Wordsworx

Welcome to the world of writers everywhere.

Here I am, a wordsmith, poet, songwriter – and I'm stuck in front of every writer's nightmare: a blank screen and blinking cursor.

This website used to be just a pretty online brochure. I was very excited when Robert helped me to restructure it into a dynamic and interactive e-venue for conversation and debate – all part of the great and expanding vision for Wordsworx.

Now, only a few posts into this site's life, I have a problem. And it's this. Even though I have a list of more than 20 topic ideas, I don't know what to say!

You see, I don't want to rehash the same old topics that every 'guru' and his or her protegé have written about, such as the importance of having a conversation with your readers, the power of testimonials, how to write a press release or article, positive vs negative language, and so on.

Although these things are important, I want to offer my own insights here. And have a bit of fun while doing so.

Is writers' block real?

Or is our fertile imagination offering us a globally understood excuse for not being able to produce?

Is it just our creative self sleeping on the job?

I believe that the process of actually writing or typing words and allowing them to flow without being critical of them is a good way to nudge the sleeping creator inside and say, 'hey you, wake up, come here and give me a hand'.

The more often you write, the more readily your creative self will realise it's on duty.

By going through the physical mechanics of writing at a certain time more regularly, in a familiar and comfortable space, you will send a wake-up call to your creative self. It will snap to attention, rub the sleep from its eyes, and will delight in guiding your thoughts and your fingers along an original path.

Obviously I need to apply this practice to my blogposts! When I used to be editor of a technology magazine, I had no problem turning out an editorial each month.

Bear with me while I wake up my creative self and make her a cup of strong coffee.


And remember: mind your language!

One of my favourite bloggers is Steve Pavlina.

This articulate, wise man is a prolific writer about personal development. His website (www.stevepavlina.com) is a veritable treasure trove of informative articles loaded with astute insights.

Before you start to grimace at the 'self help' smell, bear with me.

Steve's blog tagline (and the name of his new book) is 'personal development for smart people'. His articles cover the gamut, ranging from self acceptance, discovering your life purpose, living congruently, and time management to abundance, oneness, and spirituality – with meticulously documented polyphasic sleep and raw food diet experiments thrown in for good measure.

He has a lovely way with words. Reading his posts, you really feel like he's sitting down having a conversation with you.

One of my favourite quotes of his offers a wonderful example of the power of language in action.

Is your life safe?

The word 'safe' is both an adjective and a noun.

As an adjective it means 'being free from danger'.

As a noun it's 'an enclosed storage container with a lock on it'.

If you're living the adjective, you're living the noun.

So, mind your language!

Hello, my name is Jennifer Liston. Welcome to my website and blog.

Here, I'll probably post random thoughts and facts about language and its use.

(For example, did you know that there are 6,912 living languages in the world today? According to Ethnologue, Mandarin is the first language of 873 million people. English is the first language of 340 million people, and Hindi/Urdu is spoken by some 242 million people.)

I may offer tips on how to wring the best out of the words you use.

I might even suggest some ways to optimise communication messages.

As well as offering copywriting, editing and marketing services through my company Wordsworx, I am a poet.

And this is how I have come to love the power of language.

I love the challenge of using few words for maximum impact. I love how a word or phrase can inspire a myriad of emotions, depending on the reader's own experience and associations.

I have also come to realise - and am still learning - that we shape, empower and limit our own worlds mainly by the way we speak and write about our experiences, feelings, hopes and fears.

Every word we utter is creating.


So, mind your language!

COPYWRITING SERVICES

Have you ever marvelled at the power of words? How they can wow and inspire readers? How persuasive some people are? How a passionate argument can change our minds and win us over?

All of your promotional material – your brochures, advertisements newsletters, annual reports, sales letters, case studies, speeches, advertisements, websites and blogs – rely on the power of words to convey your strategic marketing and sales messages.

If, like many of my clients, you have a technical background and you work in, or own, a technology company, you may be daunted by the prospect of having to write about your complex products or services.

After all, words are not your domain, are they?

You are more comfortable discussing the benefits of Lotus Notes or of jailbreaking your iPhone. You wonder whether or not the CERN Large Hadron Collider will capture the elusive Higgs boson. You are juggling the challenges of inconsistent production quality from your Chinese PCB manufacturer and high mean time between failures in your products, and you are wondering where to find the next round of investment in your company. You are busy preparing for your impending ISO 27001 audits and you have five more product ideas that you want to pursue.

