Archives for June 2009

Rejection: A Fact of Freelance Writing Life

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No one likes hearing the word “No” when they are looking for work, and freelance writers are no exception. Part of doing this kind of work means that you are constantly talking to potential clients about your services, and you won’t get hired every time you answer an ad, submit a query, or send a pitch to someone you are interested in working with. Dealing with rejection is not always easy, and there are times when it can be very disappointing when you don’t get a gig that you felt you were a good fit for.

I have heard other people state that you need a thick skin if you are going to last in this business, but I don’t agree. I don’t know where I was when the thick skins were being handed out, but I don’t have one. It’s OK to let yourself feel disappointed if you don’t get hired, but…I’ve learned that it’s important to move on to the next item on your marketing list quickly.

Taking some kind of positive action to help your business grow means that you are less tempted to let a rejection discourage you from continuing in your efforts to get work. If you were looking for a job in the 9-5 cubicle world, you would probably apply for numerous jobs before getting hired, and it’s the same thing in the freelance writing world.

It’s Not You….

When you apply for something and you don’t get it, the rejection doesn’t mean that you aren’t good at what you do or that no one will ever hire you again. The word “No” is not meant to reject you personally. It just means that this potential client didn’t choose to work with you this time. That’s all.

If I get a response and the answer is “No,” I take the time to thank the person for letting me know and for having considered me. I let them know that they should feel free to get in touch if their needs change in the future. And then I move on and find something that will be a better fit for both parties.

How do you handle rejection?

When Editors Behave Badly…

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picture-8Editors 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?

Have You Googled Yourself Lately?

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Every now and then, it’s a good idea to type your own name into the search box on Google and check out the results. You may be surprised by the type and amount of information about you that is readily available online. Why should you take this step and what does it have to do with looking for freelance writing work?

It’s quite simple: A current or potential client who wants to know more about you may decide to check you out online. I have been contacted by two clients who have done so. In one case, someone I had just started working with sent me a writer’s profile from a site I used to work for and asked if I was the same person. In the other situation, a client who wanted to find somewhere to post a job ad found FWJ (and me) as a result of his online search.

Both situations had a positive outcome, but I admit that I am very careful about what I put out in cyberspace. Not only do search engines index work that I have done under my own name, but they also pick up comments made on web sites and blogs. Do you use Twitter? Your tweets can show up in an online search. Same with your LinkedIn and Facebook pages.

Just as an experiment, I Googled my own name recently. Someone who wants to find out about me can see the items I just mentioned, as well as find out my age, where I went to high school, and what year I graduated. None of these factors should make any difference in whether I can do a job or not, but they do provide information about who I am.

It was an interesting exercise and one that I will keep in mind if I ever get the urge to go on a major rant online. As it is, if I wouldn’t want my mother or my children to read it, I don’t post it. Keeping it PG works for me.

Have you ever had a client check you out online (that you know of)? Do you look up your own name to see what comes up in the results?

What's Your Specialty?

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If you’re a writer, you have a lot of competition out there, especially if you sell your services on the web. There are thousands upon thousands of writers clamoring for clients, and buyers have a vast choice of which person to choose.

That’s why specialization is important. You can’t just be a writer these days. You have to figure out what type of writing you do best and promote that specialty heavily.

Most buyers aren’t looking for a great writer. They assume that if you market yourself as a writer, that you write well already. Buyers look for writers who perfectly to their needs: the specialist.

Start With the Basics

You’ll need to decide which type of writing you like to do best before determining your specialty. What type of writing do you like to do best? Is it articles for magazines or writing ebooks? Do you itch to improve someone’s website copy, or do you love writing on current events? There are all sorts of areas to choose from, so pick your niche.

What’s Your Expertise?

So you’ve decided that you’re not just a writer, you’re an article writer, or a journalist, or a website content writer. Good job. You’re on your way to specialization – but that isn’t enough to make you stand out just yet.

Narrow it down further. If you’re a magazine writer, which topics are you best at? Do you love travel and tourism or parenting? If you’re an article writer, what type of articles do you write? Are you great with real estate topics or best with gardening subjects? Figure out the expertise you have that makes you the pro in the area of writing you’ve chosen.

Be the Go-To Person

You have your area, you have a niche, now you need to become the go-to specialist for a very specific type of work.

Let’s say you’ve decided that you’re a travel mag article writer. Perfect. But travel is a vague term. What kind of travel and tourism do you specialize in? Is it outdoor adventures? Are you the expert on all things Japanese?

The more you establish exactly what your specialty is and market that to prospective buyers, the better your career will solidify. You’ll become the pro in the know, the writer every thinks of first when they want exactly what you do.

For great info from pro in the know on how to build the best writing business you can have, check out James’ book, the Unlimited Freelancer. You won’t regret it.

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