Brilliant Freelancer, the book I’ve been busy writing, is due out in May. But the website is alive today: www.brilliantfreelancer.com

Check out the website, and be sure to register – you’ll get a free chapter and the chance to win Brilliant Freelancer.

I’ll also be producing additional freelance advice, so if you are freelance, or thinking about making the leap, stay tuned!

Thanks to Mike Hadfield of Volicol for designing and building the Brilliant Freelancer website.

There’s a trend for media types to “call BS” on something in the industry. The act of calling BS is a way of saying “I hereby declare that this thing, which so many people believe in so fervently, is in fact bullshit.” It’s lots of fun, and the proclaimer gets people talking and linking to their stuff, some people get a bit cross and leave furious comments on blog posts. Then it all dies down and everyone continues as before.

But I would like to hereby declare that the act of “calling BS” is in itself total bullshit. People have called BS on social media gurus, UX people and SEO, but what does this really mean? It just means that someone doesn’t like something. But even in the case of ‘social media gurus’  – the most derided of all web professionals – a demand remains for their services. Otherwise they wouldn’t exist. Calling BS is really just the expression of an individual opinion. Often the contentious opinion is shared by half, and resented by half.

BS calling is jolly good fun, and gives us a chance to rally behind our chosen positions and throw rotten vegetables from the comfort of the comments box, but it’s totally pointless, and can reasonably be deemed BS. In fact, this entire post is BS.

Totally off-topic: this blog post is about my soon-to-be-wife’s research project. I’m blogging about it because Megan needs to interview new fathers who have experienced some emotional or psychological difficulties after becoming a father.

This is an under-researched area, but it deserves attention. Not least because the mental well-being (or not) of fathers has a direct impact on the health and well-being of their children. So for the sake of families, children and mothers, it’s important to consider how becoming a father affects men.

If you are a father with your youngest or only child under 3, and feel that you have struggled in some way postnatally, please contact Megan. Here are a few details from Megan’s advert:

The one-off interview will last between 45 – 90 minutes and will be conducted in a private setting to ensure confidentiality

Your expenses will be repaid.

Don’t worry if you don’t know what to talk about – your interview will be guided by questions.

I am undertaking this research for my Clinical Psychology doctoral thesis based at the University of Surrey. This study has received a favourable ethical opinion from the University of Surrey’s Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences Ethics Committee.

Interested?

Please contact Megan Earl-Gray

Tel: 07577 845361

Email: researching.fathers@googlemail.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/researchingdads

Welcome to the new-look Kendall Copywriting site!

Regular visitors may wonder why things have changed, given that the old look was less than 6 months old. Well, as time passes you get a better sense of your website’s purpose, and it gradually became clear that to achieve my aims, the site would need a little refresh. So that’s what we did.

With a generous dose of web design wizardry from Guy Anderson of Zero G Media, my site was quickly given a new coat of paint and simplified navigation. Thanks Guy!

So, what the hell have you been doing all year?

I’ve been:

• Writing millions of words of copy
• Getting out and meeting people
• Migrating to London (slowly)
• Working with other copywriters
• Employing another copywriter
• Meeting loads of new writers (and non-writers) through WriteClub
• Starting (and finishing) Nyouse
• Giving free marketing advice to start-ups
• Helping small businesses with their SEO
• Spending lots of time at the Werks
• Spending a little time at the Skiff
• Trying out a coworking space in London (The Trampery)
• Contemplating the future shape of Kendall Copywriting
• Attending dConstruct
• Contributing to Freelance Advisor
• Chatting to loads of freelancers about freelancing
• Going to the Farm
• Going to Likemind
• Chatting to a DJ about Twitter live on BBC South East radio
• Interviewed by Julie Stanford for her radio show

It’s been a massively enjoyable year. If I’ve worked with you in 2009, thanks!

Just a quick post – I was called this morning at 7:45 and asked if I would go on BBC local radio (I think the DJ was Neil Pringle) to talk about Twitter.

Now the interesting thing is that the producer or researcher who called me found me by Googling ‘Brighton Twitter’. One of the results for that search is a blog post I wrote ages ago, ‘Why Twitter? – Method in the Mayhem’. So I’m writing this post mainly to remind my future self of the benefits of blogging.

Back to the radio interview – so within minutes of answering the call, I was on the radio talking about Twitter. The DJ asked me whether he, as a Luddite, should try Twitter. I said something like, “that depends on you. Twitter isn’t for everybody…”

I briefly discussed how Twitter differs from Facebook (it’s much more open – you follow who you want, you don’t just befriend friends or the people you never liked at school) and then the interview was over.

I just wanted to quickly share news of my new client’s charity auction lot: Sheri Gee, a very talented portrait painter, is giving away a baby or child portrait for Children in Need.

Check out Sheri’s website here: www.sherigee.com.