We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sara Rosinsky a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Sara with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
From my parents, from my siblings, from my teachers, from my friends—I’ve been surrounded by people who value and exemplify industry and achievement my whole life. I remember being told the Aesop’s fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper many times as a small child.
Today, my work ethic is a special recipe that might be called “overachievement”—a combination of compulsion, approval-seeking, and the knowledge that doing things well feels *fabulous.*
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m an independent advertising copywriter. My one-woman company is called Shiny Red Copy, and essentially, I help companies and causes to speak clearly and compellingly to their target audiences.
I don’t focus on any particular vertical market, so I get to work on all sorts of interesting things—pet products, private schools, CPG (consumer packaged goods), etc. Depending on the day, I might be writing a website or emails or ads. Or I might be working on branding, naming, or coming up with campaign ideas.
I’m also a word wonk. I’m constantly studying and writing about the English language: etymology, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Every day, I post a little lesson on LinkedIn and elsewhere meant to help people get a better handle on our wacky language. A couple of years ago, I compiled most of my little lessons into a book called Unflubbify Your Writing: Bite-Sized Lessons to Improve Your Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar.
I love speaking publicly about writing and have really enjoyed getting to do more of that recently.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey?
If I had to choose three, I’d say: 1) My commitment to doing what I love, 2) my ability to write with clarity and humor, and 3) my comfort with shamelessly promoting myself.
As for #1 above, there was a point in my career when I was asked to move into a management position. But I realized that would mean my days would be filled with meetings and I wouldn’t be able to do the copywriting I love so much. I’m really glad I said, “No, thank you” to that opportunity and got to keep building my writing skills instead.
Regarding writing, I think absolutely everyone can benefit from being a clear writer. Whether you’re writing advertising like I do or writing emails to colleagues, you’ll benefit from making your writing efficient and easy to understand.
As for self-promotion, I know a lot of people who work in the advertising/marketing industry who are, ironically, reluctant to promote themselves. If you’re a freelancer, that reluctance can ruin your chances for success. No one is going to hire you or remember you if you don’t regularly demonstrate to them what you can do for them.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
I can answer this easily because I have *wonderful* clients.
I love working with good designers (or clients who hire them) because good designers make everything I write so much better. I also appreciate clients who understand what they need and want and who are clear on the qualities that define and differentiate their brand. And finally, I like working with clients who appreciate what I do for them, who trust me and treat me well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shinyredcopy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sararosinsky/
https://www.instagram.com/shinyredcopy/ - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sararosinsky/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaraRosinsky
- Other: I’m on Threads as both @sararosinsky and @shinyredcopy.
