The Freelancers I Called First
May 1, 2008 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
by Liz Strauss
I got into publishing through the “back door.” I was a freelance magazine writer. Then I became a Project Manager at a development house. Finally I took a job as an executive editor for a full-fledged publisher. I learned more about freelancing once I was a publisher than I did when I was working for them. It’s surprising what things make a freelancer stand out. The freelancers I called first had these things in common and, to tell the truth, these traits were uncommon.
- They cared about my market. Most freelancers I met with were too worried about my approval. The ones I looked for were the once who looked past me to the folks I was working to serve with my publications. That meant they were helping me think through the needs of my audience.
- They did what they were asked to do. It may sound amazing, but the majority of freelancer writers I encountered didn’t. The reason guidelines are written is to make the process easier for everyone. You can be a fabulous writer, but if you make more work for everyone . . . no one will want to work with you.
- They knew how to be personally invested without taking things personally. I think of that as professional distance. The freelancers I called first were focused on understanding how I made decision for my readers so that they could predict and make the same kinds of decision for me. When I explained why something wasn’t working, they saw that as an opportunity to get closer to the audience I represented.
Those three traits would get a freelancer on my short list. Doesn’t seem that complicated does it?
Liz Strauss writes about business, thinking, writing, and ideas for Successful-Blog.com
Really great post, Liz. I too, got my first freelance writing jobs via the back door. Now, my writing clients also have me doing other project work, which makes for nice supplemental income. I always have their business and marketing plans in mind when I write.
Very astute article. I love the insights provided here. Once again, Liz Strauss demonstrates how it’s done.
A freelancer must research the company, product, customers, prior to meeting with the one who may hire them.
I think it’s easy to get caught up in the “I have to please my editor” mindset, but you’re totally right; as important as it is to please you’re editor, you also need to constantly think about the audience you’re serving. Great post!
Wow! Thank you for the nice reception.
Yeah, Abby! Freelance is a nice way to sneak into a new industry.
Vaspers, you do that better than almost anyone I know.
Hi Marie!
I so value folks who don’t make me do all of the thinking. You’re great to understand that.
You make some great points. I was an editor for a big medical website and I worked with freelancers. Some were exceptional – others were, well, not exceptional.
Excellent advice–love getting this kind of inside perspective. Thanks Liz!
Wow – those kinds of things still apply when you actually have your gigs. When you have a great client, you want to keep getting work from them. In a way, you could imagine that you are still “courting” them with your above-average approach.
I’ll be keeping these things in mind for sure. Much like other guest bloggers who’ve shared an “insider” perspective, thank you so much on behalf of us “outsiders”
Liz, I love your first point about caring about the market. Pleasing the editor is one thing but the true way to do that is to aim to please the goal market.
You’re right on as usual, Liz. When I was an editorial assistant those freelancers who stood out the most were the ones who took the time to learn who we were, what we did and showed passion for our publications.
So true, Liz. Being a freelancer provides no less distance in terms of learning the market and delivering appropriate content than if a full-time staffer.
The best freelancers I’ve worked with are good writers that “get it” with minimal direction and supervision. They’re the ones that continue to get the work.
They Cared About My Market
This falls right into something I will (hopefully) be discussing later this month, Niche Topics. Enjoying what you write will make you a better writer.
@Matt – If I remember correctly, you will be discussing this tomorrow.
Liz,
Thanks for the astute advice. I guess an important part is to be passionate, or at least interested in, the things you’re writing about, right? Because if you’re not, why would you care about the market, or about the people reading it???
Thanks!
Liz,
That’s great advice, but I’m curious how quickly you came to the conclusion that a particular freelancer knew your target audience and cared about it?
It makes me a bit nervous to think that if I send a query that an editor thinks is slightly off target for their particular audience, he or she will forever think I’m an idiot and toss all my future queries in the trash.
Were you a one-chance editor? Or is there hope after a bad query? – not to put words in your mouth. Your post just made me wonder what editors think of freelancers when they get a bad or misdirected query.
Liz,thank you for sharing these three traits. You have offered great suggestions for us to act upon as freelancers who would like to be on an editor’s short list.
At least it’s not anther video of Deb’s Godawful whiney nasally voice! Im still having nightmares of “psst, wanna see where I work.”
I think one of the hardest things to do as a freelance writer, just as it is as a professional weaver working with a designer, is to get your ego out of the way of your work. What you are trying to do is create something that will serve/please someone else. Your artistry and craft comes in meeting their needs, not necessarily your vision.
So we have to be willing to take direction, correction, and feedback…great three points, Liz.
I think the most interesting part for me was the caring about the audience piece. I do try to target my writing to the audience, but I liked the way you put this, Liz. Thanks.
Oh, I forgot – still trying to think of a topic for a guest post that hasn’t already been done to death – and much better – by others.
Wow John or Darryl or Jerry or Jim or Mike or St..or whatever your name is this week…
If Deb’s stuff is so annoying to you why are you always here? Why do you visit all of Deb’s blogs and leave rude comments? Don’t visit. We would mind, we promise.
Deb gives of her time. What do you do other than criticize her all the time?
Perhaps my niche isn’t narrow enough — I write business analysis and frequently refer to myself as a “business geek” — I think my clients like that about me, though!
Thanks for the post, Liz.
@ John,
Perhaps you could have said what you had to say without the personal swipe at Deb.
Hi Liz:
Thanks for the great post – another good reminder that this is a profession, not an ego-trip.