Catarina Fernandes has been part of Articulate’s Science copywriting team for over a year. Looking back on these challenging past months she reflects on why digital content has the power to change lives and what it means to build and curate an audience.
In this interview, the second installment of our “People Behind Words” series on people creating meaningful digital content, Catarina explains why it so important to share her experience with the world.
What drives you to write for Science brands?
Words have been a passion of mine from a very young age. Being able to transform brands into authentic storytellers, communicating with readers on diverse topics, with the aim of going beyond a simple article, is something truly special.
I also feel that creating useful content for the community in general, which adds value to people's lives, makes me a more accomplished professional.
In every article, my goal is to explain complex topics in a clear and easy way to understand, so readers learn something new or, at least, they can find solutions to issues they want to solve.
It may be about sharing the results of a new research study, as well as tips to convert a home into a more sustainable place. I am proud when I see an article that I wrote shared on social media and when I see people making positive comments about it.
What do you try to convey with your content?
When I produce articles about different topics, that allows me to bring accurate information on a given subject to my audiences, as well as engaging them to become more aware and interested in a topic they did not know much about. Making high-valuable and remarkable content is truly what motivates me the most.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My source of inspiration will depend on the brand I am creating content for. When it comes to scientific content, I try to look out for the language that the brand itself uses to reach its audience. When possible, I like to interview researchers involved in the featured projects, so we can always have exclusive information to share.
I know there’s a possibility that what I write will impact the reader’s daily life, so I enrich the articles with information from my academic background and other articles specialized in those topics.
What major challenges do you face when writing?
You need to reach the reader. It is important that communication is clear, appealing, and cohesive. Engaging readers can become a challenge in certain topics (e.g. History, Science). Also, sensitive topics pose additional challenges, due to the feedback that brands can receive.
I usually build my work around the positive and inspiring. The ultimate goal is to drive action, to change peoples’ behavior. To do that, you need to think about how the reader will feel when they read my work, what emotions the piece will evoke. That’s what it’s all about.