Editors tipped about getting
-- and treating -- freelancers
Veteran freelancer, coach and self-help author Paul Lima has posted on his website an excellent summary of his recent MagNet conference seminar : How to Source and Retain Great Freelance Writers. It's a fine refresher for longtime editors and an inspiration for editors generally in this industry, which relies so heavily on freelance writers.
Some of what Lima says is self-evident, though sometimes also neglected, such as remembering that the writer-editor relationship is a two-way street. I have returned many times on this blog to the need for treating each other with respect and Lima's presentation was focussed on the editors:
And he asks a question that should be stencilled on the lintel above every editorial office:
Some of what Lima says is self-evident, though sometimes also neglected, such as remembering that the writer-editor relationship is a two-way street. I have returned many times on this blog to the need for treating each other with respect and Lima's presentation was focussed on the editors:
I come not to berate you, but to motivate you. If you do your part, more freelancers will do their part, bringing greater balance to the editor-freelancer equation.He also talks a lot about realism -- setting deadlines, objectives and expectations so that they can be reasonably met.
And he asks a question that should be stencilled on the lintel above every editorial office:
The time you invest upfront will save you time down the road. How do you want to spend time?
• Fixing problems and mistakes?
• Conducting final edits to ensure articles are as strong as possible and meet your readers’ expectations?
Labels: editor-writer relationship
posted by D. B. Scott at
12:18 pm
1 Comments:
Thanks for posting a link to my "How to Source & Retain Great Freelance Writers" MagNet talk. Your comments reflected what I thought before conducting the seminar--it's all common sense. In fact, I almost turned down the speaking engagement. When I was asked to give the talk, I thought -- as you alluded to -- this is all common sense. I actually said, "Are you sure you want this talk?"
Although my talk was pretty much common sense, it turned out there was a need for it. I guess I should not have been surprised. You see, I think freelance writing is common sense, but when I teach the Business of Freelance Writing, people always seem to learn something -- and sometimes they learn a lot. I guess when you are just starting out (in any business), there are things to learn. It's only after you learn them that they seem to be common sense. When I think back to my initial approach to freelance writing (that's almost 20 years ago now!), I know I've learned a lot -- not everything, I'm sure, but a lot. And most of it now seems like, well, common sense. But I had to learn it first! I forget that sometimes.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home