ABOUT

So who is Tanja (she/her)?

(And where did Crystal Clarity Copywriting come from?)

Well hello there! Since you’re on my About page, I’m guessing you want to find out who, exactly, is behind Crystal Clarity Copywriting.

Hopefully, this page will tell you everything – but if you’d like to know anything else, feel free to contact me.

Two images. On the left, Tanja sitting inside reading a book. On the right, the edge of a desk with a lamp, glass of matcha and mouse mat visible.

Line drawing of a fancy teacup on a saucer, with two tea leaves at the base of the cup

It all started because of the tombstone game…

Crystal Clarity Copywriting was born because someone once asked me a powerful question as part of a game. It was a simple hypothetical, but thinking about my answer rocked the foundations of my world.

The question was, “What would you want people to write on your tombstone once you’ve left this world?”

After thinking about it, I realised my answers came down to two options.

#1 was cute and light-hearted, and made me smile. It read, “Dear Universe, thanks for inviting me. I had a wonderful time!“
#2 was shorter, pithier, and hit me like a gut punch – knocking the breath right out of me. It was just four short words: “She Made a Difference.“

And while I loved the idea of my tombstone making other people smile as they walked past it, that wasn’t enough for me.

I wanted to make a difference. And I wanted to do it through language.

Here’s the thing: I love language with a passion that borders on unholy

The truth is that that I’ve always, ALWAYS loved language.

I love working with words and weaving them into a tapestry. I love taking something someone else has written and making it say exactly what it’s meant to say: clearly, concisely and creatively.

(I may also have something of an addiction to alliteration.)

So you’d have thought that the full-time copywriting job I finished up back in 2012 would have been perfect for me, right?

But here’s what I discovered after 3 ½ years in that role: when you want to make a difference in the world, it’s not enough to say things right. You also need to say the right things.

And much as I loved my job, it wasn’t letting me do that.

But… what if I could support OTHER difference-makers with my skills?

Once upon a time I dreamed of writing fiction for a living. The trouble is, it turns out I’m crap at writing plots. (That’s – *ahem* – why I originally went into marketing. I figured it would let me write fiction, without having to come up with pesky storylines.)

But… what if I used my writing and editing skills to help businesses that were already making a difference?

People who own these kinds of businesses tend to be passionate, committed, and damn good at what they do. But sometimes, “what they do” isn’t writing.

So every now and then, they can really use a helping hand.

It took a little while for me to find my own difference.

I’ll be honest: the idea of striking off on my own TERRIFIED me.

There are SO MANY writers and editors out there: what could I offer that was different?

As I spent more time around the heart-based businessfolks who were my initial clients, though, I realised that traditional marketing and business language could really put them off. It’s so often based around pyschological tricks and techniques. It’s all about convincing people they desperately want something, rather than connecting them with an offering they genuinely need.

And it often leaves difference-makers itching to take a hot shower with a wire brush.

So I vowed to myself that I’d do it differently.

A desk scene with a laptop at the centre. Hands are typing on the laptop. In the foreground, a pen and phone are slightly out of focus. In the background are a pile of books and some greenery in a planter, also out of focus

Since those early days of my business, I’ve changed the clients I work with – from solopreneurs, healers and coaches, to content agencies, government and peak bodies, researchers and non-profits.

But the drive to support those who are making a difference in the world by helping them get their message out in plain, inclusive, accessible language hasn’t changed.

It’s still the fundamental purpose that underlies Crystal Clarity Copywriting.

5 Things you might not know about me

If you’d like to know a bit about who I am outside of my business, here are a few tidbits that will give you a sense of me:

Green line drawing of a cluster of 3 unequal sized crystals

I’m not nearly as much of a rebel as the purple hair implies: I’m actually pretty quiet, and intensely introverted. In fact, I’d originally assumed that my “empurpleation” would be a one-time thing. (I did it to acknowledge the end of my mourning period for my father.) But… ummm… apparently, some part of my inner identity grew to involve purple hair; and 13 years later, I’ve only recently grown the colour out and opted to grey naturally.

Green line drawing of a cluster of 3 vertical crystals

I live in the future in Middle Earth: OK, so I actually live in Aotearoa New Zealand… but that’s almost a day into the future from folks in the UK, and it’s at least partly Middle Earth to me. Luckily, the internet means I can work with clients all over the world. While most of my clients these days are Australian, I also work with businesses from the UK to the US, and from Switzerland to South Africa.

Green line drawing of a cluster of 3 blocky crystals

I’m a sex-positive, intersectional feminist who tries to be an ally to folks with less privilege than I have. I try to use the privilege I have to act as an ally to marginalised communities – in particular, other members of the Rainbow (LGBTQIA+) community. Oh, and I’m openly bi and poly myself. OK, so maybe I *AM* more of a rebel than I let on…

Green line drawing of a cluster of 5 unequal sized crystals

My love of language is rivalled only by my obsession with tea. Camellia sinensis (the botanical name for tea) is absolutely the fuel on which my brain and business run. While my first love is flavoured black teas, I also enjoy the odd green, matcha and hojicha. I never log into a Zoom call without a cuppa on the desk in front of me, and – fun fact – during the Pandemic, I even created an Instagram account devoted to reviewing different tea blends. So if you were wondering why there’s all this tea imagery on my website… now you know.

I put my money (and my walking shoes) where my mouth is: I don’t just talk about making a difference with my business. I’m also a proud supporter of Kiva, Women’s Refuge and Oxfam, and I’ve taken part in THREE Oxfam Trailwalker 100km walks now. (Granted, I’ve only actually finished one of those, but I’ve still walked ~225km – not including training – and helped to raise over $6,000 for them. And my close friends have threatened to SIT on me if I sign up for another one.)

Collage of two images. The left and right images show a coffee table in pale wood with a tan leather sofa behind it. On the table is a takeout coffee cup and a spiral bound notebook and pen. That image is bisected by a second image showing a laptop screen with an open document in the foreground, and bookshelves and greenery out of focus in the background.

And that’s Crystal Clarity Copywriting in a nutshell

As I said above, if there’s anything else you’d like to know about me or about Crystal Clarity, head on over to my contact page.

Otherwise, if you’re an author or difference-maker who’d like to connect better with your perfect people and help them understand how to change their lives, I have one question for you.

How can I help you most?