Some rules, like the Golden one, you should always follow. Others, such as eliminating the middle man, you can break on occasion. Here are some tips for freelance writers that I’ve learned over the years… with some Honest Abe and Godfather flavoring mixed in.
1. Net Pain Comes Before Net Gain
Networking is a funny thing. I’ve had neighbors and even relatives mock me or treat me like I had the plague after broaching my networking pursuits. I once bought lunch for an executive driving a Porsche, only to never hear from him again. But I’ve also had very refreshing and encouraging experiences with the, um, better angels of my network, those kind men and women spending substantial extra effort to help little ol’ me. The freelance life can certainly be a roller-coaster. Stay positive and committed to the Golden Rule!
2. Be Direct With Your Editor (But Only After Becoming Indispensable)
No man is an island, except freelancers. We often deal with a lot of abuse, but feel like we can’t say anything to the editor for fear of losing assignments or the entire gig. My favorite is having to choke down a tight turnaround on a multi-source story, but then being forced to wait 60 or more days to get paid. Honesty is still the best policy, but make sure you’ve paid your dues with the boss first before issuing a list of complaints or demands, no matter how righteous they may be. It’s a fact of life: the rookie does not get the same respect as the trusty veteran workhorse.
3. PR Is Not Evil
A journalism professor of mine indoctrinated in his students that “PR is evil!” Except when you’re on deadline and you need someone to chase those pesky sources while you tend to your other many content responsibilities. Writers face enough challenges and disrespect; don’t pass on the highly motivated and free (to you) interns that are PR professionals. I say to you: never eliminate the middle man!
4. Remember: It’s Not Personal, It’s Business
We writers all hear about the separation of editorial and advertising in journalism. There’s another separation: the j-school classroom and the real world. In the latter, especially with B2B content, you’re going to deal with editors who have to accommodate their sales people’s desires and interests. The best (as in the worst) is a late demand from the “other side” to include a source, i.e., past or potential advertiser. Then it turns out, after you try for a day and a half on press week to schedule an interview, that said source has only bits of advertorial fluff to share. Remembering rule No. 2 when faced with this dilemma, try to emphasize the quality of the product/work vs. I this or my principles that. The bottom line is the bottom line.
5. Always Be in Business Development Mode
A recent contract copywriting gig with an agency was going along smoothly. The account managers were nice, the client was easy to deal with and the work was interesting. In fact, my PR handlers even hyped that a new client could be added to my freelance plate soon. Then suddenly I was left on the cruel side of double or nuthin’! Extra work turned into no work as the client dropped the agency. I was sent scrambling to recover the revenue while relearning that diligent, regular outreach to and maintenance of your freelance network is much preferred to having to dust it off in desperate times.
It’s important to stay focused when networking.
bleeveblog 