Are you finished with that article or just finished?

Deb had a great post this week: Freelance Writing: You’re Only Competing Against Yourself. It got me thinking about how often we can sabotage our success. One area writers can set themselves up for failure is ‘just finishing’ an article.

Just finishing is getting an article in just under deadline, under duress and under your standards. Procrastination is usually the right hand man to just finishing. The root causes of procrastination are as varied as the writer – poor time management, fear of tackling the piece, cockiness that you will get it in on time and it’ll be fab because you’re just that good, etc.

The consequences of just finishing show up in a variety of ways. When you have set the standard that you will likely be the last writer to get their piece in, an editor knows you are the worst person to call with a rush piece. This cuts down not only on your ability to get more of the juicy last minute gigs and the rush fees that may accompany them, it will make your services less valuable to the editor. There’s no competition between a writer that will work hard, get things in before deadline and deliver tight work, versus one that will squeak in under the deadline with an obviously rushed piece and a sheepish emoticon grin.

Another possible scenario – if you have set yourself up as a stellar writer who turns in great work before deadline and you start down the path of last minute, your editor is going to notice. Editors and teachers can tell when something has been written last minute. It, at times, reeks of desperation. The article will likely need more tightening/editing than any of your previous pieces and if seen repeatedly the editor/publication will begin to wonder if you are still passionate about working for them. That’s never a great conversation – trust me.

Now let’s be real, everyone has off days and even months. There are times when things don’t click, won’t click and can’t be persuaded to click. Editors understand, they are people too and are more likely to give their favorite writers the benefit of the doubt.  Don’t take advantage of their humanity and avoid being in that position if you have just started establishing a reputation and a career. Getting comfortable with ‘just finishing’ is like cozying up to mediocre – it will just hold you back.

Are you thinking about Christmas yet? You should be…

If  you are thinking about pitches for magazines you need to be several months ahead of the curve. I know the last thing anyone wants to think about right now is snow, cold weather and roasting chestnuts, but thinking ahead is a great way to get your pitch approved.

When everyone else is thinking about decking the halls, editors are looking to spring fashions and top summer vacation spots. Thinking and working on magazine editors’ schedules will help in getting your work to the top of the heap.

When thinking ahead, writers need to balance general with specific. Editors take risks looking to trends and future happenings and if you think you have a good beeline on a trend, go ahead and pitch it. Be prepared with great sources or a record of being an expert in the field to back up your pitch.

When pitching the general, look back at the last two years or more of seasonal information. This is a lot easier now with magazines putting much of their information online. A magazine isn’t going to put out the same topics every year at every holiday season. Even if summer articles always talk about sun safety, there’s something new offered each time, new products, latest research, etc. Think about a new angle, perspective or product debut you can add to your pitch.

Baby Talk magazine had a great article this month on sun safety for moms and talked to several moms who found out they had skin cancer. They talked to one mother about how she didn’t think she could get it because of her olive skin tone. The stories took a tried and true topic and made it interesting again.

There are many components to be a great freelance writer. Being able to anticipate is one of them. What trends are you recognizing in your niche or in an area you’re interested? What magazines would be receptive and why? How timely will the information be in six months? Answer these questions in your pitch and you may have yourself a winner!

How to Lose Control of an Interview

The concept of a media interview is simple. One person asks the questions, the other person answers them. In today’s media, with handlers, PR people and media savvy (and weary) interview subjects, interviews can get a bit more difficult to manage and if you’re not careful it can get away from you.

Who’s asking the questions here? If you find yourself talking more than listening – you are in trouble. It’s okay for an interviewee to be interested in your background or publication, but honestly your life story is not that interesting. It’s a distraction to the reason why you’re there.

Yes, yes, you’re fabulous… Flattery will get you everything, including softball questions from an interviewer. Let’s not let your self-esteem get in the way of the questions – make friends some other time.

