The Relationship between Editors and Freelance Writers

I received an email from a freelance writer last week who wanted a little more detail on how custom publishers/custom publishing editors work with freelance writers (and any specific advice).  Although it's a little off our focus here, it's still a great topic.  So, I asked my friend and colleague Tom Peric', who has been chief editor of a number of custom publications, to respond. Tom's information is below.

I decided NOT to split this article up, even though it is rather long. As you'll see from Tom's article, freelance writers with traditional assignments vs. custom assignments seem pretty much the same. Personally, the major difference with custom over traditional is that sometimes writers need to follow Tom's advice with multiple contacts - the editorial director or chief editor, the account director and the account manager. Each deserves their own treatment. There is no question that there is tons of opportunity for freelancers in custom publishing/media...but you definitely have to WANT it.

Thanks Tom for the submission...I hope you all enjoy! - JP

The Writing Life: Editors and Writers

Writing types often ask me about the relationship between editors and freelance writers. Having been on both sides of the fence, I can sympathize with both groups when they gripe about the other party. In particular, freelance writers want to know how to get the attention of editors for an article and to keep that interest for future assignments. Editors don’t share the same mold. Editors’ approaches to how they deal with freelancers are as varied as the choices of apples at the supermarket. Here are some tips that might help you close the gap with your less successful editors.

Remain The Same. If an editor is accepting your work and seems keen to keep giving you assignments, then you probably have the "right" kind of approach. After all, they keep feeding you work. Here, the cliché is apt: "If it isn't broken, don't fix it." You have apparently developed a system that works for you, so keep doing what you have been doing with this batch.

Background and Relationships. Cracking into the pack of writers used by a reliable editor can be very difficult even when you've shown, via clips or references, that you’re a pro. Editors don’t like taking chances, probably because they have been disappointed in the past. Hence a reluctance. Yes, ironically, they must always be on the lookout for new talent. Yes, your clips are good, but how do they know that a superb editor didn’t slave over your effort to make it good?  Suggest to the editor that you might want to take an article, not for the next issue but several issues down the road. This way, you're offering the editor a way to deal with your work (kill the story) if he or she doesn’t feel your work doesn’t pass the test.

Know The Game. There’s nothing more compelling to an editor than when you clearly demonstrate you are familiar with the publication. Unfortunately, this is a time-consuming process, and it’s why most PR people fail miserably when they pitch editors. I would hope that you check out the edit calendar BEFORE you pitch the editor. I am stunned at the number of PR people and writers who never bother to look at this. Knowing what an editor is looking for and when he or she needs it is winning half of the assignment game.

What’s The Value? Unfortunately, the law of supply and demand dictates the market for freelancers. There are tons of freelancers out there. (I didn’t say they were good, just that they’re out there.) Everyone wants to write and thinks they can write. So, how valuable are freelancers? Valuable if they deliver. That means they meet deadlines, the copy is tight and bright, they follow the assignment sheet, they keep you abreast of developments, especially problems, and they contact you early – not the day before – when a sticky point develops. One of my freelancers should probably get more money from me. I don’t want to lose him, but there’s something called a budget. So I pay him within one week (or less) when he turns in the assignment. And I have only sent one assignment back for a minor touch-up in about five years. Any follow-up, I do. What I’m doing is keeping his workload to a minimum and paying faster than anyone in the freelance universe. He loves working with me, and I enjoy working with him. I’m also appalled that the freelance market doesn’t pay any better today (per word) than it did 25 years ago. Supply and demand. There will always be more supply than demand – and the wages reflect that reality.

Problem Editors. What should you do with problem editors who don't you use you or, if they do, make it hard getting new assignments? Use the direct, polite approach. Ask them what is the best way to get more assignments. Try this: "Janice, I enjoyed the article I did for you and would like to a few more on a regular basis. Is there anything I can do that would increase this likelihood? Do I need to pitch you differently or approach my stories from a special perspective?” Again, I'm always amazed when people don't ask the person to whom they’re selling (and you ARE selling them your writing and reporting skills) how to do it. I would be sure to ask the editor how they want to be pitched and even WHEN they want pitches. While I own my own PR firm in Cherry Hill, N.J., I also serve as the editor of two national trade publications. Sometimes I have people genuflecting to me so that I accept their article or expert as a source. Other times, I'm on bended knee to an editor saying, “please please,” accept my client's article or idea. It's a very unusual situation but one that gives me an inside view of BOTH worlds that very few people have. When pitching me, I say the same thing over and over again: Write a working headline and two to three short graphs on the ideas. You MUST answer the two most basic questions on EVERY pitch. Why should I (and the reader) care? Why should I care now? If you can't answer that, you're going to fall short. If you ask each editor how they want pitches and you do it precisely as they requested, you will increase your acceptance rate. When the handful of people who really follow my guidelines send me a pitch, it’s amazing how many get an assignment. ASK!