You speak the language of technology, science and engineering.

You may even be a marketing strategist in a technology company, but you are overwhelmed by the language of engineers and how to convert it to strong sales material.

And there's the issue.

You see, the language of science and engineering is factual and unemotional. It is about processes and procedures, measurement and refinement, experiments and results. It is passionless and non-judgmental.

In contrast, the language that describes the impact of science is emotional. The language of selling and marketing has to be emotional. You need to get under the skin of your potential client and make them want your product or service – no matter how technical that product or service is.

So how can you do that?

Worry no more. As an electronics engineer, I am familiar with the language of technology, science and other specialised disciplines. I have a proven track record of being able to convert that language into words that soar, sing and sell. I have written about many topics, ranging from energy efficiency, automation, underground space and wealth creation to ISO standards, contract electronic manufacturing, smart cards, photonics, nanotechnology and business coaching.

'When we needed to create an article for a magazine within a week, Wordsworx was able to convert our ideas into an interesting and compelling story. Communicating to our market effectively is very important to us. Jennifer's ability to translate complicated technical issues into a very readable, interesting and concise editorial made the whole process so much faster and simpler.'

Christopher Janssen, Managing Director
GPC Electronics
Sydney, Australia
(www.gpc.com.au)

Perhaps you don't have time or the resources to write and distribute media releases about your successes, discoveries and good news stories. I can do that too; in fact, when I originally established my business in 1996 (JAL Consulting), I wrote media releases for many Australian and international technology companies.

If you are a creative director in an advertising agency, I'm sure you can see what a valuable addition my ability to interpret complex concepts in simple, emotional language would be to your creative copywriting requirements. I have a flair for creating memorable headlines, straplines and slogans for campaigns.

I can combine words effectively so that they pack a punchy message.

'Working with Jennifer is an extraordinary opportunity to see a page of dull, lifeless text come alive into a clear, vivid picture of the value we deliver to our customers. She is remarkably quick and effective in turning around copy in a highly professional manner. Her advice is always to the point, which is exactly what you need in a small business where getting it right first time is not only important – saving our valuable time – but a big relief!'

Therese Hearne, Marketing Director
IST
Sydney, Australia
(www.istnetworks.com)

EDITING AND PROOFREADING SERVICES

You may be a stressed CEO, engineering manager, project manager or government officer who desperately needs professional editorial help with writing and editing a myriad of reports. You break out in a cold sweat, wondering if you've failed to notice any 'bloopers' in the reports that would make you and your manager look like amateurs.

You need an editor to simplify copy that explains complex concepts. You need help to identify and remove grammatical errors and language inconsistencies so that your annual reports, final project reports and other corporate documents look professional.

'Jennifer is one of those few writers who can both write well and deliver copy that is clean on the first draft - which is a real time-saver for a busy group such as ours.'

Grant Butler, Managing Director
Editor Group
Sydney, Australia
(www.editorgroup.com)

Never underestimate the massive value that a professional editor will add to your documents and reports.

For example, one of my clients was about to print its annual report and I insisted on proofreading the final layout. The client had to 'stop the presses' because I spotted a major editorial blunder that had crept in when part of the report was redesigned. Relief all round!

Some major publications I have rewritten and/or edited and/or proofread include:

• Olympic Dam Expansion Environmental Impact Statement (BHP Billiton, 2009). Co-edited/co-proofread.


• Australian Photonics Technology Roadmap (AEEMA, 2005). Edited, proofread.


• Photonics: Industry Overview 2001 (AEEMA, 2001). Researched, co-wrote, edited, proofread, oversaw production.


• Industrial Energy Efficiency Project – Perspectives on Industrial Energy Efficiency (The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering, 1999). Edited, re-wrote, proofread; wrote marketing and technical summaries.


• Wealth Creation: Bridging the Gap between Investors & Technology (The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering). Co-ordinated, edited, proofread.


• Innovation Lecture handbooks (The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering, 1998, 1999). Co-ordinated, edited, proofread.


• A Guide to Strategic Alliances (the then Department of Industry, Science and Tourism, 1997). Condensed a 200-page thesis to a 16-page handbook, edited, proofread.

