Hello, I’m James McCarthy, verbal identity specialist
My first priority as a writer is always to establish what your objective is, and how to use language to achieve it. Emotional resonance is key. I’ve always had an instinctive ability to understand people’s motivations and choose the words to resonate with them. Having worked at director level, I can marry vision with detail and balance creative flair with pragmatism.
I do naming, taglines, voice and messaging guidelines, brand training, video scripts and more
I have a natural instinct for bringing a brand’s voice to life. I've written for a huge variety of brands, across every imaginable kind of media. As a voiceover artist and ex-actor, I’m a natural, charismatic presenter. I draw on this in presentations and brand training. I combine strategic insight with creative inspiration. In practice, I’m fun to work with and quick to understand the assignment.
I’m not scared of AI. I embrace it.
In the words of Josh Paton, VP of design at Wise: “AI will make good designers better and bad designers faster.” I feel similarly about AI and writing. I use it as a timesaving tool to reach a good starting point, or a second opinion to make sure I haven’t missed anything. Then the real work begins.
I’ve won awards for naming
You could have the best name in the world, but if you don’t sell it in the right way, all is lost. That’s where my expertise in empathizing with clients and getting inside their world comes in.
Inspired by Walt Disney’s creative technique, I created a means of selecting names with clients that dramatically reduced instances of going to second or third rounds. It’s all about the process. Ask me and I’ll tell you more.
Words make the world go round
The choices brands make (or fail to make) about their verbal identity have major implications on the relationships they build with their customers. Which, in turn, have major implications for their business as a whole.
I'm endlessly fascinated by how words can shape ideas and move people to action. I’ve seen what works and what doesn't. And endlessly analysed why. I’ve built up substantial and wide-ranging expertise. With me on board, you can tap into all of this.
I’ve done other stuff too
I’ve been a professional actor, voiceover artist, a translator and certified advanced NLP practitioner. I put what I’ve learned from all these things into my writing. I’m always curious to learn, because I believe curiosity is the chief instigator of creativity. A big question is often the best place to start.