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.

When Editors Behave Badly…

Editors and editorial assistants hold a lot of power. They have the power to say yes to your query or they can stab your carefully crafted piece in the heart with a kill fee. This power can sometimes have the ability to corrupt even the nicest, most well-behaved editor, but what can a lowly writer do when faced with an editor whose behavior rivals a 5 year old’s?

First of all, stop thinking of yourself as lowly. Writers are an essential part of a magazine/publication/web site. The editors and editorial assistants can’t write the entire publication on their own and need writers to help come up with ideas and obviously, write pieces.

Next, try to define the behavior. Is the editor really bad at communicating in a quick and clear way? They may be busy and distracted which could explain why your email query or question hasn’t been answered. A quick and polite email saying, “Hey, I know you’re busy. I just wanted to check to see if you received my email, etc,” might help out the situation.

If it’s more serious – rude behavior, demeaning behavior or just plain old nastiness, then you need to decide if it’s something you can put up with or not. Honestly, sometimes you have to cut a publication loose. It takes a lot of gump sometimes to say enough, but when trouble is  outpacing the paycheck….

I write a lot here about what writers can do to become more professional, how they can make themselves indispensable to editors, but I would be remiss in not talking about times when there’s really nothing you can do with someone who is on a power trip.

Late pays, no pays, a billion rewrites, dismissive or rude comments…it all happens and the best thing you can do is remain professional and make a break for the hills.

So now it’s your turn – dish! What’s your favorite story of bad editor behavior?

Writing Tip of the Day: Maintain Your Cool

It’s easy to get overheated as a writer. You put your talent out there to be observed, reviewed and critiqued and sometimes the criticism is unfair, biased or just plain nasty.

Blog comments, editor’s remarks, reader mail – it all has the potential to give you a serious case of the grumps, but keeping your cool in the line of fire can make you a better writer.

Instead of blasting a rude blog comment, taking a deep breath and responding in a professional manner, if a response is warranted, will go a long way in establishing your reputation as a pro who can take the heat with grace.

Firing back at an editor can earn you a reputation as “hard to deal with” whether fair or not, engaging in positive, constructive conversation (at least on your end) will earn you respect and will help you and your editor reach common ground.

Think of it as a writing exercise – you want to say “Go to Hades you life sucking troll! You wouldn’t know good writing if it showed up sitting on your morning donut.” Now think of a creative, positive and constructive way to voice both your concern and willingness to seek common ground.

How do you handle criticsm? Share your thoughts with us!

Top 10 Reasons Why Your Writing is Suffering

Why aren’t I getting gigs? Why am I caught in this niche I have grown to hate? Where’s my career going? There are a lot of reasons why a writer’s work suffers and some are so common most writers have or will experience them at some point. Do any of them ring a bell?

1. You’re bored. There are times a writer needs to switch course or look for new ways to stay passionate about an familiar topic.
2. You’ve gotten lazy. Let’s be honest, sometimes freelancers slack off and don’t feel like doing what they are supposed to do. I’ve been there and it’s tough to get back on task, but take a look at that electric bill – feel like writing now?
3. You’re not reading enough. The more you write, the more money you make right? The more work you have can take away from the other things that make a writer great, like reading other great writers. It’s amazing the amount of inspiration one well written piece can provide another writer.
4. You’ve got too much work. It sounds like a good problem to have, but in reality too many projects can take away from the time you have to devote to the perfection each project. The result? Sloppy or rushed work and not too much to show for it.
5. You’re burned out. When’s the last time you took a break? Switched up the routine a bit? If you’re still thinking, you may need a breather, a chance to go off the grid for a day or so and recharge. Time to refresh is not a privilege it’s a necessity.
6. You’re lonely. Online social networking is great and you can make some wonderful friends, but you also need to get out there and make friends in and out the writing field. You need your writing friends to commiserate and appreciate the life you lead and you need non-writing friends to give a different perspective. A writer’s life can be a lonely one and it can drive you bonkers, don’t let it happen to you.
7. You don’t have any support. Are you battling deadlines, kids, bills and the feeling no one really understands what you do? You are in need of support – it makes all the difference in the world. When someone’s in your corner it can help you get over those hump days and it’s important to have someone to share the good times. Nothing like calling up a friend to relay the news of a hot new gig knowing they are just as excited as you are about it.
8. You’re not enjoying yourself anymore. An important indicator of having a great job is when you love what you do.  You don’t have to love it all the time, there are days I’d like to throw my laptop and favorite pen out the window, but generally I get a whiz bang out of writing. Recapture that magic and it’ll show up in your work.
9. You’re not charging enough. Raise your hand if you ever worked your butt off for a piece only to get the check and decide it’s just not worth it? Ok, hands down. What’s going on with your fee schedule? Should you really charge more and does your work justify it? This great article from James will help you make what you’re worth.
10. You’re not doing what you really want to do. You became a freelancer so you could travel the globe, or your local playground, finding tips and trends in a fascinating field. Six months later you’ve got SEO and tech work coming out of your ears. You keep telling yourself it pays the bills, but really a corporate job would do just as well if that’s all you wanted. Time to check your goals and develop a plan to get back to your dreams.

Getting to the bottom of what ails your pen is not only great for your career, it’s great for your health. People who are passionate about what they do live fuller and longer lives. Let’s get you back to living yours.

Thursday’s post: “Inspirational Writers for Inspired Writing”

Got any great tips on a common writing threat/malady? Have you dealt with one of these and overcome? Share below!

