John James Online

Welcome to (text-colour:navy)+(bg:(gradient: 0, 0,#ffffff,0.1484,#e61919,1,#ffffff))[John James Online], a portal for all the things that John James does as a professional copywriter. Would you like to ''contact him directly''? Would you like to enter the ''Portfolio Gallery''? Would you like to go to a ''[[random page->include]]''?

include.io include.io, by Lesbians Who Tech, matches underrepresented techies with companies that value diverse perspectives. They needed ad copy for job seekers who want—and deserve—better jobs in tech. #My work Multi-platform ad copy (they did pretty well!) =|= Column 1 =|= Column 2 |==|

(dialog: "Get ready to enter John James Online! preparing dialogues... digitizing words... downloading pathways... reimaging narratives...", "Initiate Experience") After typing ''JohnJamesDudek.com'' into the URL bar above, you find yourself zipping through the [internet]<aaa|. (click: ?aaa) [*woosh* - you fly past a government website, stale and [uninspiring]<aaa|] (click: ?aaa) [*woosh* - you see the ruins of the old internet, a spinning planet earth .gif welcoming you to a niche webring, forever [**under construction**]<aaa|] (click: ?aaa) [*woosh* - you zoom past a boring templatized landing page begging you to [*Download Our SEO Optimization Guide*]<aaa|] (click: ?aaa) [And [then]<aaa|...] (click: ?aaa) [You [Stop]<aaa|] [(click: ?aaa) [You find yourself here, the online home of (text-style:"buoy", "expand")[John James Dudek, a copywriter!] It reminds you of a simpler time on the internet But it somehow feels modern Do you want to enter **[[THE LOBBY->Lobby]]**?]] take a pamphlet and leave

You look around the **LOBBY**. Stained glass windows filter the warm light of the evening sun through reds, greens, blues. * There is a door leading to an inviting room labeled **[[PORTFOLIO->PORTFOLIO]]** to your north. * There is a small podium near the entrance with a pamphlet titled **[[SERVICES->SERVICES]]** and card labeled **[[ABOUT->ABOUT]]**. The podium has a small receipt printer on the side with a button labeled <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s2Y6xh_s3SssfJwDHn6x8s-ABlkANs_t/view?usp=sharing"; target="_blank">**RESUME**</a> * There is a landline style phone labeled **[[CONTACT->CONTACT]]** * There is a <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FU1E79-exlkJa2r2VwpAX2CU8wY-E6ldoiwumD-5QQY/edit?usp=sharing"; target="_blank">**GUEST BOOK**</a> with well-worn edges and a pen that looks like it'd fit your hand perfectly * [There is a (link: "clearly locked door") [(replace:?txt) [Why are you trying to open a locked door? If you ask John James about it, I'm sure he'll tell you what's there. If you come back in Winter 2022, the door will be unlocked ]]]<txt| //This website was last updated in May 2022 — this gallery has plans for expansion as early as July 2022!//

You (cycling-link:"walk","confidently strut","pathetically crawl","nervously tiptoe", "happily skip") through the doorway and enter into the **PORTFOLIO**, a circular room with a high, domed glass ceiling There are irridescent, shimmering portals along the wall Each portal has a small descriptive plaque next to it with a note from the "artist" (if you can call him that) You feel the urge to jump into a portal and see where it takes you =|= **[[Website Copy->WEBSITECOPY]]** A handful of websites that I wrote copy for =|= **[[Ghostwriting->GHOSTWRITING]]** I have been published in Reuters, Forbes, FastCo, and more =|= **[[Brand Messaging->BRANDMESSAGING]]** Sometimes a company needs to develop its messaging and I help |==| =|= **[[Reviews->REVIEWS]]** I enjoy talking and writing about small press comics =|= **[[Press Releases->PRESSRELEASES]]** Writing a press release can actually be fun, believe it or not =|= **[[Weird->WEIRD]]** A portal to what looks like a different place entirely |==| * Head back to the **[[LOBBY->Lobby]]** * Find the phone labeled **[[CONTACT->CONTACT]]**

I [love]<dogs| cats (click: ?dogs) [But not as much as dogs] [Woosh you move past a (link: "translate") [(replace:?txt) [woosh you're in a new place now]]]<txt|

