Meet Katina Bertrand Ferguson | Content Writer | Copywriter | Translator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katina Bertrand Ferguson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katina, how has your work-life balance changed over time?

That’s a brilliant question because the more people you ask, the more varied the answers.

In my case, work-life balance has always been a delicately choreographed dance, requiring discipline and flexibility in every routine. I’d gone through four freelance business models before finding one that was sustainable: freelance writing and translation.

Freelancing allows me to work from home, have a flexible schedule, and manage my family’s needs without feeling like I’m Sisyphus, constantly pushing that huge boulder uphill.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance involves finding efficient ways to work faster and better without sacrificing quality. I can’t tell you how often I tinkered with methods and techniques to work more efficiently. It’s always worth the time invested because I discover ingenious solutions that save me time and impress my clients.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

So, I know I have three titles: content writer, copywriter, and translator, but foremost, I am a copywriter.

I’m in the business of writing persuasive content that moves people to take action, like joining a group, buying a product, signing up for a course, etc. I use my skills to help businesses grow and become more profitable.

Copywriters are a dime a dozen, but here’s the thing; the job requires three key soft skills rarely listed in copywriter profiles, cover letters, or resumes.

These soft skills are empathy, humility, and resilience.

The more empathetic the copywriter, the better they are at nailing down messages that speak to the heart of your target market. The more humble the copywriter, the more comfortable clients feel giving feedback ― it should be a frictionless experience. The more resilient the copywriter, the more they are willing to rewrite a piece until they get the messaging right.

What makes me stand out from the crowd is that these soft skills are encoded into my writing process. I put them to work for my clients every day, and the results are phenomenal. You’d be surprised to see how replacing even one word in an ad makes the difference between “whatever” and “wow.”

For instance, I write ads for a local tutoring company. Initially, they were running ads about their “Summer Tutoring Program.” Great. That’s precisely what they’re offering. The ads are straightforward and honest. The tutoring company got leads, but not a lot. As a copywriter, I evaluate the weight of each word in the copy, especially when the copy is short. Something that isn’t obvious right away is that the word “tutoring,” while technically correct and honest, has a few negative connotations. So I replaced the word Tutoring with the word Enrichment. When the business re-ran the ads promoting their Summer Enrichment Program, their phones rang off the hook.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

So, full disclosure, I’m a homebody, but I have some favorite places to show friends and family when they’re visiting from out of town. Apart from all the staple locations (Aquarium, Coca-Cola Museum, and The High), I would encourage friends to visit while Dragon Con and the Decatur Book Festival are happening. Another one of my favorite events is the Virginia Highland Porchfest.

We’d have to swing by Manuel’s Tavern and The Marlay House Irish Pub, two of my favorite places to hang out.

Last but not least, I would take my friends to see Write Club Atlanta. It’s like Fight Club, but for writers who are ready to flex their best prose on opposing topics, like light vs. dark, cold vs. hot, fear vs. courage, etc. A crowd of listeners cheers for the best piece. The winner is given a “purse” that will be donated to the charity of their choice. It’s a fun time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Besides all the early content creators writing blogs and books on how to make a living as a writer, the people I’m about to mention deserve a lot of credit for getting me where I am today.

First is my late father, Dan. When I started first grade, he knew I was a writer. He always pushed me to pursue creative writing because of the elaborate stories I wrote as a child. Even now, when I’m not working for clients, I write fantasy, paranormal fiction, and humorous stories. I could also argue that copywriting is another form of creative writing. Copywriters use the power of Story to enchant and engage, to sell without selling, to win the reader’s heart with a subtle dose of magic: words laced with a love potion.

My father passed away in 2017, and all that I write, be it fiction or nonfiction, is in his honor.

Next up is my husband, Marc. He had always supported my initiative to make a living as a writer ― even before I fully decided to do it. He set up my first blog as a surprise to me. I remember the day. He took me by the hand, sat me in front of the computer, and said, “I want to show you something.” He pulled up a website with a solitary post that read, Hello World! When I asked him what it was, he said, “It’s your new blog. Now, write!”

Moving on, Glendon Cameron is someone I’d met through a local critique group for writers. He made a comfortable living as a self-published nonfiction writer and took me under his wing. Glendon taught me the business, how to repurpose content, how content marketing works, how to write for the market, etc. He helped me transition from author to authorpreneur.

I also have to thank the entire literary community of Atlanta Writes.

Remember that critique group I mentioned earlier, where I met Glendon? Well, I eventually inherited that group from its previous organizers, and I’ve been running it for eight years with the help of other talented writers. We’ve created a culture where writers get valuable feedback on their work, level up their skills, learn the business, and better their odds of getting published.

Website: https://klecticmedia.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katinawrites/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katina-writes/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatinaWrites

Image Credits
Cover photo by Monica Nwaigwe | MNJ Photo