Lede (Lead) This!

I like having fun on Fridays, I always make it an easy day or a day off of work and I thought I’d bring some fun stuff to the FWJ community. Each Friday we are going to do Lede This and on Monday I’ll pick the best lede and talk about why it works.

So here’s how it’s going to work: I post a picture, you write your lede in the comment section below, give the type of publication you wrote it for and the subject of the article. No need to write a full article, actually, please don’t write an actual article I don’t want to read it all :0) On Sunday I’ll pick the best one, contact the poster & your lede and website will be featured on Monday. Sounds good? Okay go!

Don’t Say “Google Me.”

I hate it. I HATE IT when a writer says “Google me” when submitting for an assignment or worse, when asking for advice on their writing career. I’m serious, I have had a writer or two ask me about furthering their career and to then added “Google me to see my work.”

Wow. You couldn’t bother to include a link in your email? Are you that busy? Do you think I’m not busy so I have the time and motivation to go looking for “Jane Smith” throughout the Google-verse? Or do you think it makes you look good that your name has the G juice?

It’s a cheesy pick-up line.

Saying “Google me” is like saying  “If I could rearrange the alphabet I’d put ‘U’ and ‘I’ together.” Eww. All it really reveals is you’re too lazy or amateur to include links to your work, or too lazy to have business cards or build an online portfolio.

It can lead to unpleasant discoveries.

Trust me, I’m going to look you up, especially if you’re lame. I’m going to go deeper and likely discover a gang of throwaway articles you’d rather I didn’t see.

You’re not the only star in the universe.

What happens when I look you up and find several writers with your name or close to your name. Which one are you? I’ll have to spend time looking around and once I’ve even found a writer’s site that I liked better and contacted them instead of the writer that sent me on the random search.

If you don’t respect my time now…

…you probably won’t respect it later when it is time to turn in a piece by deadline and that’s not a chance many editors and clients are willing to take.

Why?

Why would I Google you to help you get the job or assignment, etc. when writers 1-20 included links to their work in their queries. I may come back later and look…but probably not.

I sound a bit hostile huh? This is a behavior that is getting a bit out of hand lately and I thought it was important to teach why it is wrong, rather than merely fume about it. It is professional, standard procedure to submit links to your work and/or online portfolio when submitting a query, job app or seeking advice. Not doing so won’t earn you renegade status, just broke status as editors hit delete.

FWJ Contest Ending Soon!

Our FWJ Contest: “Bring Community Back” ends on Halloween. In case you don’t know what’s at stake – can you say $150? Here are the rules:

We’re giving away three $50 prizes.

• The person with the most comments between now and October 31st, on the homepage Freelance Writing Jobs blog, will receive $50.
• The person with the most comments across the whole FWJ network by the end of the month, that’s all of the blogs, will receive $50.
• The FWJ blogger who does the most to build community and join the conversation will win $50 at the end of the month.

Just a few notes:

• Comments that only say ” I agree” or add nothing to the conversation won’t count.
• Comments not adhering to our comment policy will be deleted and won’t count.
• Spammy comments or comment dropping links – unless they’re truly offering something to the conversation – won’t count.

Here are some great posts from the past month that generated buzz:

5 Things You Never Say to an Editor

Responsible Citizen Journalism – Article Writing

Writing Tip of the Day: Threesomes are Tricky…

How to Have a Rockstar Freelance Writing Business

How Long Does it REALLY Take You to Write an Article?

Guest Blog Posts: Good P.R or Free Content?

5 Things You SHOULD Say to an Editor

Last week I named a few things you shouldn’t say to an editor “5 Things You NEVER Say to an Editor” and the post was pretty darn popular so I figured it was only practical to give a couple of tips on things editor’s love to hear from writers.

5. “I need help.”

Writers like to present a tough facade. They want to show they have everything under control and worry that asking their editors for help on a piece will cost them future work. On the contrary, editors love to know a writer will come to them for help because it ensures they will get the article they asked for, not the one a writer thought they wanted. If you are unsure of what the editor wants, encounter a major issue, i.e. with sources, or are having trouble working a particular angle, let your editor know. They’ll help come up with sources or approve a new angle, it’s their job. Just don’t wait until the last minute.

4. “You can reach me at: (614) 555.1234.”

