So you need a freelance content writer for your next project. The nice thing about freelance content writers is that they’re essentially independent contractors.
But that doesn’t mean that finding the right freelancer is always easy. You’ve likely heard the saying “hire slow, but fire fast.” This rings true for freelance writers as well.
You want to mine the playing field to find a writer with the qualifications for your project. A long-term content writing relationship is great, but if a writer’s performance starts to sag or they just can’t keep up with your requests, then it’s time to move on from them.
Hiring, Managing and Firing
- Hiring. Hire slow. After all, you don’t just want to pick a writer at random, you want to pick the right writer for your project. Closely analyze profiles and narrow your search down to two or three. Look at any writer testimonials from other clients they’ve worked with and perhaps even begin some dialogue with your short list of writers, describing what you need and gauging how comfortable they’d be at providing it.
- Manage. So you hired a freelancer, and you want to continue working with them. Good communication is key with managing any freelance writer. Be clear about what you want, what angle to take, and what keywords to incorporate. Writers would rather have too much information and direction than not enough.
- Firing. There may come a time when you need to part ways with a writer for one reason or another. Perhaps they’re not following your directions, their work has been lackluster, or you just want to find a different voice and style. Fire quickly. The sooner you part ways, the sooner you can begin looking for a new writer to work with.
About the author
In a career spanning more than 15 years, Scott C has experience writing for a variety of mediums. He started in sports writing, which is still his favorite type of writing, and then moved on to hard news and feature writing while working for a community newspaper. He also has experience in technical and automotive topics and has an ability to take complex subjects and write them in a way that is understandable and engaging.
