Posts

The Sizzle and the Steak: The Art of Writing Great Product Copy

I used to work as a copywriter for Brookstone, a company made famous by its vibrating massage chairs, often seen in airport lounges, nail salons and your parents’ basement. If waitressing was the job that taught me about time management, Brookstone is where I learned to sell just about anything. Because that’s what I had […]

He’s Just Not That Into You

Oh, small, earnest neighborhood florist — I can see how hard you’re working to get this right. Here you are in the heart of college country, with scores of students strolling past you every day, never stopping to browse or buy. You know an untapped market when you see one, and you’re even willing to […]

Anatomically Considered Placement?

At The Hired Pens, we write a lot of catalog copy — for PUMA, Zappos, Hasbro, Stride Rite, Timberland … the list goes on.  So to stay up on things, I always read new catalogs that arrive in the mail. The one that landed today has a really cool name: Sweaty Betty. It’s filled with […]

Lessons Learned About Catalog Copywriting

One of the great things about our work at The Hired Pens is the variety of projects. On any given week, I might be working on a website, brochure, newsletter and feature article. One type of work that rarely enters the mix is writing for catalogs. That’s Anna’s bag. She’s had dozens of catalog assignments […]