Whoa, what was the question again? One minute your subject is talking about social media techniques, the next minute they’re talking about pruning bushes and grandma’s 80th birthday party. Keep your subject on task and on topic.

Freebies are not free. Journalists are trained not to take anything free from a interview subject. Better to die of thirst while interviewing a sub-Saharan crab than to take a drink of free water that could impair your impartial status. Bloggers are often less rigid, but know that those freebies for ‘review’ may come with strings and taint your interview.

No take backs. Subjects that want something off the record should say it before they drop the information. If they try to take something back you need to put them on notice that they missed their opportunity. Sounds harsh, but an interview full of take backs is frustrating and manipulative.

I wanna see first. Interview subjects often try to get the questions ahead of time, for pre-approval or whatever and it’s a sure way to kill an interview. It invites push back before you ever get started and obviously you lose any real spontaneity in the interview.

Let me take a peek. Your notes, your article and your recordings are yours. Unless you want to spend the next several weeks getting changes and tweaks from the subject, never reveal your notes, article, etc. until the piece is published.

There are more out there – share your tips on how to lose control of an interview 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?

Taking Care of Your Writing Clips

By Terreece M. Clarke

To get a writing job, you need clips and having easy access to those clips is essential to running an efficient and productive writing career. So, where are your clips hanging out?

Some writers wait until they are applying for a job to look up their online articles. Normally, while not the most productive, they find their articles in time to send them off to a waiting editor. However, there are other times when one goes to find the article and it has been deleted by the web site. Yikes.

When your article goes live on a site the best thing a writer can do is save the file as a PDF file. Saving it as a PDF file maintains the look of the site and you are not at the mercy of the webmaster.

When your article appears in print you need to decide how you are going to maintain your clip file. Many writers make both color and black and white copies and keep the clips in flat folder. Other writers mount their clip copies on a sturdier paper for submission. Others still scan their articles and save them to be printed when needed.

Whatever your style, you need to develop a system. Save time with web articles and keep a list of links and the PDF versions easily accessible to cut down on the amount of time you spend Googling yourself  to do to find your clips. Keep your print article clips organized and in good condition – no one wants to look at a rumpled piece of paper in a submission packet.

Have you developed a clip system? Share your tips below!

Pull your next article ideas from today’s inauguration

By Terreece M. Clarke

The world’s eyes are on the United States today as we swear in our first African-American President. As I watched history and prayed morning sickness wouldn’t strike in the middle of it, I found myself thinking several things. One of which was: “That would make a good article.” What can I say, I’m a writer and I find inspiration where I can!

Let’s look at some of the themes and occurrences of today and shape them into article ideas using popular categories that you can further break down to fit your niche:

Responsibility

This was a big theme in President’s Obama address and responsibility can fall into many categories:

• Kids and Family – Responsibility and kids, Teaching responsibility, Role modeling responsibility
• Green – Using your home/office/school energy sources wisely
• Financial – Steps toward financial responsibility, What’s standing between you and financial responsibility?
• Work – Get your boss to give you more responsibility at work

Service

• Kids and Family – Ways to get your kids involved in volunteering, Finding volunteer opportunities in your area, Balancing volunteerism and career interests
• Green – Green volunteering opportunities
• Work – How to start a volunteer program at your company

Other themes:

• Health – Know what to do when someone has a seizure
• Fashion

Did today inspire any article ideas for you?

Another Handy Skill for the Freelance Writer

By Terreece M. Clarke

You’re a great writer, you’ve got a good reputation, killer clips and a healthy client/editor list. You know that every skill counts, so what skill could you add to increase your income and client appeal?

Photography!

A journalist is infinitely more helpful and can make more money if they can take a good shot as well as write a great article and writers in other fields are no different. Publications often pay photographers separately than writers to fill the photography requirements of your article, why not funnel that money toward your pocket?

