Work story:

So, some of the internal clients that I write copy for are very picky. They know exactly what they want, and unless I write the words they are envisioning, they’re not happy. I was recently assigned a project: doing a PR ad for a Washington state business trade magazine. It was supposed to talk about how great the paper is, how “we are as diverse as the community we reflect,” and how FIERCELY independent we are. (Fierce seems to be the word around here, which strikes me as funny…isn’t that a slang term for cool somewhere on the east coast? “Shit: those new pants are fuckin’ fierce!”)

Anyway, I wrote some copy and the designer cranked out the ad. It came back with marks all over it, and we both took a second stab at it: I needed to talk more about “stewardship” and values, and the designer was encouraged to have “more ethnic” photos. (This has happened before: ads come back with notes that say things like “The woman in this photo just isn’t asian enough.”)

The second draft came back again, this time with 75% of the copy slashed out. The client had taken it upon herself to rewrite the ad herself. I’ve learned quickly to just smile and grit my teeth when this happens, ’cause hell: I get paid either way. You want to pay me copywriting wages to be a word processor? No problem!

Anyway, my boss swang past my cubical yesterday with the fourth draft ad in her hand. She gave me a thumbs up and said “The client is REALLY happy with this!”

I’m sure I looked a little stupified. “Well, she should be,” I said. “since she wrote it and hand-picked the photos.”

“Well, small victories?” my boss offered, reminding me why I like her so much.