I have edited and proofread hundreds of articles and advertisements as well as conference proceedings, newsletters, brochures, summary reports, corporate vision documents and annual reports.

'With her flair for writing and communicating, Jennifer provides a valuable service to JAS-ANZ. She is able to take on a range of tasks, from straightforward projects like editing and proofing documents, to exercises requiring creativity such as developing case studies and articles. And no matter whether the task is big or small, her work is always of a high standard.'

Paul O'Neill, Manager Communications and Marketing
JAS-ANZ
Canberra, Australia
(www.jas-anz.org)

You can be confident that your documents will be converted into professional sounding reports by an experienced and meticulous editor with a flair for polished prose and an eye for detail.


VOICEOVER SERVICES

Maybe you need a warm, expressive and unique Irish voice to promote your products and services online or on air.

Consider using my vocal talents. I have completed voiceover training with well-known Adelaide radio identity David Day. I have recorded CDs of me reading my poems; the CDs are distributed with my second published collection of poetry.






Jennifer Liston, Copywriter, Wordsworx

What is Wordsworx?

Wordsworx is the name of my copywriting agency. I offer a range of copywriting, proofreading, editing, marketing, promotional and voiceover services.

Think of me as your marketing and communications arm, if you like.

I create media releases, corporate and product marketing brochures, website copy, newsletters, annual reports, sales letters, case studies, advertisements...

...or anything involving words and their production, honing, polishing and distribution.

The works, really.



Jennifer Liston, Copywriter, Wordsworx

Links to Jennifer Liston's online writing samples

JAS-ANZ

Occupational Health and Safety: How certification benefits business

Allan Marshall: setting high standards
(Profile)

ISO 22000:2005 gives confidence, helps manage rapid change for ANZ Stadium and Q Catering
(Food safety standard article part two)

ISO 22000:2005 caters for food safety, peace of mind
(Food safety standard article part one)

JAS-ANZ accreditation inspires local trust in global risk management company DNV
(Case study)

Trusted JAS-ANZ accreditation benefits industry association, its members and their customers
(Case study)

Cisco

StayinFront lives up to its name with Cisco Unified Communications solution
(Case study)

Trek Bicycles Australia breaks into the fast lane with Cisco Unified Communications solution
(Case study)

MapInfo

Case study: City of Unley

Case study: Victorian Electoral Commission


Jennifer Liston has also been published as follows:

Corporate

Australian Photonics Technology Roadmap. AEEMA. November 2005.

Photonics: Industry Overview 2001. AEEMA. January 2002.

A Guide to Strategic Alliances. Department of Industry, Science and Tourism (now DIISR). 1997.

Electronics News. Reed Business Publishing. 1997.

World's best from Australia - The Innovator. Focus Publishing. December 1996.

Hundreds of articles and editorials, Australian Electronics Engineering. Thomson Business Publishing. 1989-1995.

Personal

Exposure (poetry - own collection). Ginninderra Press. 2003.

17 poems: one for every year of innocence (poetry - own collection). White Wave Press. 2008.

Online scuba diving log

Online dog blog

What do Wordsworx clients say?

'When we needed to create an article for a magazine within a week, Wordsworx was able to convert our ideas into an interesting and compelling story. Communicating to our market effectively is very important to us. Jennifer's ability to translate complicated technical issues into a very readable, interesting and concise editorial made the whole process so much faster and simpler.'

Christopher Janssen, Managing Director
GPC Electronics
Sydney, Australia
(www.gpc.com.au)

'Jennifer is one of those few writers who can both write well and deliver copy that is clean on the first draft - which is a real time-saver for a busy group such as ours.'

Grant Butler, Managing Director
Editor Group
Sydney, Australia
(www.editorgroup.com)

'Working with Jennifer is an extraordinary opportunity to see a page of dull, lifeless text come alive into a clear, vivid picture of the value we deliver to our customers. She is remarkably quick and effective in turning around copy in a highly professional manner. Her advice is always to the point, which is exactly what you need in a small business where getting it right first time is not only important – saving our valuable time – but a big relief!'

Therese Hearne, Marketing Director
IST
Sydney, Australia
(www.istnetworks.com)

'With her flair for writing and communicating, Jennifer provides a valuable service to JAS-ANZ. She is able to take on a range of tasks, from straightforward projects like editing and proofing documents, to exercises requiring creativity such as developing case studies and articles. And no matter whether the task is big or small, her work is always of a high standard.'