There is nothing worse than having an issue with an article right before you go to print and you can’t get in touch with the author. Sure there is email, but as you anxiously refresh your Twitter page and email hoping for a response, you find yourself wishing, woefully, they had included a phone number in their correspondence.

Many editors are assigning work to writers without ever speaking to them over the phone – the power of technology! Unfortunately, where there is power, there is pain. Contrary to popular belief, writers aren’t in front of their computers every hour of the day and in every time zone. We leave the house, have internet troubles, and *gasp* take a break from social media and microblogging! Having an alternate means of contact an incredibly important, often overlooked courtesy.

3. “I’m available for edits.”

A Twitter friend reminded me after the 5 Thing You Never Say article that writers should keep themselves available for revisions. (Thanks NancyDWrites!) Some writers will say they are too busy to do revisions or become offended at the request. Both responses are a sure way to make the Do Not Call list. You want to do your own rewrites and edits. You are familiar with the information, sources, etc. it really is your responsibility. Do you really want someone else calling all the editing shots on your piece when you can do it yourself?

2. “I saw the great piece you published on (subject here).”

This helps establish a relationship with the editor. You don’t have to be best pals, but it helps keep your name in the front of the editor’s brain and shows you are keeping up with the publication. It’s a good idea to touch base with an editor every so often without asking for work. That’s building a relationship. Remember to keep the emails short and friendly professional.

1. “Here’s my article (turned in early!).”

OK, you don’t have to say the “turned in early part,” they’ll know. Getting a quality, ready to publish article in early is like sending a gift wrapped hug to an editor – it gives them warm, fuzzies, makes their lives easier and instantly puts you into the ‘favorable writer’ category.

5 Things You Never Say to an Editor

We all joke about crazy editors and their goofball demands. Editors, for the most part, have a good chuckle too because they know some of their peers are pretty nutty. Here at FWJ we often reinforce a writer’s right to push back – professionally – against edits, cheer on as they ask for more work, better pay, etc., however sometimes a writer can take things too far. There are a few things you should never say to an editor, especially if you ever want to work with them again.

5. “You’re just a frustrated writer.”

It could be true, it really could be your editor doesn’t have it in them to formulate an article from scratch, but they have no qualms about taking your article and reworking most of it to fit their own voice. Saying so, however, is not only rude, it is also a baseless accusation. Not cool.

4. “So-in-so at (competition publication) would love this piece.”

“Perhaps they would, good luck with that *click*,” would be my response to a writer pulling that low brow threat out of their butt. There are ways to negotiate and there are ways to make an offer more appealing, a threat like this will land you and your piece in the permanent slush pile.

3. “I know what the readers want.”

No, the editors know what the readers want, you may have a pretty good idea which is why your pitching your query, but ultimately the editor has a better understanding than you. No one wants to hear you are better at their job than they are it is never a good way to make waves.

2. “I was so sick it was coming out of both ends, it looked like…”

TMI or too much information is an epidemic in this share all, instant message, Facebook society and too many writers damage their professional relationships by rushing into a awkward, often one-sided relationship with editors. If we only talk via email about queries and payments, I don’t want to suddenly become your best friend and become privy to your non-work related exploits. Yelk!

1. “I’m going to miss my deadline.”

This deadend line will quickly turn you into the ‘not go-to-writer.’ Missing a deadline is serious business. Do writers miss deadlines? Yep. Do they have to tell their editor? Yep. Should you do everything absolutely possible to make sure it never happens to you? Absolutely.

There’s this thing called ‘burning bridges’ and people are always advised against doing so. I tend to agree, the writing community is small and rude or outrageous writers are likely to earn a reputation that matches their unprofessional behavior.

Want to add to the list? Give your tips below!

Cut! How to Shorten Your Web Articles

A recent commenter here at FWJ wrote she was having trouble making the transition to web articles from traditional print. Writing for the web is significantly different as I pointed out in “P.U.! Why that Web Article Stinks.”

When people go to the web, they are often in short attention span mode.  Most readers hit the headline, skim for the important points and are onto the next piece before you can say, “Whoa!” If you bring your print mentality to the web you’ll find yourself dropped faster than a 486 PC. So how to make the cut?

