How to Work with a Freelance Writer
What’s hard about asking someone to help out by writing your newsletter article, proposal, training manual, or brochure?
After all, the freelance or contract writer is taking the project off your desk for you. Just tell her what you want, and forget about it!
That works fine – as long as you communicate well and are clear about cost and deliverables.
Most people feel that everyone knows what they know. Even scientists and technicians, who fully understand that their work is arcane and magical, can be guilty of assuming that important details are common knowledge – and leaving them out. So the more that the writer knows about your organization and your project, the better work he or she can do for you.
If it’s a confidential issue, say so – and perhaps ask the writer to sign a confidentiality agreement.
A good freelance or contract writer usually will come in with questions about your project. It will save time and bottlenecks if you’ve thought about some of those questions in advance.
Money
Before you get too far into negotiations, make sure that you and the writer are on the same financial page. And remember that, unlike your full-time staff, a freelancer pays for his or her own computer, printer, office, paper, fax machine, envelopes, stamps, and health insurance.
You'll do better with a price-by-project, rather than an hourly rate. That means that the writer may need to review your whole project before coming up with a price.
Even for a short project, be sure you get some kind of letter of agreement that specifies what will be written and how, how many drafts there will be, when each draft should be delivered and returned for rewrites, the final due date, the cost, and the method of payment. Larger projects need to spell these issues out in detail.
Good luck!
After all, the freelance or contract writer is taking the project off your desk for you. Just tell her what you want, and forget about it!
That works fine – as long as you communicate well and are clear about cost and deliverables.
Most people feel that everyone knows what they know. Even scientists and technicians, who fully understand that their work is arcane and magical, can be guilty of assuming that important details are common knowledge – and leaving them out. So the more that the writer knows about your organization and your project, the better work he or she can do for you.
If it’s a confidential issue, say so – and perhaps ask the writer to sign a confidentiality agreement.
A good freelance or contract writer usually will come in with questions about your project. It will save time and bottlenecks if you’ve thought about some of those questions in advance.
- Who are you and what do you do? At the first meeting with the writer, supply background on your organization, including documents similar to the one you’re asking the writer to create.
- What’s the goal of the project? Be specific, and link it to your overall business and marketing strategy.
- How will the material look? If you want a lot of photos and graphics, let the writer work with your graphic designer to ensure that the writing and the pictures work together to reach your goal.
- Who is the audience? Age, interests, backgrounds.
- What’s the style and tone? Once you know your audience, that decision will be easier to make.
- How much information is essential? Remember, people don’t have time to read. Because you love what you do, you’ll want to tell people everything about it. A good writer will cover the essentials and get people coming back for more information.
Money
Before you get too far into negotiations, make sure that you and the writer are on the same financial page. And remember that, unlike your full-time staff, a freelancer pays for his or her own computer, printer, office, paper, fax machine, envelopes, stamps, and health insurance.
You'll do better with a price-by-project, rather than an hourly rate. That means that the writer may need to review your whole project before coming up with a price.
Even for a short project, be sure you get some kind of letter of agreement that specifies what will be written and how, how many drafts there will be, when each draft should be delivered and returned for rewrites, the final due date, the cost, and the method of payment. Larger projects need to spell these issues out in detail.
Good luck!
Posted by Judith Pratt at 8/3/2006 5:06 AM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: freelance writer communication
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: freelance writer communication
Thanks for this. It really helped me out!
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Thanks a lot!! a very useful topic!!
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Very useful information
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