Make It Personal. Whenever possible, try to meet the editor for lunch and a face-to-face. I understand you can't fly across the country for a $500 assignment. But if the editor is within striking distance, up to three hours, I say go for it. How do you decide? Simple. How important is the editor and publication to you? If it's only $1,000 per year, it might not be worth it. But if it's worth $5,000 and you think it's possible to boost that figure to $15,000, make that luncheon appointment today. Meet with EVERY editor at least once a year, and twice is better. In this Internet age, becoming a real person as opposed to a disembodied spirit via e-mail can make all the difference in the world. When you see a particularly relevant idea for an editor, even if it is not something you want to write about, pass it on to the editor with a brief note. Stay in front of the editor in a low-key, but regular way.

Beyond E-Mail. E-mail is great. But most of us forget about e-mails almost immediately, NO MATTER how valuable. Unless we tag it or pull it into an appropriate folder, WE FORGET ABOUT IT. Follow up EVERY e-mail intro to an editor with a hard copy by snail mail.  The snail mail will presumably include your background, plus an article or two. Be sure to use a good color printer for what you send. Mention in the e-mail that you'll send hard copy. Why? Try this: “Janice, because e-mail getting through is always suspect, I'm also sending along a copy of this e-mail in a snail mail packet." Now it might sit on the desk for months, but the editor will almost surely have to "touch” it again. And they just might say, "Oh, yeah, I meant to . . ." Old e-mails? Don't we almost always forget about them? Snail mail is still real mail.

What Am I Doing Wrong? What are you doing wrong with the editors who don’t use or call upon you with regularity? Again, just ask. The problem is most editors will never level with you. Whether it’s political correctness, politeness or avoiding a decidedly uncomfortable conversation, I’ve never known an editor to say, “I just don’t like your writing style.” However, I once had an editor compare me to another top gun freelancer and, frankly, he favored the other guy. He was also honest about why. That conversation had a profound effect on me. I had another editor who had issues about one aspect of how I handled the language. The results of the conversation also had a dramatic effect on how I wrote subsequently.  In short, when you obtain the information that warrants change, do so. But there will always be some things (editors) that you can’t control, change or receive information from that permits you to take a different direction. “Forget about it,” as Al Pacino said. You’ll sleep better at night. Just go on to the next editor.

The Best Time. Keep abreast of changes in the marketplace. There is NEVER a better time to approach an editor than when he or she starts on the job. They often start with a partially clean slate. What better time than now to approach them before they create their own stable of writers and become reluctant to add more? One source I use, among many, is Partyline. It is a weekly report on staff and editorial changes at many media outlets. Tell Betty I sent you. A bit expensive for some freelancers (about $167 for an online version) but worth it. Visit http://www.partylinepublishing.com.

Tom Peric' is a leading speaker on getting publicity and president of Galileo Communications Inc. He is the author of Wacky Days: How to Get Millions of $$$ in Free Publicity. Contact him at 856-874-0049, tom[at]thegalileo.com or visit www.thegalileo.com. © 2008 Galileo Communications Inc.

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Comments

[Jim McDermott]

Great article, Tom. As always, you're an insightful and thoughtful guy with terrific advice for writers.

Jim McDermott

[Leigh Ann]

Hi there. As an editor of a traditional magazine, I thought I'd chime in on this interesting article.

I agree wholeheartedly with this key advice and am so glad Mr. Peric included it: "You MUST answer the two most basic questions on EVERY pitch. Why should I (and the reader) care? Why should I care now?"

(Of course, magazines work months in advance, so, please, no, "This month is So-and-So month" articles!)

That said, every editor is different, so here are a couple of areas in which I differ from Mr. Peric.

1. I personally do not like to meet writers face-to-face. (I'm too busy and love e-mail.) You can ask, but don't be offended when I decline.

2. I do NOT want submissions snail mailed. I keep very organized e-mail folders and don't open snail mail for months. It's useless to me.

But I must admit, Mr. Peric makes a good point about e-mails not getting through. I would suggest waiting at least three weeks to see if you get a reply. Then, follow up with an e-mail (maybe mentioning that you're mailing a pitch in the subject; don't just label it "follow up") politely saying that you haven't heard and are concerned that the e-mail didn't get through, so you'll be snail mailing a pitch. If the editor still doesn't get back to you within a couple of days, then you could mail it and maybe even put a note on the envelope about what's going on, to entice the editor to open it.

I also couldn't care less if the mailed submission is in color. I tend to think of that as a waste of money. But I can't say it wouldn't have a subconscious impact on me. Who knows?

Interesting and well-thought-out post, all around. (I came across it because of a link from BoSacks, FYI.) Thank you for it.

