities including Dogs for Good, where I was able to take my two pooches in to work every day and learned a lot about dog training and psychology. (I currently have a mad Beagador – Google it – and am enjoying the ‘challenge’ of training her.)
I studied drama at the University of Manchester and have an MA from the University of Leeds in Writing for Performance and Publication.
Theatre is a huge preoccupation for me and understanding the mechanics of narrative is a great skill as a copywriter – every brand has a story to tell.
My debut play, En-Suite Lies, received some pretty good reviews, but this type of writing has to remain a passion project for me at the moment as the dog needs to be kept in Chum.
What’s your preferred type of copy?
I love writing web copy. It’s truly harder than it looks and I enjoy helping a business find a unique voice for its brand that really captures its personality.
A huge part of my job is getting inside a client’s head (in a non-scary way) to find out what they want to say and how they want to say it. It’s almost impossible to write well about yourself, so I act as an intermediary between brain and page.
I also love the freedom of web copy – you can be quirky, witty, funny, corporate, serious, sensible.
What makes you different?
I’m not afraid to be unusual. At the start of my copywriting career, I just wanted to fit in with other writers and my branding was very corporate and ‘sensible’. Now, I’m becoming aware of my USPs.
I’m letting a little more of my personality shine through, both in my business branding and in my work. This makes me a little more vulnerable, but it’s very rewarding when a client says, ‘I like that you’re quirky’. I’ve spent a lot of years trying to be ‘normal’ and it’s just not a good fit!
What do you have for breakfast?
I don’t eat breakfast as I’m usually multi-tasking too hard. I realise this makes me a terrible person and I can only apologise. I will do better.
What do you do to unwind?
I don’t really do unwinding – but I do enjoy learning about new areas of copywriting and putting that learning into practice. At the moment, I’m studying the psychology of landing pages and I do get a bit over-excited about how I can put this new-found expertise into my work.
I also enjoy a Netflix binge to switch off my brain. Who doesn’t?
You’re a parent. How do you juggle your two selves?
Often very badly. I try not to work in school holidays so that I can do fun things with my two girls. I also do school pick-up every day at 3pm and try not to work after that, but in reality I will take calls and answer emails.
If I’m on a deadline, I try to fit work in wherever I can. It can be a mess – but we always muddle through. I think it’s important for girls to see their mum excelling in her career. Finding a balance is hard. As a single mum, it’s even harder.
What would you have been in another life?
I can only ever imagine writing. It’s what I’ve been good at and wanted to do with my life since I was in pre-school. I might have worked with animals or been a Viking shieldmaiden… but mainly writing.
Any tips for newbie freelance copywriters?
Write stuff. I wrote my first full website for £50, a project that I’d now charge thousands for. Getting paid experience, however paltry the pay is, helps you to build confidence and put together an impressive portfolio to show clients.
Once you’ve proved your worth, raise your prices, then raise them again. Never undersell yourself.
Any tips for clients?
Give us a clear brief. We can’t read your mind. Think long and hard about what you want. You’re much more likely to get it. Vagueness kills copywriting.