(dialog: "You peek into the services room but a pop-up says: THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION", "You understand because building a website takes a lot of time") (text-style:"bold","italic","expand","sway")[THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION] A booming voice that seems to emanate from everywhere at once says in a convincing tone, "Why don't you head back to the [[LOBBY->Lobby]]?" [You ignore the voice and (link: "look around the room") [(replace:?txt) [The room is a disorganized mess A dog-eared copy of Copywriting For Dummies [[Crumpled up papers->PAPERS]] strewn about A desk with M.U.S.C.L.E. figures in disarray An empty, coffee-ringed Moomin mug A computer monitor flickering on and off On the monitor there is an opens notes page titled: **PORTFOLIO WEBSITE—SERVICES PAGE COPY** And a bulleted list with notes: * brand messaging development workshops * ghostwriting services * thought leadership strategy * narrative & interactive development * website copy * ... what else? Narrow things down! ^^FINISH LATER ]] anyway]<txt|

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You pick up the receiver CLICK A (cycling-link:"soft receptionist's voice","cosmic hum from another world","deep, rumbling cowboy type feller","monotone phone tree robot", "celebrity in goblin mode") starts talking: (set: $typewriterText to "Thank you for visiting the gallery, it's a part of the internet that is friendly and nice. If you're interested in contacting John James, please reach out directly JohnJamesDudek@gmail.com Simply copy and paste into your preferred email client ")  {  (set: $typewriterPos to 1) |typewriterOutput>[]  (live: 20ms)[  (append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]  (set: $typewriterPos to it + 1)  (if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[ (stop:) ] ] } You can reach out about the following things: * Freelance writing opportunities * Copywriter job opportunities * Indie comics & zine recommendations * Head back to the **[[LOBBY->Lobby]]** * Go directly to the **[[PORTFOLIO->PORTFOLIO]]**

{  (set: $typewriterPos to 1)  |typewriterOutput>[]  (live: 20ms)[  (append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]  (set: $typewriterPos to it + 1)  (if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[ (stop:) ] ] }

(dialog: "Get ready to enter John James Online! preparing dialogues... digitizing words... downloading pathways... reimaging narratives...", "Initiate Experience") After typing ''JohnJamesDudek.com'' into the URL bar above, you find yourself zipping through the internet. [*woosh* - you see the ruins of the old internet, a spinning planet earth .gif welcoming you to a niche webring, forever (link: "under construction") [(replace:?txt) [*woosh* - you fly past a government website, stale and [(link:"uninspiring") [(replace:?txt) [*woosh* - you zoom past a boring templatized landing page begging you to [Download Our [SEO Guide]<aaa|]]]]]]]<txt| (click: ?aaa) [And [then]<aab|...] (click: ?aab) [You [Stop]<aac|] (text-colour:yellow) [(click: ?aac) [You find yourself at the online home of (text-style:"buoy", "expand")[John James Dudek, a copywriter!]]] You're reminded of a simpler internet But this place feels modern Do you want to enter **[[THE LOBBY->Lobby]]**? No time to explore the gallery, so you just <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s2Y6xh_s3SssfJwDHn6x8s-ABlkANs_t/view?usp=sharing"; target="_blank">**take a pamphlet and leave**</a>

Text </style> <img src=https://photos.app.goo.gl/w4a2DJUMrLXdLFxs9> </div> Text

You're looking at a **[[PORTFOLIO->]]** exibit. There's a door back to the **[[LOBBY->]]**. ''About Secret Room Press'' Secret Room is a small press and risograph printing studio in Portland, Oregon. It’s a community built around printed goods, merrymaking, and exploring art—they publish their own comics and art books as well as commercial print projects like fliers, wedding invitations, books, posters, art prints, and more! (link: "Secret Room Press")[(goto-url: 'www.SecretRoomPress.com')] =|= ''What I did'' * Voice & Tone guidelines * Website copy * Secret Rag contributions * Newsletters * Social Media =|= ''Project goals'' Secret Room needs to feel friendly, approachable, and professional without ever sounding too cool. The voice & tone embrace the friendliness and uplifting nature of its members and community, the information is presented with narrative, and there is total transparency in process. |==| ''Why did I do it?'' I like this kind of work.

