Copywriter, Content Developer and Interviewer

Hello, I'm Emily Weekes.

I'm a long-form copywriter, content developer and interviewer.

If you're craving content that's fresh and insightful, you're in the right place.

I write for impact, listen for nuance and craft content that matters.

I'm also a project manager and consultant, based in Melbourne, Australia.

You can learn about my work, writing style and clients below.

Services

I create content that cuts through the noise.

As a writer, interviewer and content curator, I help industry leaders share their expertise, for good. Whether you need a book written, white paper or interview project wrangled, I tame sectors at speed.

Working with me is easy, inspired and structured. I bring energy and insight to every project and help organisations celebrate their best work through interviews, stories and curated publications.

Clients engage me to create:

niche publications
white papers
legacy pieces

interview projects
blog content
annual report content

business profiles
feature articles
opinion pieces.

Discuss a project

Recent work

"The response we received from this report exceeded our expectations. We had a 260% increase in traffic to our site, which tells us that the report resonates with the issues facing HR professionals.

Emily is a pleasure to work with – both in terms of her professionalism and her warm personality. We really appreciated her ability to hit the ground running with unfamiliar content.

I’ve also appreciated her thoughtful advice and ability to come up with clever solutions. She produces high quality work and runs her projects very smoothly!"

- Lucy Rochlin, Marketing and Communications Manager, Caraniche

<image shows pages of Caraniche at Work white paper on family violence>

Click image to read report.

Writing styles

Click images to read a sample.

<image is front page of Caraniche at Work white paper on family violence>

White papers

Researching and writing a strategic paper on the impact of family violence in our workplaces, I worked with Caraniche at Work to develop a comprehensive white paper and a set of practical resources for organisations to better support their employees.

<image shows a book called The Place Economy>

Industry publications

Researching, writing and project managing The Place Economy by Hoyne led me to interview 40+ experts worldwide, crafting their knowledge into essays, features, case studies and Q&As and photo stoires. This 400-page industry publication tackles the social and economic impact of placemaking.

<image shows Urbis publication on universities>

Thought leadership

I interview Urbis directors in Australia to craft their expertise into niche publications and online pieces that convey the breadth of their work as a multi-disciplinary organisation with a mission to build better towns and cities around the world.

Legacy publications

Researching and writing a 40th anniversary publication for Mind Australia was a lesson in how a grass roots organisation came to be one of Australia's leading providers today.

<image shows Caraniche annual report front cover>

Annual reports

Writing content that captures the breadth of programs and talent at Caraniche is always a pleasure. I interview staff and clients for their Annual Report and craft case studies, features and Q&As.

Feature articles

After publishing my own feature articles in The Age, Outback Magazine and other media outlets, my clients now call on me to write features for their businesses, whether that's profiling innovation in science and technology, agriculture or education.

Blogs / content marketing

Writing online stories is the new norm for major businesses - whether crafting content for consumers, internal staff or other businesses, my clients invest in curating their expertise.

Speaker coaching

As a story coach and writer, I worked with over 30 speakers to refine their presentations and ensure their voices were heard at the Big Ideas on Place Conference, a dynamic and comprehensive program for place-related industry members.

Let's talk

Testimonials

"With multiple offices around Australia, Emily was flexible in tracking down our staff and juggling multiple interview times, as well as supportive and self-assured in her approach.

She has the ability to translate insight – across different topics – into copy that compels readers into action. We knew Emily would deliver a publication that conveyed the breadth of our expertise.

Emily helped Urbis to capture what we do best."

Stephanie Keith
Senior Brands and Client Consultant , Urbis

"Emily is an effiicient, adaptable and talented writer - I'd recommend her services in a heart beat!

Annette Ruzicka
Marketing Manager, Bush Heritage Australia

"The Place Economy is the most ambitious publishing project Hoyne has ever undertaken. Emily responded enthusiastically and intelligently to our plans and brought a fresh, approachable writing style to the project."

Andrew Hoyne
Hoyne Design

"As a story coach, Emily brought a richer level of clarity to our event. She helped to promote the conference to audience goers, while boosting the confidence of our presenters through her strategic and subtle approach to bringing out their best.

With the conference looming, Emily was swift, inventive and professional, which was precisely what we needed."

Joanne Taylor
CEO
Place Leaders Asia Pacific

The process

Haven't worked with a copywriter before? Here's a six-step dance with drop-down descriptions.

1. Contact me to discuss a project

You've had a skip around my website and now you're ready to get in touch.

There are three ways to contact me, four if you're on LinkedIn. See here for details.

If you like the phone, you may need to leave a message. I'll get back to you within 24 hours.

I tend not to take calls when writing. You'll thank me when it's your project I'm working on!

2. Complete my new client brief form

Before we discuss your project, I'll send you a new client brief form to complete.

This gives us a chance to clarify what's involved in the job and what you really need.

3. 30 minute conversation (phone or Skype)

Once I've reviewed your New Client Brief, we can discuss the details of your project.

This is where I'll extract a more detailed brief from you, asking you to clarify the:

- audience (who am I writing for?)
- purpose (what would you like to achieve?)
- format (would you like a book or a brochure?)
- tone of voice (how would you like the reader to feel?)
- stakeholders (who else needs to approve this copy?)
- deadlines. (when would you like this ready by?)

It's a light grilling of sorts that's useful to me and my clients too as it helps to clarify their ideas.

This phone call (phone or skype) also gives us both a chance to see if we're a good fit.

From here I'll draft a proposal for you to consider and direct you to similar work I've done.

4. I'll prepare a proposal and quote

When you receive my proposal and quote, this is your chance to confirm that I've understood the job.

The proposal will be detailed and refers to terms and conditions (T&Cs) for the project, as agreed.

The T&C's set out payment terms, deadlines, ownership of copy and responsibilities for both parties.

I include these in the proposal, along with my quote for the work, so we're both clear from the start.

5. 50% depoSIT / Terms and conditions

Once we've agreed on the project terms, I'll require 50% deposit as an initial payment before I can start. While this can be tricky in large organisations, it is fairly common among contractors these days.

For work less than $1000 in overall fee, payment will be required up front before work can commence.

Before beginning the job, I'll require any additional reading material, audio or interviews. If there are other stakeholders involved in the project, they'll need to be onboard before I start writing.

6. we're off and writing...

With deadlines agreed for first drafts and subsequent rounds of revisions, your copy will arrive on time.

For large works, I may write a sample page at the start of the project and send this across for prompt feedback. This is to ensure the work remains on track and is delivered to brief.

I'll communicate with you regularly, but you won't hear from me too often because the beauty of this six-step process is that all steps lead to sharper content and satisfied clients - the first time 'round.

Make a start

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