Philippa Willitts

26Jul 2021 by Philippa Willitts

Just say no to unethical marketing: disablism in health copywriting

I got an email yesterday inviting me to be an affiliate for a health product. By complete coincidence, the product promised to rid its gullible audience of a condition I actually have, so I clicked with interest. The video sales letter, within three short minutes, was outrageously offensive. And I don't say that lightly. A man was offered life-saving surgery that involved amputating a leg. This is a big deal for anybody, of course. I would not downplay that. But the alternative was death. [caption id="attachment_2896" align="alignright" width="328"] An Indigenous Two-Spirit person ties their shoelaces while sitting in a chair. They are dressed in all black and have braided hair, tattoos, and a prosthetic leg.[/caption] Phew, you'd think. It will be a big change to my life to lose a…

20Jul 2021 by Philippa Willitts

I spoke on BBC Radio Sheffield about disability during lockdown and accessibility as we open up

Disabled writer, Speaking

Last week, I published an article with Now Then magazine about the strangeness of things becoming more accessible in many ways during the lockdowns, and the relentless accessibility checks I'm having to do again now that the world is opening back up. I was contacted by BBC Radio Sheffield to talk to them about it and this was my interview with Paulette Edwards. A transcript is below the video and the video also has subtitles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocSnQuUglgc Okay to me, but he was nice enough to join me for a quick call. So July the 19th was fun for Dan. However, a lot of people, a lot of us still anxious. Philippa Willitts is a freelance writer from Sheffield. She says that lockdown, while brutal for people living with some people,…

25Jun 2021 by Philippa Willitts

How writers and editors can use OneLook.com for linguistic queries

About Proofreading, About Writing

I discovered a website a few months ago that is proving to be pretty nifty when I need to really drill down on a particular word. OneLook.com lets you search for a word and gives you links to a range of definitions, from general dictionaries to specialised ones. It also allows you to find related words, rhyming words etc. I have found it particularly useful when proofreading and coming across specialised language and when writing and needing to be absolutely certain that I'm using an unusual word correctly. I made a mini video to show how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oWmsaNDklU Transcript: So I'm going to show you a nifty little website that I've discovered quite recently, Onelook.com, and it is a way to search multiple dictionaries for one word. As you…

12Jun 2021 by Philippa Willitts

Deadly Intersections presentation replay: disability and gender-based violence

Disabled writer, Speaking, Video

So I did my presentation on disability and gender-based violence for Festival of Debate and it went really well! It was great to have so many interested people attend and to be able to share my knowledge and experience with people who care and want to learn. Enjoy the video, and the transcript below (the transcript is automated so not always entirely accurate). The links I mention to attendees are here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJBj67-cqCI 00:00:00 Right. Well, first of all, welcome everybody. It's really nice to see so many people here. My name is Charlotte Mead and I'm the branch leader of the Women's Equality Party branch in Sheffield. It's really love to see, let me see. Well, so I'm just really, really here just to introduce the wonderful and amazing Philippa…

11May 2021 by Philippa Willitts

Festival of Debate: my upcoming presentation on disability and violence against women and girls

Disabled writer, Speaking

Earlier this year, I presented a webinar called Deadly Intersections: Disability and Gender-Based Violence. It was really well-attended and the questions and discussion at the end showed me that people had really absorbed the message I was trying to get across. It's full of facts and figures but also real stories of disabled women's experiences of domestic abuse, sexual abuse and sexual violence. The great news is that for Festival of Debate, in association with the Sheffield branch of the Women's Equality Party again, I am repeating the presentation again on 2nd June. It will be broadly the same as the February event, with a few added extras. Some people who came to the original expressed interest in seeing it again so they could fully grasp the numbers, so you…

27Apr 2021 by Philippa Willitts

Books on language for writers, proofreaders, translators and editors

About Proofreading, About Writing, Language

One of the reasons I work with words is that language is endlessly fascinating. From my degree in French to the podcasts I listen to and the books I read about the English language, there is always more to know. As a writer and proofreader, I rely on some of the books listed below for my work. But as a linguist, I read the rest for fun. The links below are for Amazon. If you would prefer to support independent bookshops, try Hive Books or Bookshop.org in the UK or Bookshop or IndieBound in the USA. For people in other countries, a quick Google should help you to find an independent alternative. Books about proofreading It's an art and a science and a business McGraw-Hill's Proofreading Handbook by Laura Killen…

22Mar 2021 by Philippa Willitts

Podcasts for language nerds

Language, Podcast

I'm unapologetically addicted to podcasts. I listen to them constantly and have made several of my own (with a potential new one in the pipeline), and listening is currently my favourite way to learn. When I need a new skill, I find podcasts that talk about it. When I need an update on a topic I already know about, I find podcasts that talk about it. When I need to relax, I listen to podcasts. When I need to laugh, I listen to podcasts... you get the idea. So it made sense to find a great pile of language-related podcasts to share here. Many writers, editors and proofreaders, and those who hire us, are language nerds so I have found you a wide range of podcasts on all aspects of…

05Mar 2021 by Philippa Willitts

Upcoming presentation: Proofreading and copywriting for translators: tips, tools and techniques

About Proofreading, About Writing, Speaking

I'm really excited to be a speaker for the Chartered Institute of Linguists. At the webinar, I will be talking about proofreading and copywriting and, in particular, how they are relevant to translators. Translators might want to know how to use copywriting skills to promote their businesses or how best to proofread the work they produce, or the work of other translators. I will go through all of that and more. As you can see on the event page, Translators in all sectors can benefit from learning proofreading and copywriting skills. Join freelance writer, editor and proofreader Philippa Willitts as she guides you through the tools and tips you need to improve your proofreading skills and learn about how copywriting can help you to promote your work. Key learning objectives:…

04Feb 2021 by Philippa Willitts

Deadly Intersections: Disability and Gender-Based Violence

Disabled writer, Speaking

I'm involved in the Women's Equality Party and I am part of the comms team for my local branch. I'm also a member of the Disability and LGBTQI caucuses. [caption id="attachment_2613" align="alignright" width="352"] My dress is not a yes[/caption] I'm excited to be leading an event next week and, if you're interested in disability, feminism, gender-based violence and the intersections between them, you need to check it out! The blurb: Disabled women are twice as likely as non-disabled women to experience domestic abuse, but less likely to be able to access a refuge. 40% of disabled women have been sexually assaulted or raped and 50% of Deaf girls have been sexually abused. There are even ways that disabled women can be abused that simply do not exist for non-disabled people.…

18Jan 2021 by Philippa Willitts

A new year update for 2021

Freelancing, news

Nobody needs another blog post about how weird 2020 was. Nor about how weird the start of 2021 has been already. But, in short, totally weird. Now, onto the rest of it all. What I'm up to I continue to work hard. Most of my work is writing, proofreading and editing. Last year, I proofread four full-length books and many, many job applications. This may be symptomatic of how many people lost their jobs in the midst of the international crisis. Interestingly, I didn't proofread as many essays and theses last year as I usually do; perhaps due to the same. [caption id="attachment_2574" align="alignright" width="334"] Fireworks[/caption] In terms of writing, most of what I do currently is ghost writing blog posts for business clients. Usually SMEs, these businesses know that…

Author: Philippa Willitts