I forgot to mention something in my last post. In case you missed it, the main gist was that all fiction writing has stopped for the time being. But in my excitement at explaining the mammoth business-writing project underway, I forgot to mention the gargantuan website-writing task that is happening simultaneously at work.
So, two massive brain-sapping projects have been happening at the same time—one of my own making, the other at the behest of my employer.
Regarding that, I’m currently the copywriter for a large software company. Based in the UK, they have offices worldwide from where they develop software that helps B2B companies trade more profitably.
They’ve acquired loads of companies and solutions as they’ve grown, so it’s hard to put a figure on the exact number of software products currently available. That said, it’s way more than 30. And with so many customers in different industries, having a streamlined, coherent presence on their main website has proven increasingly problematic.
As a result, management have long planned to refresh the website. In a vision that seems best described as ‘fluid’, every product has been presented in a way that every industry we cater for can find. Meanwhile, the content has been laid out in a way that customers can easily absorb and navigate, with product tiles at the end of each page (to lead the user on a never-ending loop).
Work began on this project roughly a year ago. And as time has progressed and the project has grown in size and scope, it’s become clear that this is the biggest professional challenge I’ve ever undertaken. Now, as the launch date inches closer, it’s fair to say the endeavour has taken up vast chunks of mental bandwidth. And so this is another reason why I’ve decided to shelve fiction writing for the time being.
Now, the clock is ticking, and I’m working through my lunch break on twelve-hour shifts in a mad rush to try and finish everything in time. All in all, it’s about one hundred pages of web copy, give or take. Each page is roughly 800-1,000 words long and describes the various products, solutions and industries we cater to.
So, at approximately ninety thousand words, the website is about the length of a weighty novel. Just not as interesting. Well, unless you like reading sales copy about software instead of stories, that is.
Version control has been challenging, as has my old nemesis, scope creep. But the real time-suck is joining all the dots and getting the site to work consistently. As anyone who worked on one of these things will know, SEO and web admin can take days of fiddling around.
I was about 60% of the way through in the last post. Now, we’re looking at around 98%, give or take. So, using the laboured metaphor of a birth (sorry), we’re definitely on the final push. And already, it looks fantastic. Especially when compared to the old one. Plus, it’s exciting to think of all the sleep I’ll get when this thing finally lives and breathes online.
Regarding the business-writing project, I’m around 36% of the way through the first phase. It would be great to be further on. Still, with so much going on at work and family and health concerns elsewhere, I’m thankful to have stayed sane.
In other news, the garden is looking clearer. The weeds are gone, and we’ve cut down the mutant fronds of overhanging thorns. Now, we must work out what to do about the rotten decking.
It’s been a tough summer in every sense. But as we approach autumn – my favourite season, by the way – there’s some dappled light on the horizon. Because I honestly can’t wait to get back into writing fiction. Thanks for reading.