The **WEBSITE COPY** portal is full of micro-portals to other e-spaces You reach up and touch a finger to the side of your *internet augmentation experience visor*, and images appear in front of you You can "click" on the website titles and see some copy in action in your *secondary viewfinder* (aka in a new window) =|= <a href="https://www.rebelliouspr.com"; target="_blank">**Rebellious PR**</a> An incredible agency doing great work =|= <a href="http://www.SecretRoomPress.com"; target="_blank">**Secret Room Press**</a> A RISO print studio & publishing house |==| =|= <a href="https://storybolt.com/"; target="_blank">**Storybolt**</a> Systemic change through DEI & documentary =|= <a href="https://www.include.io/"; target="_blank">**include.io**</a> Job board and community for diverse techies |==| =|= <a href="https://www.pacificatreatment.ca/"; target="_blank"> **Pacifica Treatment Centre**</a> Rehabilitation and wellness in Vancouver, Canada =|= <a href="https://www.icon3dpdx.com/"; target="_blank"> **Icon 3D PDX**</a> Technical signage fabrication in Portland, Oregon |==| =|= **The Capital Network** (opening soon—Spring 2022) =|= **John James Online** (oh, you're here now!) |==| * Go back through the portal to the **[[PORTFOLIO->PORTFOLIO]]** * Head back to the **[[LOBBY->Lobby]]** * Find the phone labeled **[[CONTACT->CONTACT]]**

(text-style:"buoy")[**Ghostwriting** ]//Thoughts & Methods by John James// My work as a ghostwriter has been published in **Reuters**, **Fast Company**, **Built In**, **Forbes**, **Go World Travel Magazine**, **The Portland Business Journal**, and more. I'd show you, but I'd have to [(link: "REDACTED") [(replace:?aaa) [have you sign an NDA]|]]<aaa|. I am a ghostwriter, which means I create longform pieces of copy that capture the voice, tone, and opinions of other people. I think of it as a form of //*acting*// in which the written word is the medium for conveying a message while the writer (that's me!) inhabits someone else's persona. It's a process of understanding another writer's quirks, word choices, sentence rhythm. What are their values and goals? How do they envision reaching those goals? If they loved to write, how would they do it? Then, I can translate all these ideas and more into well-researched, informative, emotionally-moving pieces of writing. It's a process of trying to feel the way they feel, to convey their energy when they're at their absolute best. Sometimes it takes 100 words, sometimes 2,400. It depends on what they're trying to say and who they're trying to say it to. I love to do this work. Please feel free to reach out if you want to talk about ghostwriting, thought leadership development, or article placement. (text-style:"blink")[I’m available at: JohnJamesDudek@gmail.com] * Go back through the portal to the **[[PORTFOLIO->PORTFOLIO]]** * Head back to the **[[LOBBY->Lobby]]** * Find the phone labeled **[[CONTACT->CONTACT]]**

**Reviews** //Words about words and pictures// As you cross through the threshhold of the portal, something feels... different Your e-body feels flattened into 2 dimensions You speak out loud, "hello!" and the words appear overhead, floating in a bubble against a white background There is a podium with a zine on it titled "Comics Reviews" [You (link: "pick up the zine") [(replace:?txt) [**Comics Reviews Statement Zine** When I'm not writing copy to help companies develop brand messaging or executive team members develop their voice and written style, I work in independent comics. I'm a graduate of the (text-colour:yellow)[Independent Publishing Resource Center]'s Graphic Novel and Publishing Certificate Program and run a small print studio with my spouse called (text-colour:yellow)[Secret Room Press]. We print exclusively on risograph machines (RP3700) and work mostly with comics artists, illustrators, and graphic designers. In fact, I'm a comics artist myself! I review comics for Broken Pencil Magazine and other independent review outlets. Here are a few highlights: * <a href="http://www.yourchickenenemy.com/2018/10/a-garden-more-cyclical-than-linear-john.html"; target="_blank">(text-colour:orange) [A Garden More Circular than Linear] (Your Chicken Enemy)</a> * <a href="https://brokenpencil.com/reviews/revel-in-the-easily-over-looked-beauty-of-mundane-daily-life-in-king-cat-classix/"; target="_blank">(text-colour:yellow) [Revel in the easily-overlooked beauty of mundane daily life in 'King-Cat Classix'] (Broken Pencil Magazine)</a> * <a href="https://brokenpencil.com/news/sleepwalking-captures-honest-small-town-struggles/"; target="_blank">(text-colour:red) ['Sleepwalking' captures honest small town struggles] (Broken Pencil Magazine)</a> ]]]<txt| * Go back through the portal to the **[[PORTFOLIO->PORTFOLIO]]** * Head back to the **[[LOBBY->Lobby]]** * Find the phone labeled **[[CONTACT->CONTACT]]**

