Delving into a new working relationship can be wrought with pitfalls or brimming with possibilities. When hiring a new freelance writing professional for your web content development, there are a few things you should know:
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Self-help author Tony Robbins once said “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” This quote perfectly describes the ideal communication between an employer and his or her new author. As a writer, many times, my clients have had trouble expressing to me what they truly want in regards to their content. This eventually leads to frustration and, in some instances, disappointment. Remember, as a writer, we are coming from a different world and have a different take on things. Therefore, be sure to let us know exactly what you want when it comes to your content. Please don’t expect us to guess.
Be Mindful of Our Time
Professional writers understand that deadlines are just part of the gig. However, that doesn’t mean that we don’t appreciate it greatly when a client considers our time. For example, a client that is not considering my time would issue an order on a Friday evening. If you think about this, unless you put enough time on the deadline, a Friday evening job will likely have to be completed over the weekend. Now, to be fair, some authors enjoy working on the weekends, but many are like myself and prefer to devote the weekends to their families. An easy way to make sure that the timing is right for an order is to simply “communicate” with your writer. They will let you know if they do or do not like working late nights or weekends. However, just making an effort to consider their time will go a long way.
Understand We Have Bills to Pay Too
It is important to remember that we, writers, have bills to pay, just like everyone else. Therefore, when your piece of content requires extensive research or you want extra elements, such as photos, you should be willing to pay your writer for the extra time it takes to add these elements. Remember, just as your time has value, so does ours. Therefore, it is important to be realistic about how difficult your piece of content will be to create when determining your budget for the piece.
Keep in mind that quality costs money. You can’t expect a writer to be grammatically perfect, insert all kinds of stats and hyperlinks, along with photos into the piece, plus have it back within 24 hours, without paying them well for their work. I always try to do my very best when it comes to my writing, no matter the pay. However, as a writer, when I feel my work is valued, it always makes me try that much harder to please the client.
There are many aspects involved in creating a great working relationship with a writer. However, if you remember nothing else, keep in mind that communication is of utmost importance. Everything else will take care of itself.
Brandie P is a freelance writer who enjoys working on various topics with an abundance of excellent clients. Although she loves to write, her real passion is her family, which consists of a caring husband and two wonderful kids.
