Great question! Glad you asked.

Writing is about telling a story. Copywriting is about telling a story with a purpose. It’s part creativity, part strategy and part understanding what makes people tick.

A good copywriter doesn’t just find the right words; they understand who they’re speaking to, what they need to say and what those words need to achieve. Whether it’s a brand story, website, campaign or sales brochure, every word is crafted to connect with an audience and inspire action.

The best copy doesn’t just sound good. It builds brands, changes perceptions and helps people make decisions.

Tools like ChatGPT can be incredibly useful for generating ideas, exploring possibilities and speeding up the writing process. But great copy is about more than filling a page with words.

A copywriter brings strategy, creativity and a deep understanding of your audience, brand and objectives. They know what questions to ask, what stories to tell and how to shape a message so it feels authentic, purposeful and human.

Good copy is powerful. So are machines. But they don’t know your business, your audience or what makes your brand different from a banana.

No. It’s unlikely to be too weird, either.

I work on projects of all shapes and sizes, from big brand campaigns and websites to quick copy fixes and last-minute pitches, so get in touch. Whether you need someone to refine existing content, humanise some AI-generated words, or jump in as an extra pair of hands for an urgent project, I’m happy to help.

It depends on the project. For larger projects, such as website copywriting and marketing campaigns, I generally work on a flat rate. I base this on an estimate of the time required for research, writing, editing and project management, and always include two rounds of revisions. I’m pretty accurate when it comes to estimating timelines, and this approach gives everyone a clear understanding of costs upfront (with no nasty surprises when the invoice arrives).

For smaller projects, editorial work or anything that falls outside the original scope — such as extra pages or changes to word count — I work on an hourly, full-day or half-day rate. I very rarely charge per word, and to be honest, I think reducing someone’s creative value to a matter of cents means you run the risk of ending up with copy that contains a lot of superfluous words like taradiddle, cattywampus and bumfuzzle.

The short answer: it depends on the project. I don’t offer a standard menu of services because every project is different. My pricing is based on the scope of work, the level of research required and the time needed to create copy that achieves your goals. I’m always happy to talk through how I’ve arrived at a quote.

Yep. To me, your 50% deposit says, “I’m dead-set serious about working together, Hilary.” It means I can confidently schedule in the time to write the copy that will make your brand, product or service stand out. Think of it as a holding fee – as soon as your deposit is paid, I can start the writing process.

No. Please don’t make things awkward by asking me.

Sorry, no. Hiring someone because they’re cheap is not the best way to get a great outcome. Consider quality, consider ethics, and if you’re still unconvinced, consider experience. Copywriting isn’t just churning out words, it’s using them strategically to accurately and effectively control how people respond to information. If you want top-notch copy, hire someone who has a great portfolio and a heap of glowing testimonials. It’ll not only save you time in the long run, it’ll help you avoid the uncomfortable realisation that the person you hired was cheap because they’re crap.

Have a look at my portfolio or testimonials. Also, ask yourself if you enjoyed reading this. If you did, chances are we’ll get along and you’ll like my style.

Yep. I don’t conduct keyword research myself, but if you provide your target keywords and SEO strategy, I can weave them into your content naturally.

Absolutely. While copywriting and content strategy is my main focus, my background spans journalism, editing and public speaking.

As a journalist, I’ve written for print and digital publications including Books+Publishing, BuzzFeed, Forbes Travel, Urban List, Broadsheet, Crikey, Time Out, Women’s Health & Fitness and Concrete Playground.

As an interviewer and public speaker, I’ve hosted and emceed more than 100 book launches and conversation panels for Readings, discussing everything from books and writing to arts and culture.

How long is a piece of string? Once again, it depends. Turnaround times vary depending on the scope of work, the complexity of the project and how much groundwork has already been done. My availability is also a factor, as my calendar often books up in advance.

Once we’ve discussed what you need (and when you need it), I’ll provide a clear timeframe for completion. If it’s a genuine “I needed this yesterday” situation, I may be able to help by working outside normal hours. Rush projects attract a 25% fee — so, for example, a project quoted at $1,000 with a standard turnaround would become $1,250 if it needed to jump the queue and be completed over a weekend.

At the risk of sounding arrogant, probably! I’ve written copy for brands and businesses across a broad range of sectors including property, architecture, mental health, fire safety, higher education, elections, tourism, retail and the performing arts. One of the best parts of my job is moving between industries, and I genuinely get a kick out of getting up to speed on new topics and turning complex information into clear, engaging content.

Clients often describe my writing as conversational, direct and engaging. The thing is, it’s not really my job to have a writing style. It’s my job to find the style, tone and voice that best suits the project, audience and brand.

Versatility is one of my greatest strengths. If you need writing that is descriptive and evocative, I can do that. If you need something concise, strategic and informative, I can do that too. And if you’d prefer a healthy dose of wordplay and tongue-in-cheek humour, I’m always happy to oblige.

I’ll get back to you, usually within 24 hours, and respond to your query. If you haven’t provided much information, I’ll ask you some questions. I’ll also let you know about my current availability and request anything else I might need from you to put together a quote. From there, we can get into the nitty-gritty of your project, and either meet for a coffee or jump on a video call.

That’s okay! Drop me a line via my contact form. I’m always happy to receive new enquiries.