• Bullet points and headlines.
  • Both work wonders in directing your reader’s attention to the main point.
  • Bullet point ideas are short and to the point.
  • Any information needed beyond the main idea can be added below keeping info clear and concise.
• Figure out what the audience needs.
  • If you are writing an article on fixing a dripping faucet, your readers do not want to hear about the history of modern plumping. Get to the point.
• Cut out ‘that’ and all of those other extra words.
  • ‘That‘ is a word (that is) often used to transition throughout a sentence, but if you eliminate it during editing, you’ll find (that) you don’t need it.
  • When you’re first transitioning from print to web, go through and read each paragraph and ask yourself if you can say it in less words while keeping the ‘voice’ of the piece.
• Turn it into a series.
  • If you have the opportunity, turn your long article into a series, breaking it up into shorter, manageable bites.
  • This is easier to do with blog posts, though an editor may be open to it as it is likely to drive more readers back to the site to read the next piece in the series.

Writing for the web requires tight writing. Be sure to suck up any extra words without sucking out the personality. It’s like putting on a girdle without cinching yourself to the point of becoming immobile. My male readers will just have to trust me on this one!

Got a question or lament? Tell me below and you may just become the inspiration for my next post. *Thank Jen for this one!

Writing Tip of the Day: Threesomes are Tricky…

Writing an article is like delving into a relationship. There is commitment instilled into each piece. Ideally, a writer works hard to learn about the piece,  researching and interviewing sources, collecting information and getting to the truth of the subject. They are eager to work with the article, finding out what works and what doesn’t. They expertly manipulate transitions until the article reaches new heights of writing ecstasy and when it’s really good they introduce the article to family and friends.

There are times when there is trouble in paradise: You’ve got an article to write and you make a date, taking time out of your very busy editorial calendar. Unfortunately, what should have been time spent alone, wrapped up in each other turns into frustrating series of starts, stops and half-hearted efforts. Your attention is elsewhere – you’re jumping up to look for the mailman or stopping to check your email, Twitter or Facebook when you should be with your article. The relationship suffers and instead of slowly taking the article to new heights, you “wham bam” it and while the goal (finishing the article) is accomplished, the experience is cold and unfulfilling.

Sound familiar?

Multitasking is an overused and over-celebrated phenomenon, especially when it comes to writing. Words and a writer are meant to go at it one-on-one and yet, many routinely praise and advocate incorporating a third party in the mix. Whether it’s social media, chores or other people, taking a couple to a threesome rarely works out for all parties. The article suffers, the writer suffers and it is easy to lose sight of what’s important – the process and experience of writing. Starting and stopping in the middle of a project makes for frustrating, slow going work. Give your piece the attention it deserves – take it out, turn off the email and Twitter alerts, let the phone go to voice mail and special thing you do with your fingers – type!

Article Writing and Your Psychic Friends

Pitching queries for magazines can be a bit like playing fortune teller. You have to be in tune to what the audience will want to read six months from now. In my post “Are you thinking about Christmas yet? You should be…” I talked about the long lead time for magazines, how writers need to use their insider contacts and hunches on trending topics to pitch specifics to mags and how they should look for new angles on evergreen topics.

What if you don’t have a talkative insider? To get a future cast, all you really need to do is talk to an expert. Experts and angles on evergreen topics can be found just about anywhere.

Keep your ears open.

Go where the people are – if you are interested in what college kids will be thinking and talking about next October, go to where they are now and soak up the atmosphere and information. Pull up a chair and your laptop in public places and eavesdrop. It’s not as creepy as it sounds, if you’re a real writer you’re naturally nosey and would be listening in anyway so you might as well use your natural curiosity to generate ideas and income. Use your Twitter and other social media to see what people are talking about.

Keep you eyes open.

Eavesdropping is fun and informative, but I have to argue people watching is more fun. I write a lot about parenting and kids issues and let me tell you there is nothing more inspiring than sitting at the mall in the middle of the day watching people with their kids. I get ideas about ways to keep kids safe, helpful tricks and time saving techniques from inventive parents, social interaction issues like “Should you discipline other people’s kids,” “Settling playdate disputes,” “When parenting styles clash,” and more!

Beyond people watching, watch for events in the field you’re interested in covering. I look for and go to parenting seminars, family festivals, lectures from experts, advertisements for new products and services, etc. Subscribe to free pr distribution sites and set up your filters to screen for topics geared toward your beat/interest or niche.

