About Julia
Where’s home?
I live in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands with my mountain-biking, skiing, hill-climbing partner and our rescue cat Bella (‘The Boss’).
Motivation
Apart from getting out into the hills on foot, bike or skis, writing copy for small business websites is what gets me out of bed in the mornings.
I’ve worked for big corporations, third-sector organisations and in the public sector, but small, private-sector businesses are by far my favourite to work with. Their enthusiasm and passion for their businesses is so close to the surface it’s infectious. When you’re excited about your business, I’ll be excited writing about you and your services.
“Small businesses make life so much more interesting!”
My favourite shops are local, independent and friendly. They include foodie havens like the post office stores in Boat of Garten, environmentally-friendly businesses like the wholefood and refill store in Grantown and, of course, all the super-helpful local bike shops in the Cairngorms National Park. It’s simply a joy shopping in these places.
I’m a great fan of independent craftspeople and artists too – and there are so many of them across Scotland! Jenni Douglas is a particular favourite and has been the source of many presents for family and friends over the past few years.
When buying what I need for my own business, I look first to other small businesses. My portrait photo, logo, website and the illustrations on this site were all produced by gifted individuals running their own small businesses.
How I got started
I’ve been writing websites since 2014, when I discovered how rewarding and how much fun it could be.
My first client was a friend who’d set up her own business, found a website developer and then realised she needed help writing the copy for her new site. (She also needed help translating the web developer’s jargon!)
Being a lover of words and a bit of a techie, I of course wanted to help. In the process, I rediscovered the joys of working for myself. A new business was born, almost accidentally.
Before I began writing websites
I studied book publishing at college and got my first job as an editor with a company producing technical reports for the computer industry. That’s where my love of the technical began. (These days, though, I leave the detailed technical work to my favourite web developers. This gives me the satisfaction of team-working and leaves me free to write more!)
I moved from editing to writing technical manuals, freelancing for much of the time, then to marketing and fundraising for regional charities. After moving to the Scottish Highlands, I spent eight years in the publishing department of VisitScotland – a great way to find out about some of the amazing small businesses across Scotland.
My working style
‘Organised’ and ‘reliable’ may not be exciting words, but they’re the ones my clients and co-workers use to describe me. They also say I ask the right questions and, crucially, listen carefully to their answers. Being fascinated by people, and having a curious nature, this comes naturally to me.
Crafting the right words for your website is a joint effort. My first step in any project is to get to know you and your business – your motivations, objectives, history, hopes and concerns. Where possible, I like to do this in person over a coffee (I love good coffee and home-baking).
After this Q&A phase, I’ll produce initial copy for you to review. This ensures the text is technically accurate and in a style that suits your business and reflects your values. I fully appreciate feedback – it’s what turns good words into fabulous ones!
Building a team
I get a real buzz out of team-working. If you’re looking to build your first website from scratch, I’ll find the right people to help and I’ll manage the project for you. My contacts list is full of experts who are a joy to work with and who share my love of excellence.
- Other things clients say about me …
- What you get when you hire me …
- Get in touch and let’s find out what you need!
Networking
I get to meet a lot of business owners via No Ties Networking. I joined the organising committee of this not-for-profit group many years ago – they’re a friendly bunch and a real pleasure to work with.
I’m a regular at the co-working space, WorkSpace Highland, on the beautiful Rothiemurchas Estate – a great place to meet local businesspeople and share experiences and a chat over a coffee. If you’re local, get in touch and we can meet there!
Find out more about Julia
Check out the Word Engine portfolio
Read what clients say
Discover the Word Engine services
…or get in touch for a chat. Looking forward to connecting with you!