You woosh through the portal and find something you didn't expect. You're in a clearing in a dense forest. It doesn't feel like you're online anymore, it feels like you're outside. Like, truly outside. "//Is this an advanced simulation module?//," you wonder. A light breeze rustles your hair and the ancient trees around you creak, reaching up toward a cloudy sky. There's dew on the ferns at your feet. This forest breathes with you, you feel it's alive. What do you do? * [(link: "Wander forth, accepting adventure") [(replace:?aaa) [Well, you're here now, you might as well make the most of it. You wander around for a bit, taking in the sights and smells of a beautiful Pacific Northwestern Forest. It is damp, fallen leaves squish underfoot. Little mushrooms grow in patches around fallen logs. A brown creeper darts up a pine tree before fluttering away. You come across a human-sized hole in the ground and [[JUMP IN->PORTFOLIO]]. ]]]<aaa| * [(link: "Lay down and take a break from being online") [(replace:?bbb) [Despite the chill weather and cold, damp earth below, you lay down on your back and look up through the canopy. The treetops sway gently, birds flutter by, the clouds are grey, but not menacing. You lay. You rest. You feel a connection to mother Earth you have not felt in ages. Slowly, the moss begins to creep toward you, roots reach out of the loamy soil and create a blanket of tendrils that slowly envelops you. It is oddly inviting, comforting. You feel [[AT HOME->PORTFOLIO]]. ]]]<bbb| * [[Think about going back to the PORTFOLIO->PORTFOLIO]]

You pick up a random paper and uncrumple it It reads: **Movie puns for the website** (text-style:"strike")[ Pulp (Non)Fiction Writing in Cars With Boys Total Rewrite Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Draft It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Word Wayne's Word 12 Angry Pen Ace Venture: Pen Detective Draft me to Hell] You sigh, toss it back on the ground, and [[go back to the LOBBY->Lobby]].

**Brand Messaging** //Thoughts & Methods by John James// At some point, decision makers at a company will ask themselves, “how do I describe my company succinctly in a way that differentiates it from our competition?” or “why is our voice inconsistent across our social platforms?” or “have our core values changed since we opened 5 years ago?” and other similar questions. Inevitably, this will lead that person to ask: (text-style:"buoy")[(text-colour:orange)[“Do we need a Brand Messaging platform?”]] That’s where I come in! I have worked with over a dozen companies, startups, and nonprofits to help them understand the most effective ways to talk about who they are and why they are the way they are. //Think of it as developing a unique character for a brand, one that can be harnessed whenever a copywriter has to write on behalf of the company.// Without strong messaging guidelines, it’s difficult to "speak" in the voice of a brand consistently, especially when multiple people have a hand in representing the company through different platforms. A brand messaging platform can encompass a lot of specific details about a company: * [(link: "Elevator Pitch") [(replace:?aaa) [(text-colour:blue) [Elevator Pitch] — this allows you to describe your //how// and //why// most efficiently]|]]<aaa| * [(link: "Brand Vision") [(replace:?bbb) [(text-colour:blue) [Brand Vision] — what will the world look like when you succeed in your goals?]|]]<bbb| * [(link: "Taglines & CTAs") [(replace:?ccc) [(text-colour:blue) [Taglines & CTAs] — short pieces of copy that capture the brand voice succinctly]|]]<ccc| * [(link: "Brand Voice/Tone") [(replace:?ddd) [(text-colour:blue) [Brand Voice/Tone] — what does your brand sound and act like?]|]]<ddd| * [(link: "Values") [(replace:?eee) [(text-colour:blue) [Values] — what does your brand stand for? What's your ethos? Your manifesto?]|]]<eee| * [(link: "Brand Positioning") [(replace:?fff) [(text-colour:blue) [Brand Positioning] — what are the key differentiators that make your brand unique?]|]]<fff| * [(link: "Sentence Structure Checklists") [(replace:?ggg) [(text-colour:blue) [Sentence Structure Checklists] — do you use an Oxford comma? Are your sentences long and complex? Checklists keep you consistent!]|]]<ggg| * [(link: "Target Audience") [(replace:?hhh) [(text-colour:blue) [Target Audience] — who are you trying to reach and how do they communicate?]|]]<hhh| * [(link: "Important words/phrases to use") [(replace:?iii) [(text-colour:blue) [Important words/phrases to use] — what differentiates your communication style from competitors/collaborators?]|]]<iii| * [(link: "Important words/phrases to avoid") [(replace:?jjj) [(text-colour:blue) [Important words/phrases to avoid] — the same as above, but also the exact opposite!]|]]<jjj| And it can encompass a whole lot more than that! I run brand messaging workshops to get to the bottom of this important information by working 1:1 with founders/CEOs. With additional research, sometimes surveys, and a whole lot of practice (and time), I develop these documents. In the past year I have developed a messaging system that works for me—and more importantly, has worked for my clients and their respective target audiences—with my copywriting partner Ashley Dingel, who is doing great work to push forward in developing messaging documents that make real impact. The only thing that stinks is that I can’t share them here in my portfolio! At least not publicly. Ask me about it ;) Please feel free to reach out if you want to talk about brand messaging development, either for your own company (I’d love to run a workshop for your company!) or to talk about these concepts (copywriter 1:1). (text-style:"blink")[I’m available at: JohnJamesDudek@gmail.com] <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cVvAMvGxOaciGV02XUka_ENiP6OrIaBg/view?usp=sharing"; target="_blank">(text-colour:red) [Here's an example of what Brand Massaging can look like] </a> <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wwc2eTV2s81UWaNBfniEBPYf1W35k6ns/view?usp=sharing"; target="_blank">(text-colour:yellow) [Here's another example of what Brand Messaging can look like] </a> * Go back through the portal to the **[[PORTFOLIO->PORTFOLIO]]** * Head back to the **[[LOBBY->Lobby]]** * Find the phone labeled **[[CONTACT->CONTACT]]**

