know what you pay for...
**skip this and jump to FEES**
Overview:
pma's copywriting services cover text copy, slogans, headlines, direct mail pieces, taglines,
Internet [website] content, press releases, white papers, and other written material
such as articles or books in progress. As well, pma contributes words,
graphics and ideas to print ads, mail-order catalogues, brochures, postcards,
e-mail, letters and other forms of business promotion such as Ppt
presentations etc. Copywriting itself is the process of writing the words that promote a person, business, opinion, or idea. It may be used as a radio or television advertisement, or in a variety of other media. The main purpose of copywriting is to persuade the listener or reader to act – to buy a product, subscribe to [or dissuade from], a certain viewpoint.
Knowing what you pay for is something else. Here's a [brief] outline:
PROOFREADING - literally, to read for errors
Today, the term "proofreading" is often used incorrectly to refer to copyediting,
although there is overlap between the two. Proofreading consists of reviewing any
text, hardcopy or electronic copy (on a computer), against an original document and
checking for formatting errors and typos. Most word processors have the ability to "Show Formatting Marks", displaying them as visible characters which
allow proofreaders to ensure that there are no multiple spaces, stray carriage
returns and/or misplaced page breaks.
Proofreading then, would seem to be well catered for - the average
'spell-checker' well-equipped to pick up errors. There's just a couple of
things we have to watch out for, like sentences that are spelt correctly, but actually mean something else...
Your gnome life could be chaotic. Moments of solitude and quiet medication will help you throw the day
and the sentence that has accidentally something out... or repeated repeated a word....
EDITING - to correct and prepare (a manuscript for example)
Editing or more correctly, copy editing, typically entails correcting spelling and
punctuation; correcting grammatical and semantic errors; ensuring the typescript
adheres to acceptable standards; adding formatted headers, footers, headlines and
so on. All these elements must be addressed before we prepare a final proof copy.
Copy editors also ensure the text flows well, that it makes sense, is fair and accurate,
and that it will cause no legal problems for you. In many cases, a copy editor will
be the only person other than the author to read an entire text before publication.
A copy editor may also abridge text, which is also called "cutting" or "trimming." This
is to reduce the length of the work, either to fit broadcast or publishing
limits, or to improve the material. Where we have cut out part of the text
it is sometimes necessary to rewrite uncut parts to account for missing details or
plot.
Design and Layout
The spread of desktop publishing means that many copy editors perform design and
layout work that was once left to production crews or graphic printers. As a
result, the required skills have shifted, with technical knowledge sometimes
considered as important as writing ability.
Traits, skills and training
Besides an excellent command of the language, copy editors need broad general knowledge
(in order to spot factual errors), good critical-thinking skills so that they recognise inconsistencies,
diplomatic skills to help them deal with writers, and a thick skin when diplomacy fails! They also need to
be able to set priorities so they can balance the inherent desire for perfection with
real-world deadlines.
Many copy editors have backgrounds in journalism, librarianship, or information research.
CREATIVE WRITING - to create an original written work
It stands to reason that creative writers must include all the above in their attempts to create an original piece of
work. They must exercise self-discipline - knowing the difference between beautiful prose and worthless ramblings.
In the business world, creative writing is often about selling - either a product or service,
a (corporate) image, or a person
(as with resumes). Therefore THE FIRST RULE of business writing is to know your audience and write
for them exclusively. Without doing that, we run the risk that our audience will move on
before we have made our case!
It's ALL in the words. Knowing what editors, proofreaders and writers actually do is the first step toward ensuring that you get what you pay for.
about fees...
Here's the gist:
I prefer to give you a fixed quote
upfront based on what you want done - and when by. Of course, your quote includes all the above, plus two revisions,
should we need them. I've been doing this long enough to know that projects can and do change along the way. No problem. My quote is good, and we can discuss anything that you and I agree constitutes a significant change to the original brief. And if all that sounds too open-ended for you, here are two things to bear in mind:
- I am a one-man-band with minor overheads, not a large advertising agency; which means that
- You can expect personal service [remember that?] and professional results at reasonable, not inflated, rates.
*Need I say confidentiality is a given? For my express obligations to you, please visit this page
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have me call you
chris lees
preparedmind australia
p: 61 8 9574 1768
www.preparedmind.com.au
abn: 61 504 646 795