By Philippa Baines

 

This is why you’re here.

 

I’ve written an open letter to myself to make sure I keep going on this course. I’m prone to questions like:

‘What’s the point?’

‘Does this mean anything?’

‘Is this work going to bolster numbers at my funeral?’

So here’s a manifesto to myself, in case of emergency.

 

You want to write.

 

Often and well.

 

By that I mean, you want to say things in simple English.

 

Write stuff anyone can get, as that’s what you’ve wanted since you were a kid.

 

You CAN do this.

 

You’re here to sharpen it up.

 

Get real good.

 

Remember Kurt Vonnegut. He did this for General Electric.

 

He made an art form of writing easy read copy and he said things that were important.

 

You can do the same.

 

You might not become famous but don’t worry about that.

 

Focus on the process.

 

You think the best gave a shit? Well, they probably did a bit, but there was something else.

 

They had to get ‘it’ out of themselves. You do too.

 

You have to create, as you’re that kind of a machine.

 

Pat yourself on the back for realizing this.

 

Now get better.

 

Learn to make a habit of writing.

 

Start the day with a story, like you said you would.

 

Do extra bits at school.

 

This is what you want to do with your life.

 

You’ve realized this from the other career twist and turns.

 

Remember Bukowski, Orwell, Calvero, John Cooper-Clarke, Huxley and that copywriter for EE: Simlington.

 

You liked them as they spoke to you well.

 

Keep practising and you can do this for others.

 

Remember Louis CK, Aziz Ansari, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Lewis Schaffer, The Trip and the Rev. Series.

 

Think about Roger Horberry’s ‘Brilliant Copywriting’ book. It was good. It was you.

 

Mate, you’re reading this blog as you might be losing confidence in the whole thing.

 

Remember why you’re there.

 

Have a cup of tea.

 

Go back to the big inspiration and have a go again.

 

Let go of the pressure. In the words of Kurt:

 

‘If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you’re a one-eyed man in the kingdom of the blind.’