Paragraphs had been chopped off - the past week at work

Monday

One after the other this morning the Account Handlers came into our room boasting about what they had done over the weekend (theatre, dinner at Smollenskys, new boyfriends).

In the morning I did some poster copy, which was quite interesting.

Creative Director Marc Baxter locked himself away all day in the “glass cupboard” (a tiny room next door, just big enough for a small desk) and we could see him frowning.

In the afternoon I wrote headlines for some print ads – about twenty of them (although sometimes it is a mistake to give people too much choice).

Kate (ex-colleague from when I worked downstairs) rang: “I’m bored… we need to meet… I need to decide whether to stay in advertising...” We arranged to meet this Thursday.

Tuesday

Only five hours sleep. I got up right at the last minute. As a consequence I had to rush, nearly missing the train.

Boring retail ads to write today. I worked some irony into the copy, wondering whether it would be noticed. I felt so tired that I longed to close my eyes and get half an hour’s sleep.

Mid-morning I went out to get some coffee (although we have a coffee machine in the office). Mainly I just wanted to walk around a bit to wake myself up. In Café Nero were two young women talking.

First woman: “I’m still pining for Chris – it’s been a year and two days. I’m losing two pounds a week.”

Second woman: “You needed to lose some weight.”

First woman: “What am I going to do?”

Second woman: “Is Paddy an alternative?”

First woman: “He’s been in every brothel in Finland!”

Back in the office Claire (Copywriter, not very experienced) was furious over a remark Valerie had made about her copywriting. I am sure they also talk down my work, although Linda came back from a client meeting this afternoon praising my brochure copy (“That style was perfect”).

Wednesday

I got to see some copy when it came back from the client. Paragraphs had been chopped off. Crude lines had been inserted.

Claire was away and Marc was working in the glass cupboard so I felt a bit lonely.

Occasionally I watched the Olympics on the BBC website.

I overheard Valerie talking about a client lunch she had been to: “I thought that as they didn’t know me they would want to ask me about myself, but they didn’t…” (she had the typical arrogance of our industry, and seemed genuinely perplexed that other people were not interested in her).

Thursday

I seem to be building a reputation for brochure copy (which is a relief after writing webcopy). Two new briefs for brochure copy came in this morning. You would think that websites had superseded company brochures, but they seem as popular as ever (the web isn’t tangible – about a third of the business population will only accept a sales pitch when they can literally hold it in their hands).

Claire was back today, so I didn’t feel so isolated. She has taken so many odd days holiday that rumours (repeated to me by Doug) are beginning to circulate in the main office that she is looking for another job. Even if she isn’t this is dangerous as the directors might decide to get rid of her just in case.

Doug said he had made a major error which has alienated a client. He needs to break this news to Valerie (boss of his account team). I asked if I could be in the room when he does this.

In the early evening I met Kate and we went to Chiquito in Leicester Square. She was very despondent about how her job had ended. I agreed to write her CV.

Friday

I went to work early so that I could leave early (it is a Bank Holiday this weekend).

I was the only person in the writers’ room at eight o’clock and so I had the radio on (via the computer). On the Today programme John Humphrys interviewed the President of Georgia and revealed him to be a bit of a charlatan. By noon I had finished all my work and was filling in time until I could go.

It has become very noticeable that Claire becomes incredibly quiet and hardly says a word whenever Marc is in the room. This was especially apparent today. I wonder whether they have fallen out.