| |
| |
|
Writing Information |
|
|
|
Why Manners Maketh the Freelance Writer
Lately I've been noticing an odd trend amongst the freelance writers who contact us every week: rudeness. First there was the writer who accepted a job found on our boards and forwarded the completed assignment to the employer with the words, "Project attached. Email me payment immediately." No please, no thank you - in fact, no niceties at all. Needless to say, the employer wasn't impressed (I know because he forwarded the email to me, asking if all of our members were quite so blunt.) He told us that although the writing was of an acceptable standard, and was delivered on time, he wouldn't be using that person again. His reason? He didn't like her manners, simple as that. Then there was the freelancer who provided us the wrong paypal address for her payment. We paid her, not realizing the address was wrong, and it wasn't until a few days later, when she emailed us again, that we realized what had happened. No problem: We cancelled the first payment and immediately reissued it to the correct address, along with an email explaining what had happened. In response, we received a tirade of abuse from the freelancer in question, who had received the paypal cancellation notification, and not bothered to read our explanatory email before she decided to get nasty and assume we hadn't paid her. This piece of vitriol was almost instantly followed by a second missive saying "oops, I've just realized that you did pay me after all." While we were glad that she'd realized her mistake, we were rather less pleased to notice that she made no apology for her first, highly abusive email. Needless to say, this isn't someone we'll be recommending to any other employers in a hurry. Then there was the person who sent an aggressive email in response to our automatic notification of a new project - a notification which, I hasten to add, she'd signed up to receive. "This is the second email I've received from you today!" she said, "For god's sake, stop emailing me!" Now, I dare say that all of these freelancers are superb, highly talented writers. Unfortunately, though, I won't be recommending them to anyone, and if their behavior towards us is typical of their behavior towards other employers, I doubt anyone else will either. The fact is that freelance writing is a business, and it's not just your writing you're selling: it's yourself. No matter how great a writer you are, if you're rude to employers, or difficult to work with, you'll find it very difficult to make a living from it. Above anything else, employers want writers they can work with. Professionals, who won't react to a misunderstanding by lashing out in anger, who won't just demand payment without at least checking that the work is satisfactory, who know how to say "please" and "thank you", and when not to fire off an email that would be better left until the cold light of day. As the actress Lillian Gish once said, "You can get through life with bad manners, but it's easier with good manners." It applies to freelance writing, just as much as to life itself. And if you don't believe me, try cursing out the next editor who accepts your work, and see how far you get! Amber McNaught is a freelance writer and editor and the owner of http://www.WritingWorld.org, an online agency for freelance writers, editors and proofreaders. Amber is also a director of Hot Igloo Productions Ltd, offering press release writing and distribution, as well as website design.
MORE RESOURCES:
Writing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Autobiography: Installment No.3 ESSAY 3Writing an autobiography involves a matching up of a specific plot-structure with a set of historical events. The autobiographer wishes to endow these events with a particular meaning. Water to Swim In Not long ago, I took stock of my unrealized desire to be a published writer, or maybe I should I say â??Writerâ?? with a capital â??W.â?? For some reason it always seemed a lofty goal, to want to see my byline in print. How to Write Headlines for How-to Articles Want to write a how-to article but can't come up with a topic?Start by naming the three biggest problems your customers or clients face. You've just come up with three ideas for three different articles. In Your Own Words More Tips For New Writers (Part I)Explain in your own wordsFamiliar phrase? Yes, we have all heard it many times in many different situations. This little phrase is used to convey subtly different meanings depending upon the circumstances in which it is used. Are Writing Exercises Effective? It was reported that the great American author Sinclair Lewis was once asked to give a lecture on writing to a group of college students: "Looking out at this gathering," he said to the assembled students, "makes me want to know how many of you really and truly wish to become writers?" Every hand in the room went up. Lewis looked at them for a moment and then folded his notes and put them away. 8 Tell-Tale Signs That Forecast Writing Success! 'Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work. Self-Examination Self-examination sheds light on a writers motives, goals, and aspirations, while self indulgence hide the obvious and absorbs any illumination before it occurs.When a writer exams his motives, goals, and aspirations, he opens up new viewpoints because he or she sees other avenues to writing; perhaps the short story writer can see a novel develop from the theme of a short story, or an article to clarify that subject matter. How To Break Into Print Publishing The big question. Do you submit directly to the publishers, or do you find an agent who will do that for you? Based on anecdotal evidence I've heard, it can work either way. The Writer and the Web If your dream is to get published, the chance is before you. The web has opened the portals of opportunity to all aspiring writers, freelance writers, established writers actually to all writers. Balance Your Life Balance your life ----------------------- Writing is a solitary task. Writing needs concentration and quiet. Keep your Book Dream Alive Is your book nearly finished, finished, published, or even in its early stages? Do you want to know how to promote it with ease and low cost?Maybe you have already tried other methods to sell you book and felt tired of?- Submitting unseen or unheard media releases- Chasing book reviews that yielded small negligible results- Selling only a few books at your book signings- Exerting a lot of effort to travel, to speak, only to reap mediocre book sales- Experiencing radio and TV talk show low book sales results- Wondering why your bookstore or distributor has stopped selling your books- Worrying about who will promote your book now that your publisher has stopped- Feeling dismayed your book isn't giving you the ongoing, passive income you hoped for- Feeling discouraged about all the wasted time and money you have spentKeep Your Book Dream AliveJust like you, I wrote Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market your Book Online because as an author, just like you, I was tired of the old ways to get my books sold. Lackluster sales and chasing a low-results pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, I turned to the Internet four years ago. Writing With Power: 5 Snappy Rules For Success Almost everyone could profit from enhancing their writing skills. From writing more crisp meta-tags - which search engine bots find quite sexy - to turbo-charging your blog readership by writing with punch, a skilled pen can propel any online effort in the right direction. Journaling How many of you take the time to really write down your thoughts?Do you know that journaling not only lets you "work" out problems but releases tension and gets the problem off your mind.I started journaling about 10 years ago right after I had my first son. Creative Writing Tips - Have You Established Your Main Character At The Start? In the beginning of your story you have to grab your readers' interest and sustain it till the end. Our hook is our character. Story Building with Imagination In the words of Aristotle, "happiness is self contentedness helping to make children deeply and quietly glad that they are who they are, and gives them a priceless legacy: the strength to meet life's stresses and the courage to become committed, responsible, productive, creative, and fully human adults.. Be Concise Concision. (Sounds like I made up another word. How Can You Find Freelance Work As A Writer? For those looking at the jobs listings for writers, they may find themselves feeling left out. There are simply not enough employment options available. 10 Best Writers Who Ever Lived Compiling a list of the history's ten best writers is like skating on a heated swimming pool. Just when you get started, you find yourself in hot water. Publication Road The journey to having my first novel for children published has been riddled with road blocks and shonky bridges. The good news? At every rickety stage I've picked up tips (and anti-tips) which I'm happy to share with everyone. Ten Tips to Help You Finish Writing Your Novel 1. Set aside a time to write and keep it sacred.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
