{Whidbey Island, 2020. photo (c) richard pelletier}
I should probably begin by trying to answer some questions that you may have. Such as:
Am I a nice guy to work with?
I am.
Is it easy to hire me?
Absolutely simple. I tend to not work with contracts, but there are some clients who prefer that kind of framework and I’ll usually accommodate them.
What makes me different?
I think what makes me different is I know how to reduce the stock down to its essence. Business stories have a ton of ingredients. So part of the job is to make something that is perfectly balanced, where all the flavors come through. At the end we want a coherent, logic-based and structured story.
Will I be able to understand your business?
The odds are good. I have been at this for quite a while, and my writing practice has taken me deep into some challenging and fascinating situations. Investment firms, cloud computing companies, digital media companies, luxury resorts in the Middle East, talent agencies, and so forth.
How will my work help you?
With clarity and logic come new relationships. You really do have to explain yourself and you have to do it well. People who try to tell the organization’s story from the inside are at a distinct disadvantage. A good writer who is coming from the outside, is bringing you genuine storytelling skills, an understanding of content and structure, fresh perspective, all married to real passion. Good copywriters are an intensely curious and passionate lot. Good writers cannot wait to tell the world what you’re up to. Good writers understand what the audience needs and will help you avoid your worst (and completely understandable) inclinations. Good writers are focused on one overarching idea: How do we speak directly and convincingly to our audience? When it works, it looks easy. It’s not.
Why me?
I’d say experience but that’s only part of it. To keep it simple, I’d say this: I can understand your business, I have a gift for clarity and rhythm, and I’m absolutely relentless in my desire for clear, strong language. The other thing I’d say is that commercial writing is knowing how to solve tough problems. Some of us have been through a hell of a lot and that counts.
Have I worked with big-name firms?
Yep. Delta, Salesforce, QuickBooks, among others.
What’s my process?
I interview you and your team, I read everything I can, I read it all again and again and again, and then I begin. I might look at some very sharp business cartoons. I may look at six-word stories. I’ll read news stories that might support what I’m doing.
I start slowly in order to gain your confidence and approval and then things move a little quicker. I have a several step editing process and I score all my writing for readability. (Happy to report that this page scored a 79.)
What’s with all the photographs?
I’ve been a photographer for a long time. I love it and find it helpful to have another art form I can turn to when I’m feeling stuck. You can see more of my photography here.
Do I have some kind of philosophy or idea that informs my writing?
SO GLAD YOU ASKED. The answer is yes—I do everything I possibly can to write in a way that is closer to how human beings speak. That is, in everyday language. With a human voice. The simple reason is that the job of business communications is to connect with other people — to form relationships with them. And the easiest way to do that is to speak with them in a clear and direct way. I’m not a ‘communications consultant.’ I’m a writer.
What is tone of voice?
Tone of voice is also called verbal identity. When you think about communicating with your audience, there is the ‘what’ — the part that describes what you do. There’s also ‘why’ — which gets at your purpose. And, there is ‘how’ — which concerns itself with how you sound to your customers and prospects. Are you warm and friendly, or formal? Are you a storyteller? Are you high energy, crackling and popping off the page or screen? Tone of voice helps you distinguish yourself from your competitors, and goes a long way to helping you forge a truly coherent brand.
Where am I based?
I’m near Seattle—on the southern end of Whidbey Island, which I must tell you is pretty much heaven on earth. I live with my wife and our cat Billie.
{The Lucid Content Writing Shed}
Are there other things I should know?
Yes. I’m part of a fantastic group of writers — we’re known as Dark Angels and we run writing workshops all over the world. We help freelancers and in-house communications teams at some fancy pants companies to write better. To bring more humanity into their writing. It’s a noble and insanely rewarding kind of work. Check out the American workshop here >>
So let me finish by saying, if I’ve missed anything, shoot me an email. Otherwise, I’d love to hear from you.
One final thought. The things I think about and work with are clarity, structure, storytelling, readability, voice, empathy, and all the creativity I can muster in service of your project.
You can reach me at: Richard at lucid content dot com