Photography is a complicated art and I would never insult the photography community by suggesting anyone can pick up a camera and become a such an artist. That’s why I suggest taking a basic class or two on photography.

A quick Google search will take you to sites that will give you a few pointers/tips on taking a great shot, but I really recommend taking a class or two. Local recreation centers and community colleges often offer great beginner classes for a minimal amount of money. The hands on lessons are really what makes the difference.

It isn’t necessary or likely you’ll become the next Herb Ritts, but it will make the difference when you’re writing a travel article and you can produce good, clear, interesting shots without the photo faux pas of light poles coming out of people’s heads.

Remember, not only does this give you an edge over writers who will need an additional photographer, but you will also be able to bill for your photos. Be sure you negotiate a photographers fee outside of your writing fees.

So think it over and while you’re thinking take a look at Jennifer’s post “10 places to find free blog images that you won’t get sued for using.”

Press Releases – Where to Find Work

By Terreece M. Clarke

A few weeks ago I wrote about the fundamentals of a press release. Among the questions I received the most popular was, of course, “Where do I find clients?”

The good news is there are a lot of clients out there. The bad news is, you are going to have to contact most of them to get the work. While there are some companies and organizations that will advertise a need for press release writers through Craigslist.Org & FWJ, many often do not. So which organizations should you approach?

• Non-profits – Many non-profits, including local branches of national organizations, do not have in-house PR people and if they do, they are often looking for a helping hand with release projects.
• Small Businesses – Small businesses often operate on a limited budget and a freelancer will give them the best bang for their buck. Don’t be surprised if you have to convince a few of the importance of a press release.
• PR firms – Surprised? You shouldn’t be. This industry, like many others, outsource when they get too much work.
• Churches – There are always events and happenings going on and local churches would love to get the community and media involved. The budget they have available for a release often depends on the size of the church. And where there is no budget, I advise that a free release or two will help you collect clips while doing a good deed & boosting your opportunity for referrals.
• Large Businesses – Again, while they may have an in-house team, it is easier to pass off work to a freelancer when things get hectic.

These are just a few places you can begin to send out your super sweet marketing materials in anticipation of well-paying, loyal clients. No, seriously, we’re thinking positive here.

Do you have a great source for press release work? Tell us below!

How Well Do You Fact Check?

by Terreece M. Clarke

The BEST writing “how-to” ever!.

Our first job as non-fiction content writers/journalists is to present the truth fairly and accurately. Whether it’s on the web, in glossies or newsprint we are obligated to uphold a certain standard. It is what makes people trust what we say and what makes them look to us when they need information.

Most of us do our jobs well. We seek out knowledgeable sources and we try to stay as objective as possible. But how well researched is that knowledgeable source?

You’re writing an article on clothes detergent – the best kind for a large household. You smartly bypass detergent companies because they obviously have a vested interest and instead set up a meeting with a textiles or hospitality service professor from a respected university. What they have to say will be gold right? Maybe not. Thoroughly check out your expert. Did they work for a detergent company before turning to academia? If they’ve completed research on cleaning agents, who sponsored the study? What’s their stance on environmentally safe cleaners? Depending on your experts ties to industries, you may get a less than objective viewpoint.

Does this mean you have to ax a source because they have certain leanings on a subject – no, but there are times when those leanings should be disclosed to the readers.

Before the election, when pundits weighed in on which candidate was telling the truth and what information was misrepresented, they would often relate to the audience “this person, a democratic strategist” or “commentator so-and-so, owner of conservative think tank blah, blah.”

When a study hits the newswire, always ask who sponsored the study, the information should be easy to find. When you look for sources foundations and associations always sound great, but investigate the opinions or industries the organization represents.

For example, owners of social networking web sites will say social networking is the future of all internet activity and the leader of the National Association for Seat Belt Liberation will likely say that seat belt laws are a sinister plot by the auto and insurance industry and is a violation of civil liberties.

So be a Max and not a Bloo and fact check!

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