I have always adored English Literature and English Language, and my love of writing underpins much of my broader work, in particular my translation. In my role as Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) on the JET Programme at Hagi City Hall (2015-17) and Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau (2017-20), I frequently wrote marketing copy and informational English for guidebooks and pamphlets. I also edited print and web publications. During my time as JET Programme Coordinator at the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), I was Editor of the JET Alumni Newsletter, JET Streams for three years (2020-23), and worked to create clear English copy for CLAIR’s physical and online publications. I have also written freelance for a variety of outlets, mainly serving foreign visitors to Japan, or Japan’s foreign residents. Topics which I have written on include international relations, MICE/business events, tourism promotion and Japanese culture. I am comfortable writing in both British and American English.
I would like to expand my writing portfolio and would welcome any interest in my writing. To commission me for English language writing, please email ottiliascribbles@gmail.com to discuss. For my personal writing, please see my blog.
Editor of JET Streams
I acted as Editor of the following editions of the JET Alumni Newsletter JET Streams, a publication created by the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) for Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Alumni. The newsletter is run approximately three times a year, for a circulation of 13,000 people. This publication was created in both English and Japanese as a bilingual production. Editions of particular pride include interviewing the former Japanese Ambassador to Ireland, Mitsuru Kitano about public diplomacy, as well as my own article written as a JET alumnus, My Tanabata Wish, which was featured in JET Streams in 2021.
Editions of JET Streams which I edited can be found below:
Winter 2021; Spring 2021; Summer 2021; Summer 2022; Winter 2022; Spring 2023; Summer 2023
Copywriter for 50 Watts Books
I have created marketing copy, blurbs and artist bios for Japanese works published in English by Philadelphia-based publisher, 50 Watts Books. Items I have worked on include marketing copy for works by Tiger Tateishi, Tigher Tateishi’s Author Bio, as well as the marketing copy and author bios for King of Circles, which I also helped to translate. I am hugely excited for the continuing partnership with this fantastic publisher of the surreal and the strange.
E-news writer and Copywriter for Tokyo Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (TCVB)
From 2017 – 2020, I worked as a member of the Convention Team at Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau(TCVB), the business events bureau for Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Much of my work at TCVB involved creating marketing copy about Tokyo as a business events destination, as well as e-news copy informing Tokyo’s English-speaking stakeholders of business events developments in Tokyo. I also edited the website and wrote English-language copy for paper publications, Tokyo’s Unique Venues pamphlet, as well as Tokyo Meeting Planner’s Guide and Tokyo Sustainability Guidelines.
Copywriter for Japan National Tourism Association via FunkyCorp Ltd.
My experience living and working as Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture between 2015 – 17 came in handy for this assignment. I was given the task of creating promotional copy for the Japan Tourism Association (JNTO) pages concerning Yamaguchi Prefecture. JNTO is the first point of call for visitors to Japan and as such, I was thrilled to be able to write about an area which meant so much to me. This work was commissioned via FunkyCorp Ltd. and was unaccredited.
Copywriter for Hagi Tourism Association
My work as Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) in Hagi City (2015-17) gave me ample opportunity to write copy for Hagi City’s online and physical publications. Much of this writing was informational, offering a window into the history, culture and World Heritage sites in Hagi City. I was also thrilled to collaborate with Hagi Museum to produce the first ever English language guidebook concerning the UNESCO World Heritage serial nomination the Sites of Meiji Japan’s Industrial Heritage, of which there are five sites in Hagi. Much of my work in Hagi occupied the middle-ground between translation and copywriting – while Japanese source texts formed the foundation, excellent English writing skills were needed to make the English text enthralling and informative.