Hi! My name is Anna-Bet Stemmet. I am a writer and translator living in Malmesbury, South Africa with my husband Jacques and daughter Alexandra. When I’m not minding my Ps and Qs, I like to paint, potter around in the garden, read trashy novels and explore the Cape Winelands with my little family.
‘Skryfyster’ was originally supposed to be ‘skryfster’ (the female form of ‘writer’ in Afrikaans), but the inadvertent typo turned it into a pretty funny (sadly, untranslatable) hybrid word that lies somewhere between ‘writer’ and ‘iron’. Since it sounded suitably hardcore and conjured images of courageous battle dwarfs in combat, it was unceremoniously adopted as my business’ sigil.
“We all have a story to tell. Some of us are able to put this story into words more eloquently than others. The nostalgia, excitement and intense emotion that Anna-Bet Bester is capable of extracting from any subject matter, in both English and Afrikaans, is astounding. Within the realm of her intricate mind, she weaves a dynamic tapestry. I am yet to discover a task she is incapable of taking on without completely annihilating all expectations. She is a pleasure to work with, delivering top quality work well within any deadline. Whether writing basic copy, reviewing theatre productions or composing compelling prose – she is a captivating storyteller.”
Angela Weickl, LMG Magazine
“Ek het die afgelope paar jaar verskeie kere vir Anna-Bet Bester gebruik om van my tekste van Afrikaans na Engels te vertaal. Haar werk was nog elke keer baie presies. Die Engels is vloeiend, ritmies korrek en ‘n baie getroue weergawe van die oorspronklike. Ek kan haar werk met groot vrymoedigheid en sonder voorbehoud aanbeveel.”
Chris Barnard, writer
“Riebeek Cellars has built an excellent relationship with Anna-Bet Bester over the last few years. She has done several projects for us, ranging from copy writing, advertisements and promotional articles. With her creative flair she always produced original work that does us proud. Her approach is fresh and personal, her research thorough and she always meets deadlines. Working with Anna-Bet is a positive experience and we are proud to be associated with her.”
Alta Saayman, Riebeek Cellars
“Anna-Bet is a magician. In the true creative sense of it. She has the ability to create copy that smells, sees, touches. She marries tone and flavour with brands and audiences. Her work is clever and entertaining. These are two very important ingredients required to create copy that sings. Her work is a true reflection of her energetic, tongue-in-the-cheek nature which my clients so dearly appreciate.”
Jana Kuipers, John Jay
“I have had the pleasure of working with Anna-Bet on a variety of projects. She is an excellent writer, regardless of the subject matter, tone or medium. Her work is always of a very high standard, always on time and always as promised. She sticks to her deadlines, she is friendly, professional and efficient. I would gladly recommend her services to anyone.”
Jeanette Strydom, HeyJen Online Communications
“Vinnige vlymskerp tong en intellek. ”
Charles Mulder, Nerd Corp
“I hired Skryfyster to do a small copy job for me and was more than delighted with the outcome. Anna-Bet has a way of working with words that most of us will never understand. Simply put, she is a word minstrel.”
Candice Kropf, Social Ideas
“Talented. Swift. Professional. Creative. Working with Anna-bet is an absolute pleasure, her experience and commitment shines through, giving one confidence that the job will get done well and on time.”
Dane Matthews, Genesys Communications
Anna-Bet really has a knack for creative, out-of-the-box copywriting that still sticks to the brief. She has the ability to transform ordinary text into something that’s a pleasure to read – whether it’s website content or menu copy. And her turnaround time is super fast!
Chrisli Oosthuizen, New Normal
To see specific examples of my work, click on the suitable link below. Not finding what you’re looking for? Get in touch so I can share the portfolio pieces you require.