Rachael Hale is an award-winning property, construction, garden and home interiors copywriter and a qualified interior designer. Sussex Exclusive Commissioning Editor, Dee Blick, caught up with her in advance of International Women’s Day to find out more about writing, interiors and what makes Rachael award-winning.
When did you discover you had a talent for writing?
Completely by accident! I started making up bedtime stories for my 2-year-old back in 2006 when my youngest was born. Everything was fine until he asked me to repeat them, and my sleep-deprived brain didn’t have a clue. So, I wrote them down and discovered a passion for writing. From then on, I learnt as much as I could, and in 2011, I was blogging about Kent’s historical places when Sarah Sturt, then editor of Kent Life magazine, asked me to blog for her. I was terrified! Shortly after that, I started writing articles as well, and everything took off from there.
What came first, writing or training as an interior designer?
The writing came first. But thanks to my parents buying a 17th century cottage with a demolition order on it before I was born, my entire childhood was a hands-on education in renovation. Even when there were craters in the floor, and we could see the sky through the roof, my mum always had wildflowers on the table. She shared her innate desire to create a ‘home’ with me, and in 2018, I became a City & Guilds qualified interior designer. I’d decided that if I was going to dedicate my career to writing about homes and interiors, then I wanted to understand the subject and the roles of all the people involved within the sector better.
What are the sectors you cover?
I only write about property, construction, garden, and home interior-related topics. To give you an example, I’ve written about double-glazed windows for the Telegraph, bespoke sofas for Habitat, choosing furniture for Argos, and buyers’ guides and product descriptions for Tapi Carpets. I also write website copy, advertorials, blog posts, case studies and articles for kitchen designers, builders, architects, letting agents, garden designers, interior photographers, etc. My work is so varied, I love it.
Describe your style of writing?
That’s so hard to answer as I’m usually writing in someone else’s voice, but I’d like to think it’s engaging, informative and does exactly what it’s supposed to do – make the reader want to know more.
How do you capture a client’s voice and paint a compelling picture of their brand so it is both accurate, enticing and inspiring?
By immersing myself in their world. I read as much of their existing writing as I can: social media posts, newsletters, brochures, even emails they’ve sent to me. I’m looking for the words they frequently use, the rhythm of their sentences, their level of formality, all the subtle cues that make their brand voice unmistakably theirs.
I also ask a lot of questions about who they want to connect with, what they want to achieve, and how they want their audience to feel. Knowing my client is happy at the end of the process makes all the effort worthwhile.
Do you have a process when writing about a client’s business?
Everything always starts with an informal chat, so I can start to understand what support someone wants and needs. And I’ve got a ‘book a call’ button on my contact page to make it as easy as possible to talk to me.
When are you at your happiest?
My favourite part of my job is getting to know people, hearing them talk about their work and finding ways to help them use the projects they’ve already done to get their next client. My least favourite is the dreaded first draft. It’s always a battle of will versus words, and it usually takes a timer and a large hot chocolate to get stuck in. As soon as I’m hooked, though, everything else just disappears.
Do you have an ideal client?
It’s the people I work with rather than the type of business they run that’s important to me. My dream clients, though, are those who are excited about what they do, are open to collaboration and keen to grow.
Which writers, past and present inspire you?
I’ve always loved the work of non-fiction author Bob Ogley. He was an amazing storyteller and had a real knack for making even the driest topic interesting. As it’s International Women’s Day, I’d like to mention editor and photographer, Eileen Leahy and author and garden writer, Alexandra Campbell. They’re both fantastic writers, and it’s really thanks to their support that I do what I love now.
How will you be working with Sussex Exclusive?
I’m excited to say I’ll be helping the magazine highlight property, garden and home interior businesses across Sussex. My role is to uncover the stories behind these businesses, their expertise and specialities, and write features and advertorials that will help them gain attention and attract new clients.
If you’ve enjoyed this post as part of our International Women’s day series, you may also like:
Interesting Sussex Women: Michelle Betts a Woman of Sizzle & Substance