What’s past is prologue.

If you have your eye on a specific publication, often reading what they covered a year or two ago will give you a good idea on what they will cover in the future. Studying a publication is not only good way to find out what evergreen topics they’ve covered, you can also get a feel for what angle has been covered. Interview experts who proved they had their finger on the pulse of the future last year. When querying you can point to their knack for being ahead of the pack.

Got any tips for predicting publication futures? Tell us below!

Responsible Citizen Journalism – Article Writing

Deb had a great post today from the Freelance Writing Jobs mailbox: FWJ Mailbox: What is a Citizen Journalist? tackling what defines a citizen journalist, is there money in the field and the types of citizen journalist gigs available. It got me, a journalist by trade and education, thinking about how writers can engage in responsible citizen journalism through article writing.

There is a serious debate going on right now about all things journalism. When it comes to citizen journalists, those in media circles debate the effectiveness and reliability of these writers. In fact, many are simply stuck on whether these writers are journalists at all. All of those issues are a debate for another forum – actually Deb’s post is a good place.

If a writer wants to be taken seriously as a journalist, citizen or traditional, there are a few key components each article should contain:

Unbiased.

Each article should contain an unbiased view. The article’s purpose should not be to tell people what you think – that’s a blog. An journalistic article contains information and facts to explain a topic, break news or uncover information.

The article should not contain any leading phrases or wording. If you’re passionate about environmental issues, report on them, but don’t try to make the reader’s mind up for them, give the facts and let them speak for themselves.

Well Sourced.

A basic journalism article must have sources and those sources should come from all parties involved in the story. Blowing the lid off of health code violations at a local eatery with political connections means you attempt to interview the owner, the politician in question, health inspectors, department heads, patrons, etc.

Giving voice to both sides of an issue is not a luxury – it’s a responsibility. While many news outlets are using commentators and even  journalists to portray only one side of an issue, this is not the norm or standard.

Vetted.

You’ve got a source who has information on a school board scandal – big whup. Unless you’ve got a source with proof of a school board scandal – paper trail, recordings, etc,  all you have is a juicy rumor. Sources and information for articles are vetted. This means you know who the source works for, their ties to the story, background information and proof the information is concrete – statistics, official studies from unbiased groups, etc.

Sounds like a lot of work huh? It is. Journalists – real ones – work hard to iron out a story. It’s not just learning information and reporting it. There’s more to being a responsible citizen journalist which is why I’ll tackle this portion of article writing more in the coming weeks.

What do you want to know about writing articles? Email your question to me at terreece@terreececlarke.com and have it answered right here at FWJ!

When Friends Hook-Up (For Writing Favors)

In my last Quick Query Tip post “Work Your Contacts” I wrote about how to work your contacts in order to get your foot in the door of a particular publication. This week I wanted to go into a little more detail on how to delicately balance working your contacts when your contact person is a friend.

Balancing business with personal relationships is important and essential to freelance writing success. As discussed in the last column, asking people for a professional hook-up has its issues. Asking for one from a friend is no different. In fact, if done incorrectly, it has the potential to harm the relationship. There are a few things you should keep in mind when entering into the “hook up” phase of your relationship.

Don’t become a bug-a-boo.

Time after time you come back for more, asking for an email contact to this editor and a name drop to that client and most of your work is coming in on the backs of your friends. Keep it up and there will come a time when your friend(s) will wonder you are in a relationship with them because of their their witty banter or only because of their connections.

Give just as good as you receive.

If you’ve gotten a boost from a friend, give a boost back. Leads, sources, recommendations to an editor – the help, in any form, is always appreciated. Don’t think of it as giving away work. There is plenty of writing work out their for great writers. Notice I said great. Mediocre ones have a little more trouble…

Don’t be an eager beaver.

Your friend just shared great news about landing a gig with a big publication and the first thing you do is tweet your congratulations then DM your favor request, yuck. Not only are you jumping all over their fresh kill, you’re being rude.

Trading professional favors is a fringe benefit to a friendship, it isn’t the glue that holds it together. Ask for favors sparingly and with deliberation and don’t become stingy with your own career boosting nuggets.

Have a professional hook-up story? Got a complaint about them? Tell us below!

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