About Us
The Words & Ideas approach to writing was formed, strange as it may sound, about 9 years before the company began. Specifically, it was my first day of work at an advertising agency.
I was all of 22 years old, sitting proudly at my new desk at Weightman Advertising, when my Creative Director, the late Alan Johnson, came in to share a few words of wisdom. The conversation went something like this:"So Art, how's it feel to be a professional writer?"
"Great, Mr. Johnson."
"All ready for your first assignment?"
"You bet, Mr. Johnson."
"Good. Now before you start, I want you to remember something very important."
"What's that, Mr. Johnson?"
"When you're writing a print ad…"
"Yes…"
"Nobody reads copy."
"Uhh, okay."
"And when you're writing a TV commercial…"
"Yes…"
"Nobody listens to copy."
"Oh. I see. Umm, is there anything else?"
"No, that's all, Art. You keep that in mind, and you'll do just fine."
It might not have been the most motivational speech of all time, but his point was clear. Unless you make it worth their while, nobody's going to pay any attention to the words you write.
For me, that meant I had no choice but to make sure my words would reach people where they live: whether that's through their self-interest, their desire to improve their current state, or just their inherently human need to be entertained. Best of all worlds -- would be combining all three together at once. That's what I hope you'll see when you look through the examples on these pages. It's also what you can look forward to, when I write for you. Thank you for visiting my website.