[Tom Peric]

Thanks for your comments. Allow me to address your disagreements.

First, I would only suggest a face-to-face if the media outlet is important to the writer. They might see it as a new or increased revenue opportunity, or it could be the prestige of writing for the media outlet. I didn't mean to imply that every editor is waiting with baited breath for a free meal. Indeed, my sense is that many editors DON'T want to have lunch with writers. However, any writer who doesn't ASK for the luncheon date is just plain foolish because they're forgoing a possible opportunity. The fact that an editor might say no to me is like shower water in the morning. I don't even think about. But doesn't just asking already give you three advantages? 1) You know this editor doesn't like luncheons (meetings); 2) It's an opening for an e-mail (Kathy, since you don't do luncheons, I sent along a pitch that I wanted to give you.) 3) It's an opening, if an actual meeting occurs (at a trade show or function that you both might be covering). "Hi Marlene, I now know you don't like to do luncheons judging from your e-mail, but I'm really glad I had a chance to meet you. . . . If an editor says they don't do lunch, fine. I'm not suggesting you badger, I suggesting you ask. And, frankly, I have a certain approach that I use to ask for luncheons (when I'm pitching) which I believe increases my yes responses. I don't share it for the obvious reason that I don't need have others use it and water down my own success.

In the end, it is the most basic form of salesmanship that exists. You must ask. Sometimes you get a yes. Sometimes a no. If your ego is so fragile that an e-mail rejection gives you the shivers, then don't ask. But I can assure you of this: Ask enough editors (whom YOU'VE deemed important enough to meet), and some will say yes, AND some of those luncheons will turn into assignments.

Second, the question of snail mail. I respect the fact that you don't like snail mail. You are correct. It might sit around for months (as it does in your case). But again, how does a writer KNOW unless they try or ask? I've knows a few high-end editors who still PREFER snail mail because it does hang around.

Both methods have lapses in delivery. Using a confirm receipt in e-mail is an option, but this will also irritate some editors because it's an extra click. You are clearly very organized with your folders. Many editors are not. But I still maintain that most editors are lot less likely to have an "ah ha" moment with an old e-mail tucked into a electronic folder than that envelope that they keep putting aside but WON'T throw away. You keep thinking: I'm going to get to that one day. And, one day, you do. And that's why I LIKE the idea of an envelope sitting on that desk for months.

Indeed, your suggestion about sending the e-mail via snail mail is EXACTLY what I do. I mention in the e-mail that I'm sending a copy by snail mail. Then I wait one or two days, in case I get a reply or a kickback on the e-mail before I actually mail it. (If I get a kickback, I make sure the e-mail address is correct AND the editor is still on the job.) But I don't wait three weeks. It gets to cumbersome to handle lots of queries over months of time. I know this about editors. When they're really thinking about a story, it only takes a few minutes for them to decide upon assigning, ignoring or taking it up at an edit meeting, unless there's a definite time twist to it so that it gets dropped into the calendar category. (This just happened a few hours ago. In a column, I gave suggestions on how to pitch me. Guess what? A writer sent me a pitch based on the column, followed my advice, and she will probably get the assignment if she meets one of my concerns. Total decision time. About one minute.) I don't want to think about the same idea and the same editor more than once, unless they respond in the affirmative. Two pitches, one idea, deliver twice in the same week. If they don't respond, I don't want to think about it any longer. Next editor, next idea.

The MOST important point of all: Whether you're a writer pitching a story or a PR person pitching a client, the goal is still difficult. You want a way to pitch that works each time for every editor. But an editor, as Leigh Ann is an excellent example, is an individual who might disagree with my approach or yours.

In my humble opinion, the BEST solution is to use a general approach when you can't, don't or won't customize the pitch. I still maintain that when YOU don't know, my two- step approach is best. I use it BOTH for my editorial pitches and my PR pitches. Actually, for my PR pitches, I often fax, which makes it a three-step approach. (I own a PR agency and also serve as the editor of two trade magazines.) Proof? Now that delicious moment. I've gotten responses and acceptance from e-mail, snail mail and faxes (yes, faxes). Now, if I had said: Well, no one uses faxes, and only old people would use snail mail, I'd have lost out on some very nice opportunities.

I've seen my system work as the editor of a city magazine, a news syndicate, business editor of a daily newspaper and various other monthly and weekly publications. Allow me to close on this note: Develop as much information about the editor and the publication that you can. Customize the pitch as much as possible. (This IS custom publishing, isn't it)? ASK the editor how to pitch. And, finally, if you don't have the time or inclination to customize your pitch, a one-time shot (effort) is a long shot. A repetitive effort WITH a good idea is worth it.

Leigh Ann, you write like a very sound, solid editor even if we never have lunch. Thanks for you contribution.