For those who 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 appropriate.
The caveat is—for those who plan to make cash writing—you’ll must 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 needed for writers to community
Collectively, writers face just a few troublesome 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 enhance your visibility (significantly, there’s quite a lot of noise to chop via as of late).
Equally as necessary 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 venture proposal.
Sadly, I used to be booked out past her deadline. Relatively than flip the prospect away empty handed, I used to be in a position to 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 venture exterior my space of experience, I’ll flip to my community to search out somebody who does specialize within the venture scope. Each eventualities are a win-win for the consumer and the author.
However networking doesn’t cease amongst writers—writers should additionally community to promote concepts, providers and merchandise.
In relation to promoting, networking is vital—as I’m positive any salesperson would agree.
Finally, it’s additionally the author’s job to promote themselves, which ends up in my subsequent level.
How you can construct relationships together with your editors
Let’s be actual: Editors are the MVPs.
They work tirelessly to subject 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 possibly can see why it’s necessary 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 means to execute them.
Use a pitching technique that works for you, not in opposition to you—you solely get one shot to depart a superb 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 can be rejected, however because it pertains to your relationships with editors, there are a pair tips to comply with:
- Do thank the editor for his or her time, all the time. 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 just doing their job—don’t take rejection personally
Acceptance is a win throughout. Rejection is a chance to iterate in your thought and pitch it to a different editor.
Rejection by one editor may simply be the beginning of a brand new working relationship with one other.
By thick and skinny, acceptance and rejection, a collaborative perspective is vital. Whether or not you’re working with an editor or consumer, preserve a useful mindset: give attention to 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 techniques to broaden your community
We’re lucky to have numerous sources and networking platforms at our fingertips in the present day. Whereas this does create digital noise, it additionally cultivates alternative.
Take into account these three suggestions for networking, collaborating and getting extra leads:
1. Assemble your individual 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, for those who’re a web site copywriter, it’s priceless to have a community of internet designers and builders who you possibly can refer your purchasers to. Likewise, these designers and builders will refer their purchasers to you for copy. This additionally creates a streamlined expertise for the consumer, who not must seek for a number of distributors.
2. Be 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 just a few.
You may as well discover writerly camaraderie via social media teams equivalent to The Write Life Neighborhood, Twitter’s #scriptchat and the Scriptmag Neighborhood. And naturally, there may simply be a author’s group ready to your down the (literal) road. Verify your space for Meetup teams.
3. Take part in webinars (or host your individual)
I just lately had the possibility to attend one in every of Carol Tice’s webinars about errors freelance writers make. In the course of the webinar, I had the chance to affix a dialog with writers from world wide and share questions, solutions and concepts.
Take be aware: Carol herself—now a significant advocate for freelance writers—has constructed a big group of writers by internet hosting webinars and offering sources and help. Take into account beginning your individual group or internet hosting webinars based mostly by yourself distinctive expertise.
As a contract author, it’s very important to be pleasurable to work with—else, there can 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.