There’s No Whining in Freelance Writing

This week I am pretty disturbed at the amount of angst Deb received when she took a break from writing leads. There was a distinctive tone I heard in many of the comments that was very familiar…it was like so many of the writers I’ve had the opportunity to work with throughout the years.

I heard a level of entitlement. I’m sure you’ll find it in every line of work, a host of people who like to stay in their comfort zone, particularly when that comfort zone has a bit of hand holding.

As an editor, I love to work with writers who have flexiblility and who strike a good balance between independence and knowing when to seek counsel. These writers are confident in their knowledge and skills enough to know when things are under control and when it’s important to contact an editor with questions. These writers are more likely to be the ones who accept edits and input with professionalism and make editing a breeze.

Then there are writers who really like their comfort zones. They never want to vary from their writing style or story angle no matter if it’s better for the audience or publication. They view critiques and edits as a personal attacks and they require a fair amount of hand-holding. An editor’s job is tough enough without having to baby-sit a writer.

Here’s the problem with loving your comforts too much – it prevents you from stretching and growing as a writer. So while there are some things as a writer you’d prefer to live without – a good cup of coffee, or in my case cocoa and a sharp pencil, there are some things you can’t live without and thrive in this profession: flexibility, independence and a “plan-b.”

Going Off Track…And Getting Back On Again

By Terreece M. Clarke

I love to write. I start or work out article kinks in my head while I lie in bed waiting to fall asleep. I spend a lot of time thinking about what I’m going to write, when I’m going to write and where my writing is going to be published. But there is a problem, I write and think about writing and work the business of writing too much.

Writers are always told they need to write all the time and immerse themselves in their craft, and that’s true. But we advice-givers also need to stress the importance of balance. When things get off balance, your writing will suffer.

My life is pretty busy right now, I’m expecting our third baby, am in the middle of graduate school, have my writing career, trying to grow my corporate writing business and somehow maintain a healthy life outside of computers and diapers. As a result I’m forgetting everything. The “write it down, check it twice” mantra?  Gone. Lately it’s been “tell me and I’ll pray I remember.”

When you focus on one thing too closely, you lose sight of the big picture. I got off track and I guarantee you’ll get off track too. It’s part of the writing experience. So what do you do to get back on?

Admit it. No one wants to admit they’ve let things get out of control, but if you are barely making deadlines, your kitchen has a funky stench to it and your kids only sort of remember who you are, you’re out of balance. Likewise, if you’ve gained 10 lbs, your blood pressure is through the roof and you start sucking wind before you reach the top of a flight of stairs – it’s time to admit life is off track.

Embrace it and get over it. It happens to everyone. Things get busy, people lose focus, projects come up that consume every aspect of life – don’t beat yourself up over it, just realize you had one of those cycles and move on.

Get back to basics. Get back to the roots of your work/life. Regular work-outs, scheduled cleaning days, editorial calendars, monthly lunches with friends, etc. Get back to what made your life work well before. Incorporate new items into your basic framework, adjusting as needed. You may want to revisit your goals and make sure they still hold priority.

Watch for slip ups. Getting back on track usually takes about a week or two. Normally, people start with gusto and just when they think they are humming along swimmingly, they let down their guard and those old distractions and bad habits creep back in and start throwing up detour signs. What knocked you off track in the first place? Procrastination? Illness? Paycheck Panic? Over-scheduling? Wintertime Blahs? Whatever the cause, identify it and try to work out a solution or Plan B.

Have you’ve gotten off track? What do you do when it happens to you?

Query Challenge Update

By Terreece M. Clarke

Where are you on the Query Challenge? We started off trying to query a few new (to you) magazines before Christmas. Some of you jumped in a little later and others are finished and just waiting to hear back from your choice publications. I want updates!

Have you been inspired by the challenge to query more often? What questions do you have about queries, query letters, etc.? Talk to my FWJ and let me help you!

Do you want to start the challenge? Here are some articles to help you along your way:

Query Challenge – Dear Random Editor:

Caller You Say What? Questions About Queries

Query Tip: Date Your Publication

Query Challenge Update: Where are you now?

Thoughtful Thursday: How’s that Working For You?

By Terreece M. Clarke

Tuesday in “Date Your Publication” we talked about getting to know the publications you want to query and got some great feedback, specifically from Mary who commented on how frustrating her first year writing was because she hadn’t tailored her queries to specific publications. Once she started however, her success rate climbed. Mary is an excellent example of a great writer stopping to take stock in their career to see where things could be improved.

This time of year is a great time to take stock in your career and goals as Deb wrote in her “Setting Goals for 2009” post. What worked for you in your freelancing career? What didn’t? How is your querying process? Your time managment? What about your sources?

In other words, to channel Dr. Phil, “How’s that working for you?” A successful freelance career depends on being able to adapt so making the same mistakes – rush work, scrambled billing practices, not so great, or worse, tired sources are not going to get you to your goals. You’ll never be able to take James’ advice on “Preparing Yourself for Better Writing Rates” if you can’t justify an increase. Think about these areas of your writing life:

• Are you meeting your deadlines?
• Do you allow sufficient time to edit and proof your work or are you always rushing to the finish line?
• If an editor called you today to check on a sources’ quote, could you find the notes?
• A client is disputing a bill, could you pull up the accounting information, including hours?
• Quick, what are your average business expenses for a month?
• Could you find a clip in your clip file from 2006? What about last month?

Take a little time this Thoughtful Thursday evening and ask yourself “How’s that working for you?”