Hey, you. I want to take three minutes of your time to introduce dslx. I want to explain how it came about, the idea and mission behind the agency, and why on earth there are all these crazy monsters roaming the website.
Shall we?
What is dslx?
dslx is a mission-driven creative content writing agency. We’re a collection of over 40 specialized writers from all over the world. Together, we cover everything from long-form articles to email subject lines—for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
How did dslx come about?
In May 2020, the company I worked for took a hit due to the crisis and was forced to cut everyone’s salaries to 70%. I decided to pick up some freelance writing on the side to make ends meet.
In July of that year, I was earning more as a freelancer than my “full-time” job, I had six clients, and every one of them wished me a happy birthday. They made me realize that what I had created was more than making ends meet. On July 15th, my 29th birthday, I handed in my resignation and took on freelancing full-time.
The step into freelancing felt natural. Although going full-time as a writer, I had massive imposter syndrome. Growing up dyslexic, I never considered my work good enough and was consistently told I’d stand more chance pursuing something else.
Fast-forward a year from handing in my resignation, and I was at maximum capacity. I was loving every minute of what I was doing, but wasn’t able to handle all the work anymore.
So, the thought of a creative writing agency started knocking about in my head like the contents of a laundry machine on a rapid wash—dslx was born, smelling like a great idea and fresh linen.
What does dslx mean?
dslx is short for dyslexic. I’m dyslexic, and I struggled so much throughout my school years. I had a love and fascination for stories and literature, yet failed to put what I had in my head on paper. Teachers told me I was lazy, and of course, I knew nothing else other than frustration.
It was only when I got to University—Falmouth University, Cornwall—that I was able to test for Dyslexia. When I was diagnosed as dyslexic I received a wealth of support and resources to help me with my studies. If I’d identified Dyslexia earlier, in primary and secondary school, I would have received verbal help in exams and extra time for coursework and written papers. Yet, I didn’t.
I don’t want another child in the same boat as me to go through the same rocky oceans. dslx’s mission is to empower dyslexic and minority group writers to write. I’ll do this by building awareness and attempting to get dyslexic testing into schools earlier on.
I’ll also be paying people based on their talent and experience, not on their geographical location. Cheers to empowering people.
What’s with the monsters?
The monsters represent my fears of failure growing up. They make up the missing letters of dyslexic: Y, E, I, C. Whenever I had to read out loud in class or walk up and spell something on the board, I would have these monsters leering over me, waiting for me to fail.
However, with support and awareness, these monsters that made me different became my friends. These monsters are the reason I see things differently and approach problems with a unique perspective. They’ve become something I’ve embraced and am proud of.
I am now leading with these monsters in the hope I can inspire others like me and let them know we’ve got places to go, people to see, people to be.
So, I let the monsters roam free at dslx. I let them do what they feel because these monsters inspire my creativity every day—they deserve to be free-range.
What creative writing services do you offer?
dslx aims to fulfill most niches and different types of writing with experienced writers. I hope to be able to meet businesses at their budgets and get a fair pay back to the writers.
Right now, dslx writers cover:
- Blogs, guest posts & ebooks
- SEO web copy
- Conversion landing pages
- Emails
- Social media captions
- Customer journeys
- Branding projects
- Editing & in-house writer upskilling
dslx client industries currently include:
- B2B SaaS
- Ecommerce
- Travel & Hospitality
- HR & thought leadership
- Business development
- Finance & FinTech
- MedTech & Pharma
- EdTech
Where is this writing agency going?
Great question, and one I’m not entirely sure how to answer. Today I have three full-time staff members and over 40 writers on the books (April 2023).
I believe dslx has the mission and unique business model to be big—I’m just not sure how big that’s going to be.
One route I hope it does take is to continue empowering diverse writers and connecting great writers with fantastic businesses. I hope we become the go-to resource for any business that needs quality content. No matter what that looks like.
No matter where dslx goes or how big it gets, I’m proud of where it’s at today. I’m proud of the mission we stand for and the quality of writing we hope to thread into the web.
Stretch the corners of your mouth to your ears, and have a glorious day.
Ray Slater Berry
Founder? Director? I’m still figuring it out.