**Press Releases** //A selection of live examples// You proceed through the PRESS RELEASES portal and find yourself in a marble-tiled room with an ancient-looking tablet You approach the tablet There are pictographic examples of press releases John James has written, etched into a stone You can "click" on the press releases to see them in their natural environment (aka in a new window) <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/439-year-old-company-piana-technology-brings-legacy-into-the-future-as-ces-2022-innovation-awards-honoree-301452578.html"; target="_blank">(text-colour:orange) [439 Year Old Company Piana Technology Brings Legacy Into the Future as CES 2022 Innovation Awards Honoree] </a> <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arson-destroyed-their-building-but-portland-garment-factory-is-reopening-with-more-ambition-than-ever-301404707.html"; target="_blank">(text-colour:yellow) [Arson Destroyed their Building, but Portland Garment Factory is Reopening with More Ambition Than Ever] </a> <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tiny-fish-co-embraces-the-pacific-northwests-bounty-while-reconsidering-the-modern-pantry-301463143.html"; target="_blank">(text-colour:red) [Tiny Fish Co. embraces the Pacific Northwest's bounty while reconsidering the modern pantry] </a> <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/king-of-the-world-podcast-tells-the-story-of-american-muslims-since-911-301366917.html"; target="_blank">(text-colour:orange) [King of the World Podcast Tells the Story of American Muslims since 9/11] </a> <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/surreal-launches-the-virtual-event-platform-for-live-experiences-across-any-industry-301246115.html"; target="_blank">(text-colour:yellow) [SURREAL launches the virtual event platform for live experiences across any industry] </a> <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/faculty-brightens-pumas-5th-avenue-with-dazzling-limited-time-holiday-light-installation-the-spark-301433996.html"; target="_blank">(text-colour:red) [Faculty Brightens PUMA's 5th Avenue With Dazzling Limited-time Holiday Light Installation "The Spark"] </a> <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adolescent-content-reports-only-8-of-gen-z-feel-brands-understand-their-generation-301492778.html"; target="_blank">(text-colour:orange) [Adolescent Content Reports Only 8% of Gen Z Feel Brands "Understand Their Generation"] </a> * Go back through the portal to the **[[PORTFOLIO->PORTFOLIO]]** * Head back to the **[[LOBBY->Lobby]]** * Find the phone labeled **[[CONTACT->CONTACT]]**

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I’m a copywriter turning boring words into fun words. I specialize in: ◆ Brand messaging development ◆ Ghostwriting op-eds & company statements ◆ Longform content & newsletters ◆ Web Copy I’ve been writing professionally since leaving my university’s literature program to open a fine dining restaurant in 2013. Funny how things work out, huh? My writing has been published in Reuters, FastCompany, Forbes, BuiltIn, Communication Arts, and more. Whether sharing knowledge about heirloom vegetables, exploring the future of work, or dealing into a city's rich history—stories brings people together and I like writing 'em. When I’m not writing I run Secret Room Press, a risograph print shop & small publishing company. I write and illustrate comics, teach zine workshops, and can be found at your local karaoke bar singing Cher and Barenaked Ladies any given day of the week. I like working with people who are fun and nice. You can reach me at JohnJamesDudek@gmail.com any time Return to **[[LOBBY->Lobby]]** Here’s a list of (some other) things that I like, in no particular order. * Comics and cartoons * Risograph printing & book making * D&D (5th edition) * Karaoke (Cher & Barenaked Ladies) * “choose your own adventure” books * Thumbnails and storyboard art * Campfire hotdog dinners * Watching scifi movies on VHS * Reading a book in a hammock

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