Write House Copywriting Service, Wolverhampton, Misused Words Series - Part 2 – Stationary vs. Stationery

Wolverhampton Copywriting Service, Write House, Misused Words Series...

Wolverhampton copywriting service, Write House, continues their education in correct word usage. In part two of the series we tackle stationary and stationery. 

Firstly, happy new year! Granted it’s the middle of March, however, our time has been somewhat preoccupied with the launch of our new lifestyle blog – daddydotcom.blogspot.co.uk – and preparations for the launch of our all new White Paper copywriting service. So, please accept our sincerest apologies.

Following on from part one of our misused words series, part two takes on stationary and stationery. It may surprise you, but in copywriting circles the two words have been known to cause a few problems.

So, Write House is here to help. Let’s do this:

Stationary – dictionary definition - ‘Not moving or not intended to be moved’.
Incorrect usage – ‘I want to order some stationary for the office’.

Correct usage – ‘The vehicle at the side of the road is stationary’.

Stationery – dictionary definition – ‘Writing and other office materials’.
Incorrect usage – ‘The train at the platform is currently stationery’.

Correct usage – ‘I need to find a stationery supplier for the office.’

Don’t be surprised when typing an e-mail ordering ‘stationary’ for your office for things to remain motionless. 

If you’re ever in doubt, check it out. A simple Google search will help you to avoid those spelling mishaps, but don’t become complacent. There are some places where you won’t be able to rely on Google to - bail, or is it bale? – you out.

It might sound impossible, but minor spelling mishaps can have severe ramifications. Write House always relates to the example of re-sign and resign. The simple omission of the hyphen can have catastrophic consequences.

Write House recollects a story of an employee, sent an e-mail during negotiations over a new contract, to which he replied I wish to resign. This caught his employer completely off guard. Now, obviously the employee had wanted to re-sign, and it was not until the employee returned from holiday to discover the full extent of his error.

The employer had accepted his resignation and had since started the search for a new member of staff. The moral of the story is that correct word usage, along with checking spelling and grammar is vital, particularly in a professional capacity where first impressions count. 

There’s Copywriting in my Underwear - ‘Copywriting Encounters Inevitable’

Wherever you fix your gaze it’s inevitable that you will come across copywriting in one of its many varying forms. Advertising billboards, discarded packaging as you enjoy a leisurely stroll through your hometown or city; heck, even the tag in your underwear, all feature some form of copywriting.

Copywriting has infiltrated all areas of life and as a copywriter I guess I notice it more than most. Words positioned perfectly to pique the interest of unsuspecting consumers, placing subliminal messages in one’s head that seem to stick for a life time.

Copywriting is something we encounter with greater frequency than most other things in life. 

That toothpaste you use in the morning, that deodorant you spray over yourself and the shower gel you use (presuming that you shower of course) all feature a form of copywriting. Whether it is a catchy little slogan, or an ingredient list, these words represent the phenomenon that is copywriting.

What’s my point you ask? My point is the impact that it has on us, the consumer, without us even realising it.

Just recently, whilst curled up on the sofa with ‘Mrs Write House’ I was subjected to the new O2 advert, you know the one, the advert featuring a cat with the slogan ‘Be More Dog’. I cannot tell you how compelling I found this advert, the idea of a cat switching its mind set to that of a dog in an effort to grab all of life’s opportunities stirred me.

Silly, no? Maybe not, copywriting has done its job, the days that have followed my encounter with that advert have been some of the best of my life and it was an attitude changer.

Copywriting cannot be ignored as it serves a purpose. 

In my latest adventure towards the vicinity of the washing machine to load my unmentionables, I took the, later to be regretted decision, to ignore the guidance of the tag. I’ve always viewed clothing tags an inconvenience, especially in underwear.

Come on we’ve all been there, the tag pops out your underwear and some ‘Smart Alec’ always has to point it out to you. To me the tag in underwear epitomises the word pointless! Or so I thought. I set my underwear on wash at 90 degrees, blissfully unaware of what was to come.

Those of you familiar with washing will know that washing underwear at 90 degrees results in one outcome, shrinkage. Imagine my dismay when, upon retrieving my perfectly clean underwear, I discovered that they were more befitting of my 3-year-old son’s underwear.

What was more frustrating is that having ignored the copywriting on the label, which advises the right temperature to wash the items, the writing on the label had now faded rendering it unreadable.

There are two morals to this story, the first being copywriting is in your underwear for a reason people. This leads us to the second moral, ALWAYS READ THE LABEL.

Are you in need of a copywriter? Visit the official Write House website – www.writehouse.co.uk – for more information about our copywriting service.             

Write House Copywriting Service | My Copy’s Better than your Copy - Copywriters in Competition

Professional copywriter Daniel Waldron, founder of Write House Wolverhampton, blogs about the competition among copywriters.

In my regular perusing of copywriting service websites, in order to assess the competition of course, I was struck by some of the ‘shameless’ self-promotion tactics employed in order to win much coveted gigs.

Whilst I am under no illusion that competition for writing gigs is fierce, I think what disturbed me most was a heightened ‘win at all costs’ mentality that appears to have infiltrated the world of the freelance copywriter and copywriting service companies.

I enjoy some fabulous relationships with fellow professional copywriters, to the extent where I will often share work or recommend a writing gig that is not within my remit, but would suit a fellow copywriter.

Now I’m not sure if it is just me, but as a copywriter I have noticed a seismic shift in the number of ‘copywriters’ using underhand tactics in order to secure work. To a certain extent I can understand why this happens on projects of high monetary value, after all they are few and far between. However, projects of relatively low value appear to result in copywriters resorting to inexcusable tactics in order to oust the competition.

In one particular instance I came across a project whereby two ‘professional copywriters’ had engaged in online warfare, resorting to personal slander and abuse and completely neglecting all manner of professionalism and for what? A project worth £100 which, needless to say, the customer awarded to neither of the two so-called ‘professional copywriters’.

Whilst I was on a copywriting forum page, I read intently as a contributor described how they had once hacked the website of a copywriting competitor in Northampton and sabotaged the site. The person described how they posted lewd images on the home page of the rival and using ‘online graffiti’ wrote ‘my copy is, and always will be, better than yours.’

I swiftly voiced my outrage at such behaviour, reprimanding this particular individual. From my perspective freelance copywriters have it hard enough with a minority of customers expecting ‘top-notch’ copy and expecting to pay pennies. The very notion that professional copywriters are turning on each other with such despicable acts is beyond my comprehension.

Thankfully, up until this point at least, I’ve not been subjected to such underhand tactics, but there is now a heightened suspicion that this could certainly happen to me. Therefore, I urge you fellow copywriters, those of you that value business relationships, morality and ethics, stand against this behaviour so that together we can stamp it out.

If you’re a copywriter that has fallen victim to underhand tactics Write House would like to hear from you. Leave your comments and let’s display a show of unity against ‘copywriters’ that undermine our profession.

To learn more about Write House and its services visit the official website – www.writehouse.co.uk 

Write House copywriting service, Wolverhampton, was founded by copywriter, Daniel Waldron, and was established in February 2013.