Help Us Help You -- How to work with a freelance writer
During the past month, I set aside my longform writing to focus on a freelance project. In the process, I realized that time and money could be saved, and results improved, if clients were more familiar with what a writer does and what they need to succeed. It's understandable that not every client, particularly a small business owner, has worked with a writing resource. And truth is, a freelance writer often lacks the core knowledge a staff writer would possess.
It’s probably safe to say, though, that freelance writers want to be accurate, want to deliver on time, provide what is required, and want to get good results for the clients. It’s also a fair assumption to say that a writer is not a mind reader or a magician who can pull content out of thin air. Somewhere in between is a middle ground where clients can help writers perform more efficiently and produce better material
Here are 13 tips -- a tasty Baker's dozen -- that crossed my mind:
1.?????Understand the role of the freelance writer. If you say, “I want a blue brochure,” that is probably a conversation better had with the designer. But don’t be surprised if the writer asks, “Why? Is that your brand color? Is it a mood you want to convey such as calming or sad? Does the blue need to match other pieces, such as collateral or a web theme? (If so, be ready to provide the RGB, CYMK, and HEX color formulas.)
2.?????Providing the writer with a Creative Brief or at least a list of key directives is a wonderful thing. Consider: objective, formats, audience, timeframe, history, new information, competition, offers, disclaimers, company tagline or positioning phrase. Is anything trademarked or registered that would require the writer to include those symbols? If there are images, quotes, or attributions, please provide credits and copyright detail.
3.?????If pre-approved content is to be used, the easiest way for a writer to use it is without styling. A generic font such as Calibri, Arial, or Times Roman works well. Even Plain Text. Content that is provided in a uniform font, face, size, and leading, with no color (just BW), is most quickly cut and pasted. Reversed type in a graphic, HTML from a web page, PowerPoints, PDFs, or digital editions require time to extract. If this can be done in advance by the client, the writer doesn’t have to do it (and charge you for their time).
4.?????Speaking of sources, please provide them. If your company is “#1,” then kindly attribute that claim. If you've gotten a rave review, provide the name of the reviewer. Ditto for awards: date, place, category. Better than forcing a writer to say, “Research shows…” it’s much stronger if a writer can say, “In a 2022 online survey, conducted by XYZ among _____ new product users, ____% said a,b,c.”
5.?????Please be consistent with names and titles. Providing a freelance writer with 3 different spellings and naming conventions only means they must stop and verify which is preferred. A writer usually doesn't know if “Asst” is the preferred client convention for saying “Assistant” or if the note-taker was simply abbreviating. Having to comb through websites, company profiles, and PR takes time that could be better spent writing. An Editorial Style Guide is a gift that keeps on giving.
6.?????Don’t assume we know your business. We try. We read. We listen. But company lingo for products or acronyms for organizations is generally lost on us. We try to ask, but it’s such a delight when that first mention is spelled out or when someone slips us a key.
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7.?????If there’s something strategic that we should know, please hit us over the head. For example, what’s your posture about competition? Do you mention them? Don’t mention them? Allude to them unfavorably? Allude to them favorably via the high road, then attack? Is there a skeleton in your corporate closet that we should avoid – perhaps a recall, a scandal, or an unpopular decision? Chances are, we can find a wonderful alternative to tout.
8.?????If your company name, ownership, location, public/private status, or contact information has changed, don’t assume we know. It’s much easier to be told the correct information from the get-go rather than fix it later. ?
9.?????Please provide us with a point person for questions, updates, material submission, and billing. That old adage about "too many cooks" remains true.
10. If there is a change of plans – a rush, a delay, a different direction—do tell us as soon as you know. Chances are the writer is juggling several projects and wants to assign priorities. That transparency is much appreciated.
11.??Please confirm expectations at the outset – rate, roles, delivery time, availability needed moving forward. If there’s a contract to be signed, it’s nice to do that in advance. If the project is “work for hire” (where the client owns the results) that should be made clear. If the work is NDA, a writer needs to know they can’t use the copy, or sometimes even the account name, (say, in a portfolio) or can use it only after public release.
12.??Please be as organized as possible in providing input. Sure, there will be times when a product is still in development or when art needs updating. In those cases, it’s great to note “Info to come,” “Check specs,” or “FPO” as in “For Position Only", especially if the writer is drafting to space or page count. Less constructive is the trickling in of bits and pieces: the greasy napkin with the CEO's notes, the product description on a phone memo, the10-year-old collateral (though that's sometimes fun for comparison), or a margin scribble to “Ask Tom.” (Chances are, the writer doesn’t know who Tom is, and it will save time and $ if the writer doesn’t have to track him down.)
13.??Links are also welcomed so the writer can check sources or pull quotes – but should the writer retain those links? Perhaps ‘no’ if the final product is being produced in print only. Perhaps ‘yes’ if it is being posted online. Should the writer embed those links or just place them next to the word so the client can see them? This is another small element that is often overlooked.
In summary, good copywriting requires more legwork than most people realize. Those 3 witty words on a billboard likely resulted from 3 hours of reading market research. That simple Call to Action was probably crafted after analyzing past performance stats. The bottom line is – the bottom line. Saving us time, saves you money. Going the extra distance to provide excellent input generally results in excellent outcome. Having a sense of humor and calm demeanor along the way contributes to our collective sanity. Thank you.