Paul O'Neill, Manager Communications and Marketing
JAS-ANZ
Canberra, Australia
(www.jas-anz.org)

'Jennifer has a great skill – she is able to hear what we want to say to our potential clients and write it in such a way that it is heard by them, and done in a tight time frame.'

Andrew Hearne, Proprietor
Near River Produce
Hollisdale, NSW, Australia
(www.nearriverproduce.com)

'The marketing service provided by Jennifer Liston was very professional. I would highly recommend her services to all others.'

Roland Sommer, Chief Executive Officer
RoHS-International
Christchurch, New Zealand
(www.raws.co.nz)

CLIENTS

765° Brand Communications
1466 Land Management
AEEMA
Australian AMP (subsequently Tyco Electronics)
Australian Electronic Manufacturing Services (AEMS)
Backpain Adviser (NZ)
BBS Electronics
BHP Billiton
Braemac
Cathryn Charnock Corporate Publishing
Communication Solutions
Critical Moments
Department of Industry, Science and Tourism (DIST)
Editor Group
Focus Publishing
GPC Electronics
Inceptu
IP Australia
IST
JAS-ANZ
National ICT Australia (NICTA)
Near River Produce
Netfox
Office of the Chief Information Officer (SA Government)
Premier Batteries
Real Time Designs
Redarc Electronics
Reed Business Publishing
RoHS International
Santos
Sirdar
The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering
Townsville City Council
White Wave Press

How do you contact Wordsworx?

Wordsworx is a small, flexible agency.

I work virtually, anywhere.

But I eat, drink and sleep mainly in Adelaide, Australia.

Mail PO Box 517 Henley Beach SA 5022 Australia

Phone +61 (0) 411 638 109

Email jennifer@wordsworx.com

Web www.wordsworx.com

Who is behind Wordsworx?

Jennifer Liston is the driving force behind Wordsworx.

Jennifer has a formidable range of complementary industry, technology, marketing and communications skills.

Jennifer is:

• an elegant wordsmith, creative copywriter, editor and proofreader, with a flair for simple yet effective communication


• a high-energy, lateral thinker


• ethical, diligent and deadline-driven


• organised, persistent and a consummate professional.

Jennifer is a qualified electronics engineer (University of Limerick, Ireland) with extensive experience in publishing, writing and editing for the public and private sectors.

Jennifer was editor of Australian Electronics Engineering (AEE), the leading Australian technical trade publication, published by Thomson Business Publishing. She was also managing editor of five other trade publications including Electrical Engineer (EE), Process & Control Engineering (PACE), Factory Equipment News (FEN), Metal Working Australia (MWA) and Australian Welding Journal (AWJ) - all market leaders in their specialist fields at that time.

As owner of JAL Consulting from 1995 to 2000, Jennifer provided marketing communication and PR services to local and international technology companies as well as to several Australian government departments. These services included writing company case studies, annual reports, brochures, advertisements and marketing material, as well as editing and proofreading.

Jennifer's clients included Australian AMP, Australian Electronic Manufacturing Services, BBS Electronics, Braemac, Department of Industry, Science and Tourism, Focus Publishing, IP Australia, Premier Batteries, Real Time Designs, Reed Business Publishing, The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering (University of Sydney) and Townsville City Council.

At that time, Jennifer was also consulting writer and editor to specialist IT public relations company Communication Solutions, working on a range of accounts including Advanced Micro Devices, Adobe Systems, Canon Australia, Claris International, Compaq Computer Australia and Fuji Xerox Australia.

Most recently, Jennifer held a number of senior executive positions with the Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (AEEMA), Australia's leading industry association representing organisations in the electrical and high-technology sectors. (AEEMA is now part of the Australian Industry Group.)

Jennifer is a web publisher, active blogger, writer and musician. Her first collection of poetry, Exposure, was published by Ginninderra Press in May 2003. Her second collection, 17 poems: one for every year of innocence, was published by White Wave Press in 2008. Jennifer is a songwriter and recording artist, and has been a session musician (keyboards, vocals) and co-writer on several CDs.

Jennifer is also a keen scuba diver. But this has nothing to do with writing.


Jennifer Liston, Copywriter, Wordsworx

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Jennifer Liston, Copywriter, Wordsworx