Hello,
Thank you so much for agreeing to be a part of The Writing Desk Blog.
Now, imagine I’m about to introduce you to an auditorium, filled with the smiling faces of folks fuelled by caffeine and an eagerness to learn. What would I say?
“Hello everyone, I’d like to introduce…
Jamie Thomson
freelance copywriter and owner of copywriting agency, Brand New Copy
Here’s the part where we’d sit down and try and look comfortable next to the microphones. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let’s begin…
Can you name the business book that’s always on your desk? (I’m talking about the one that’s covered in pencil marks, coffee stains and has turned down corners…)
There are probably two – Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy and more recently, Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz.
What’s your all-time favourite advertising campaign?
Ooft! That’s a question. All-time, I’m not sure but I really like the John Smith’s adverts from the 1970’s with the character Arkwright. And then there’s the Peter Kay ads from the early noughties too. And the Leith Agency’s Irn-Bru adverts are great.
“Everyone has a book in them…” Or so the saying goes. What do you think/know/believe is the secret to good writing?
I think the secret is practice. The more you do it, the better you get at it.
If you were just starting out, what advice would you give yourself? Which book or books would you read first?
I’d tell myself to charge more. When I started out, I was writing 800-word articles for £15, thinking that’s what my writing was worth. Big mistake – that was a tight first year. I’d probably read something about the craft, like Words That Sell by Richard Bayan.
Silence? Radio? Or music while you work?
Silence or meditation music. I have a wee YouTube playlist of relaxing music that I listen to with headphones when I really need to concentrate on something.
What are your top three novels of all time – and why?
- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess because of how the language (Nadsat) in the book starts to become more understandable the more you read, mimicking the character’s brainwashing.
- 1984 by George Orwell because of the idea of ‘Newspeak’, where the Party controls people’s thoughts by restricting their language…fascinating and very creepy.
- Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk because of the minimalist writing. There’s very little description in the book and no words are wasted. It’s a classic example of ‘show don’t tell’ in writing.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever written? Why did it rock your world?
I’m sure the best thing I’ve ever written is probably something that ended up not being used 🙂
What’s the last thing you bought? And yes, that packet of chewing gum counts.
A 56 pack of nappies from Tesco.
Who was your teenage crush?
Geri Halliwell from the Spice Girls.
Can you describe the best meal you’ve ever eaten?
I don’t think I can. I’m not really a foodie and I kind of just eat to stay alive. I realise this sounds a bit sad though, so I’ll say any meal I’ve ever had from the Mussel Inn in Edinburgh.
What’s your favourite tipple? Is it wine, beer – a cask-aged malt?
I do like a Speyside whisky when there’s a deadline looming…helps oil the cogs.
If I were to give you a private jet, David Attenborough as a tour guide and a month off work – all expenses paid – where would you go and what or who would you write about – and why?
Until two years ago I would have said Japan but now I’ll say Scandinavia…maybe Copenhagen because it’s meant to be the happiest place in the world. And I’d probably try to finish the novel I’ve been trying to write for the last 10 years.
What’s in your pockets?
Fluff.
Pen and ink, pencil and paper or keyboard and screen? What’s your writing style?
Keyboard and screen. Do they still make pencils?
Do you read any blogs or magazines about writing? (And I mean read, not just subscribe to and delete/leave on your desk and recycle?)
I read a lot of the posts on the Professional Copywriter’s Network. And Kate Toon’s blog The Clever Copywriting School is packed with practical copywriting advice.
Tea – or coffee? What’s your poison?
Tea with milk, please.
Do you have a favourite cup or mug? Can you describe it?
I’ll go one better – here’s a photo.
What was your most adored children’s book? And character?
I used to love a Ladybird Classic in my early years – The Gingerbread Boy, The Elves and the Shoemaker…The Sly Fox. My favourite character though was Peter Pan.
Your favourite word?
I don’t think I really have one but I do like when someone throws an old Scottish word into a conversation…like ‘wheech’. You don’t hear that one very often nowadays.
Pronounced: /hwiːx,hwiːk/
Your most loathed word? (You know, the one that makes you shudder and say “Ew!”?
I’m really not a fan of blended words like ‘guesstimate’, ‘brunch’, ‘frenemy’, ‘staycation’, ‘bromance’, ‘chillax’, ‘jeggings’. I think they sound a bit lazy.
Where can we find you? – Browsing online or lost in the aisles of a bookstore?
A bit of both. If it’s for business, usually online. For pleasure, in a bookshop.
Favourite song lyric of all time? And why?
When I’m watchin’ my TV
And a man comes on and tells me
How white my shirts can be
But he can’t be a man cause he doesn’t smoke
The same cigarettes as me
Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones. I like it because it plays on the idea that we all think we’re the exception to the rule, especially in advertising. It’s basically saying ‘I don’t like this guy because he’s trying to sell me his brand of washing powder and I know what he’s up to…and he doesn’t even smoke the right kind of cigarettes.’ It’s kind of empowering and repressive at the same time.
Or maybe it’s just about watching the telly?
Name the artist who is guaranteed to get you up on the dance floor.
I’m not much of a dancer but say hypothetically that the DJ was to drop a bit of Right Said Fred, there’s a chance that my little tush might indeed shake.
Do you have any strange writing rituals you’d like to share with us?
When I find it hard to motivate myself, I sometimes do the old ‘I’ll finish this next section and then I’ll reward myself with a cup of tea’. I also have a really bad habit of staying up waaay past bedtime. I pull more all-nighters than I definitely should.
What are you working on today? What’s in the pipeline?
Today I’m working on product descriptions for an online boutique. I have a few things in the pipeline, including a web copy project for an international hotel chain and a copyediting project for a Russian novelist. When I put it like that it all sounds very glamorous.
Can you describe the last photograph you took?
A photo of my baby daughter sleeping.
What piece of advice really changed you as a writer?
I have three:
- Practice makes perfect.
- Always present your best work.
- Be nice – nice people get more work.
What was the last thing you wrote that had nothing to do with your job?
Two days ago, I wrote the word ‘biscuits’ as the last item on my shopping list.
What’s your favourite quote about the process of writing?
‘I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, it strikes at nine every morning’.
By either William Faulkner, W. Somerset Maugham, Peter de Vries, or Herman Wouk. I’ve seen it attributed to all of them but I don’t think anyone really knows who said it.
I think it acts as a good reminder that copywriting is a business as well as a creative pursuit…so get to work!
Who is your favourite Mad Man – or Woman?
I always thought Pete Campbell’s character was great but my favourite has to be Don, for all his flaws.
Can you name your favourite film – and tell us why you love it?
American Beauty. It’s liberating, nihilistic and tragic all at the same time. And Kevin Spacey’s great.
Which book or books is/are by your bed today?
Up the Agency by Peter Mayle.
Who was or is your greatest teacher?
Probably my parents…they always give good advice.
Who is your favourite artist?
Joan Eardley. She painted expressionist landscapes.
Where do you like to work best – is it at a desk, in an office or in a coffee shop? And would you send us a picture of where the magic happens?
In a studio in Hill Street Design House in Edinburgh.
(photo attached)
And finally, where can this caffeine-fuelled audience find you?
My website: brandnewcopy.com
Twitter: @BrandNewCopy
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