The Writing Brief: Questions To Ask

For freelance writers, the key to a successful working relationship with editors is to give editors what they ask for. Keep an editor happy and you will be certain to get repeat commissions. Sometimes the best way to do this is to ask questions to make sure you both know what you will be writing. Here are five questions I ask whenever I'm dealing with a new writing client.

1. What Should I Write?
   
   As a freelance writer, I need to have clear idea of an editor's expectations if I want to get paid to write and get published. That means getting a clear brief which includes:
   
   1. the length of the article required.
   2. where it will go in the publication
   3. what it needs to cover.
      
      
   Most editors like you to stick pretty closely to the word count, as they use this to plan their publication. If you need to go over or are likely to be under, it's best to check that that's OK before submitting an article.
   
   It's also important to know what should be covered, rather than assuming. If you are writing about oranges for a health magazine and a food magazine, then you will take a different writing slant for each publication. For the health magazine, you might consider genetically modified foods, while for the food magazine, you could focus on recipes. Getting the right steer from the editor will help you to keep your article on track.
   
   Editors don't just want words; they also need to illustrate your articles, so check whether you will need to supply pictures or information for sidebars. If you have information related to your main topic which doesn't fit in the article, then use it in a sidebar. Another option is to create tables, graphs or charts from any statistics that you quote. Added value for the editor means more freelance writing work for you.
   
   
2. When Do You Want It?
   
   The writing deadline is crucial, so ask this question early so that you can plan your schedule. If you meet the deadline, then you will get more writing work. If you miss the deadline, you probably won't. Working successfully with an editor means always meeting the deadline.
   
   
3. Are You Offering Credit?
   
   Whether you get credit for your writing work will depend on the type of writing you are doing. If it is ghostwriting, then in most cases you won't get the credit. If you are writing for magazines, then you will probably get a byline and may even be able to include a short bio. Keep copies of all your published work to improve your writing portfolio.
   
   

4. What About Copyright?

   Unless you are ghost writing on a work for hire basis, then the copyright for any original work belongs to you. When your work is published, the publication buys the right to use it. It's like renting out your material, but you need to make sure that the terms of the lease are favorable. In general, you should offer first serial rights (the right to be first to publish your material for the first time in a magazine) or first online rights. Never sign your rights away completely. Assign rights for a limited time and then you can publish the article as a reprint and get paid for it again.

5. How And When Will I Get Paid?

   Getting paid for your writing can be a test of your negotiating skills. No one wants to make the first move, but someone has to. What you get for an article will depend on the budget of the publication, the rights they are buying and your ability to push the rate up. You can get guidance on rates from organizations such as the National Writers' Union in the US and the National Union of Journalists in the UK.

   Once you've established a figure, find out how the editor wants to be invoiced and who you should invoice. If you can, get payment on delivery rather than on publication. (It's a long shot, but you can try). And remember, if an editor has asked you to write an article, you should be paid for it, even if that article is never used.

   Once you've got the answers to those questions, try to get a written (or email) record. One way to do this is to summarize what you've agreed on and say that you will assume that the details are correct unless you hear from the editor. Then it's time to start writing, get published and eventually get paid.

~Sharon Hurley Hall

Sharon Hurley Hall has worked as a writer and journalist for 20 years and now freelances successfully, working from home as a ghostwriter and web content writer. She is passionate about writing and has taught and mentored several people to help them develop successful freelance writing careers.