Consultant stack
Sarah Macklin
Copywriter & Content Strategist, The Typed Word
At a glance
- 14 tools
- 3 categories
- 14 uses personally
Core stack
Picked only from the consultant's own words: daily use, years of use, "almost exclusively".
"Over the years, I've tested a fair few platforms, apps, and browser extensions to help me write better, stay organised and work smarter (not harder). And the best part is, many of them are completely free, or at least offer free versions with optional add-ons." Her take: "You don't need to spend a fortune to build a copywriting workflow that makes sense for you."
Details for every tool
In the consultant's own words, with a link to the source of each quote.
Copies the scored tools into your private My Stack. Nothing is shared.
Content creation6
Why:"It can flag up sneaky typos you might have missed in the first draft, and it's great at making sure your copy reads smoothly." "I wouldn't suggest you rely on it blindly, but it can be a good help and definitely stops you from making silly mistakes."
Hemingway EditorNot in Curalo yetUses itWhy:"If a piece of content is feeling clunky or dense, I paste it into Hemingway to give it a tidy-up. It helps me cut the waffle and keep things punchy, which is especially useful for landing pages, social captions or anything where every word needs to earn its place."
Why:"I wouldn't expect a professional copywriter to ask ChatGPT to write an article for them and then send it to a client." But for "Creating headline ideas", "Generating a basic content calendar", "Fact or sense checking (sometimes—it's not always accurate)" and "Automating admin tasks", it helps. "AI isn't going anywhere."
Google DocsNot in Curalo yetUses itWhy:"Google Docs is predominantly for writing, and is where I do all my copy." "I generally send all my documents via Google Docs, and then my clients can easily add comments or notes as feedback."
Why:"I use it for everything: social media posts, blog banners, email signatures, logos, graphics, branded documents and so much more." "There are tons of free templates and features, so there's no need to pay for the premium version."
- WCWord Counter PlusNot in Curalo yetUses it
Why:"This Chrome browser extension does what it says: it counts words. But it really has been a lifesaver when checking competitor websites to compare or checking a client's website to see how many words an existing page is."
SEO4
Answer the PublicNot in Curalo yetUses itWhy:"When starting a blog post or product page, I pop in a keyword to see what kind of questions and phrases are popular. It's great for generating blog titles or FAQs."
- UUbersuggestNot in Curalo yetUses it
Why:"It's not my favourite SEO tool, but it is one of the best completely free ones that offers a limited number of searches per day." "I also use it to track basic SEO performance for my own site."
- GKGoogle Keyword PlannerNot in Curalo yetUses it
Why:"As you can tell, I love a Google tool. They really are handy, and Keyword Planner is no exception." "It helps you discover new keyword ideas related to your product, service, or website, making it a useful starting point for content or campaign planning."
Google SheetsNot in Curalo yetUses itWhy:"I use this for my content calendars, to do my keyword research and to track all my freelance income (boo tax returns)."
Organisation4
Why:"I have boards for content calendars, client projects, and even article ideas. It's like having a giant virtual noticeboard that keeps everything in sight. I especially love it for plotting blog content over a month or a quarter."
Why:"As a freelancer, I generally charge in hours—the longer it takes, the more it costs." "I use it to understand how long different types of projects actually take me, which is helpful when pricing or reviewing how I spend my week. It's also useful for setting boundaries and avoiding burnout."
Google DriveNot in Curalo yetUses itWhy:"Google Drive is the place where all these documents are stored, and I have everything organised into folders (usually by client and month) so I can easily source the document I need."
Google CalendarNot in Curalo yetUses itWhy:"I use Google Calendar to block out writing time, organise meetings and set admin tasks. It's basic but powerful, and everything syncs beautifully."
Q&A
- What do you do, and for which clients?
- "I'm a freelance copywriter, content strategist and lifelong word and grammar nerd based just outside Chester." "Yes, I could just write content based on a brief provided by you, but actually, my passion is for the entire strategy. I love delving into the hows and whys, the data, the competitors, to create the best strategy for you." She has most experience in insurance, women's health and heating systems/energy.From her About page ↗
- How did The Typed Word start?
- After "eight years working at a digital marketing agency here in Cheshire", where she founded "a new content department from the ground up": "when on mat leave for the second time, it got me thinking about what I wanted out of my career and where I could go next. I decided to take the freelancing leap." "It felt like the right time and I was after the flexibility that it had to offer."From her About page ↗
- What do you trust AI with in client work, and what never?
- "most copywriters are probably using AI in some way to help them with their strategy or writing. And this isn't a bad thing!" She uses it for things like "Fact or sense checking (sometimes—it's not always accurate)" and "Asking how you can improve the readability of copy", but "I wouldn't expect a professional copywriter to ask ChatGPT to write an article for them and then send it to a client." "AI isn't going anywhere, and suggesting a copywriter must never use it could actually be a hindrance."From her free tools post ↗
- How do you price your work?
- "I generally charge by the hour, and I can calculate an estimated price based on the time it takes me to write." Toggl Track helps: "I use it to understand how long different types of projects actually take me, which is helpful when pricing." Her view: the real question is "How much will a copywriter make you?"From her post on copywriter costs ↗
- What does working with you look like?
- It starts with a chat: "I prefer to have a 30-minute call." Then a proposal that "outlines the scope of work, the timelines, the associated costs and the terms", with "a copy of my contract to sign and return before work commences." "I always require a brief before I can start writing." The draft goes over "as a Google doc", then feedback: "I don't take feedback personally, as it's simply part of the collaborative process."From her post on working with a copywriter ↗
- What would you tell someone going freelance?
- Once you go freelance, "you're the head of finance, sales, marketing, operations, customer service and admin." "If you don't have systems in place, chaos can creep in fast." So "use some project management tools to help you. Trello or Monday.com are ideal", "set up a bank account that's separate to your personal one" and "invoice from day one". And: "Your rates are probably too low."From her post for new freelancers ↗
- What does a “win” look like for you?
- "One of my biggest wins of the year was the freedom to turn down a client." "In saying no, I paved the way for better projects, better clients and better conversations." "I'm still building and still learning, but now I measure success by how I feel."From her post on redefining a win ↗