Should you selected a contract writing profession with the notion you’d spend your days solo, ideas uninterrupted, blissfully typing away from a location of your selecting…effectively, you’re partially right.
The caveat is—in case you plan to make cash writing—you’ll have to community successfully with writers and editors alike.
Relatively than taking a look at different writers as competitors, consider it like this: Writing is a crew sport and your editor is the MVP.
Why it’s obligatory for writers to community
Collectively, writers face a couple of tough truths of the commerce.
By connecting with like-minded writers, you’ll create a help system to share concepts, fight backlash from low-paying content material mills and improve your visibility (severely, there’s a variety of noise to chop via lately).
Equally as essential is the truth that skilled networking opens the door to extra work. And extra work equals extra earnings.
For instance, a prospect just lately contacted me with a time-sensitive mission proposal.
Sadly, I used to be booked out past her deadline. Relatively than flip the prospect away empty handed, I used to be capable of refer her to a different author in my community whom I belief and have good rapport with.
Alternatively, if a prospect approaches me with a mission outdoors my space of experience, I’ll flip to my community to search out somebody who does specialize within the mission scope. Each situations are a win-win for the shopper and the author.
However networking doesn’t cease amongst writers—writers should additionally community to promote concepts, providers and merchandise.
On the subject of promoting, networking is essential—as I’m certain any salesperson would agree.
In the end, it’s additionally the author’s job to promote themselves, which ends up in my subsequent level.
How one can construct relationships along with your editors
Let’s be actual: Editors are the MVPs.
They work tirelessly to discipline pitches, guarantee high quality and supply suggestions. They sift via the dredges to floor distinctive writing.
As writers, we’re not entitled to publication—we should first show our capabilities. With the editor as gatekeeper, you may see why it’s essential to construct amicable relationships with the editors you pitch.
By establishing mutually respectful working relationships, you’ll discover good editors problem and encourage you, finally bettering your abilities and marketability as a author.
On the finish of the day, you’re liable for promoting your concepts and your potential to execute them.
Use a pitching technique that works for you, not in opposition to you—you solely get one shot to depart impression with the editor. Make it a optimistic one by being skilled, honest and environment friendly.
It’s value noting that rejection comes with the territory of being knowledgeable author. There are a plethora of causes your pitches might be rejected, however because it pertains to your relationships with editors, there are a pair pointers to observe:
- Do thank the editor for his or her time, at all times. You possibly can ask for suggestions, ought to they’ve bandwidth to supply it—however don’t count on it
- Don’t fight or communicate in poor health of the editor. She or he is solely doing their job—don’t take rejection personally
Acceptance is a win throughout. Rejection is a chance to iterate in your concept and pitch it to a different editor.
Rejection by one editor would possibly simply be the beginning of a brand new working relationship with one other.
By means of thick and skinny, acceptance and rejection, a collaborative angle is essential. Whether or not you’re working with an editor or shopper, keep a useful mindset: deal with what you are able to do for the individuals you’re employed with and the way your written phrases will present an answer.
Make use of these ways to broaden your community
We’re lucky to have numerous assets and networking platforms at our fingertips at this time. Whereas this does create digital noise, it additionally cultivates alternative.
Think about these three suggestions for networking, collaborating and getting extra leads:
1. Assemble your personal all-star crew
You already know the significance of networking with writers and editors. Now take it one step additional by increasing your crew to incorporate disciplines associated to your writing focus.
For instance, in case you’re a web site copywriter, it’s invaluable to have a community of internet designers and builders who you may refer your shoppers to. Likewise, these designers and builders will refer their shoppers to you for copy. This additionally creates a streamlined expertise for the shopper, who not must seek for a number of distributors.
2. Be a part of networks and become involved
All you want is an web connection to discover a group of friends in your area of interest. There’s no scarcity of on-line communities and boards, together with the Freelance Writers Den, Writers Cafe and Scribophile to call a couple of.
You too can discover writerly camaraderie via social media teams reminiscent of The Write Life Neighborhood, Twitter’s #scriptchat and the Scriptmag Neighborhood. And naturally, there would possibly simply be a author’s group ready to your down the (literal) avenue. Verify your space for Meetup teams.
3. Take part in webinars (or host your personal)
I just lately had the prospect to attend one in all Carol Tice’s webinars about errors freelance writers make. Through the webinar, I had the chance to affix a dialog with writers from world wide and share questions, solutions and concepts.
Take notice: Carol herself—now a significant advocate for freelance writers—has constructed a big neighborhood of writers by internet hosting webinars and offering assets and help. Think about beginning your personal neighborhood or internet hosting webinars primarily based by yourself distinctive expertise.
As a contract author, it’s very important to be pleasurable to work with—else, there might be one other freelancer who’s (and due to this fact will get the gig).
Attempt to be that particular person. By being an advocate for different freelancers, you’ll quickly uncover your help community is bigger than you imagined.