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Here are a few tips I’ve learned over the years to make your freelance assignments stand out and make you irresistible to assignment editors.
Contact your sources well before your deadline. This seems like a no-brainer, but all too often my e-mail inbox gets inundated before I make a note of my article deadline. It’s important to read the article assignment thoroughly when you first receive it and make a note of suggested sources, when the assignment is due, and if you have any questions for your editor. People go out of town, or have their contact information changed, so contacting sources early can help you avoid stress later down the road.
Use your judgment when it comes to interviewing sources. Some freelance articles I write are 250-word pieces about a new local business or product and others are 600+ human interest stories. I usually can conduct interviews by phone for the smaller articles and try my best to set up in-person interviews for the longer pieces. I also try to send a few interview questions to my sources ahead of time so they will have time to formulate responses or get an idea of the article topic before we speak. These small details make for a more polished piece and show a level of professionalism, in my opinion.
If you are in a bind, don’t be afraid to ask for an article extension, especially if you have a good relationship with your editor. I know this may go against your beliefs as a writer, but there are times when it is necessary, especially if not doing so results in turning in shoddy work. I can recall one time when I should have asked for a deadline extension and did not. I had the flu, and interviewed a local gardener about her backyard patio oasis by phone while I was obviously feverish. I dashed off the piece quickly because I was on deadline, and a few days later she asked to look over some of her quotes. Imagine my surprise when she pointed out I had several facts and key points in the 250-word piece completely wrong, and I had to explain that I had been ill when I wrote the article (which was embarrassing, to say the least). Luckily, I had time to resubmit the article with corrections to my editor, who was very understanding. I’ve since learned from that mistake and don’t rush jobs, and I especially don’t turn in things that I’ve worked on with a raging fever!
What do you think makes a writer irresistible to editors? Have you made any freelance writing mistakes you can share with us so I don’t feel alone? I’d also love to hear about tried and true practices when working on writing assignments.
