The Truth About Freelancing

by

Glenn Laing

Highlights from September 1993 Meeting

Our first meeting of the year featured presentations by Kathlyn Gay, Steve Sizer, and C.J. Petlick. Each spoke on a different aspect of freelancing, and their presentations complemented each other very nicely. Here is a summary of what they had to say:

Kathlyn Gay began freelancing in the 1970s while working as a staff writer for a variety of organizations. She started by sending out articles and short stories while still employed, then struck out on her own, and is now the author of "more than 60 books" — she is not sure exactly how many. Most of her books are non-fiction, targeted at grade school to college-level readers, and discuss environmental and social issues. Most recently, she finished a reference book on the rain forests of the world that took much research and resulted in a 1000-page manuscript — a massive project even by her standards.

Kathlyn said that "dedication is 90% of the job." Her day starts at 7:00 a.m. and often goes late. She devotes her mornings to writing, with absolutely no interruptions, and catches up on correspondence in the afternoon. She does much of her research and correspondence on-line, by accessing databases and conferences through CompuServe. Computer searches are "a marvelous tool," she said, and have saved her a lot of legwork in recent years. For example, she can access the on-line catalogs of major libraries all over the country and have books sent to her local library at IUSB. It still takes some legwork to get interviews, but many of her sources now correspond with her through E-mail.

About writing for a living, Kathlyn said she "can’t imagine doing anything else." She always wanted to be a writer, and writing provides a platform for self-expression and dissemination of ideas that isn’t available in any other field. When she was starting out, she sent out many query letters and sample chapters. Now that editors know her, the job is a little easier. But you still have to sell your idea, she said, no matter how good that idea may be. Recognizing the timeliness and saleability of an idea is part of the creativity that freelancing requires.

For example, several years ago Kathlyn wrote a manuscript for a book on sports superstitions, to be called Sports Superstitions, and pitched it to a publisher. They turned her down. About a year later, she pitched it to them again (same publisher, different editor) with a new title: They Don’t Wash Their Socks. This time they bought it. Same book, different title.

Her advice to prospective freelancers is keep good records and never throw anything away. Her most recent book is called Getting Your Message Across. It’s a compilation of articles on communications and interpersonal skills that she wrote over the past twenty-some years. The articles are still timely, and she assembled the manuscript entirely from her files.

Steve Sizer is one of the owners of Marketing Partners, Inc., in St. Joseph. His company is a full-service firm and addresses whatever subject, format, and audience the clients require. Because of this need for flexibility, the company no longer maintains a staff of full-time writers but depends entirely on freelancers with a variety of skills and knowledge.

Steve said he always needs writers who work quickly, accurately, and can produce what he needs on time and within budget. He values good freelancers, treats them like full-time employees, and expects them to act that way in return. In fact, he objected to parts of Peter Kent’s book, Technical Writer’s Freelancing Guide, which seemed to him to be down on agencies. "We take care of good freelancers," said Steve.

This is a good time to break into the business: "We’re entering the era of the freelance writer — the freelance everything." Steve had the following advice for prospective freelancers:

• "We’re not in the creative writing business," he said. His company produces "purpose built" writing for clients. Creativity is only useful if it addresses the client’s needs.
• When you’re tackling a new format or topic, "avoid reinventing the wheel." Steve said he learned to write speeches by reading other speeches. Give people what they want and expect, and experiment with it only after you’ve mastered the basics.
• Have a good resume and a good portfolio (no poetry, please). Keep it up to date and keep the agencies and your other contacts informed of your availability and skills.
• Remember that you’re providing a service and keep the right attitude. When you walk into an agency or when you call on a client, your presentation should say: "Here’s what I can do for you."
• Finally, be flexible, be a quick study, and don’t be afraid to copy what’s already been done, if it’s been done right.

When asked how he selects writers, Steve said it’s "extraordinarily difficult." This is where the writer’s portfolio comes in. He looks closely at portfolios and values demonstrated ability, thorough knowledge of the material, and an ability to "get the message across." He admits that he doesn’t see many good portfolios, but he tries to match assignments to a writer’s strengths. When he finds a writer who does something well, that’s what he hires the writer to do.
C.J. Petlick’s background is in graphic design with some training in technical writing. He is currently working under contract as the Documentation Coordinator for Bosch Storage Systems in Bridgman, MI, a subsidiary of Robert Bosch of Germany. Previously, he worked for seven years as a freelance book designer for publishers throughout the United States. As a matter of personal preference, he primarily targeted university presses and publishers of college textbooks as clients. C.J. echoed what Steve Sizer said earlier about a freelancer’s suitability for certain kinds of work: find out what you’re good at, and then do that.

C.J. had the following advice for marketing and promoting yourself as a freelancer:

• Freelancing is "recession proof." When times are tough, like now, companies reduce their in-house staff and the demand for freelancers picks up. When times are good, companies hire freelancers to handle the overflow.
• As a freelancer, cultivate long-term relationships with "deep pockets" clients. This will lead to repeat business, and you’ll do better, faster work if you already know the client’s expectations. Also, you’ll spend more time making money and less time making sales.
• With all the technology that’s available now (fax, overnight services, electronic bulletin boards, etc.), geography is not a factor for freelancers. When C.J. worked as freelancer, he had no clients in Michigan or Indiana.
• A professional image and professional conduct are essential. Your appearance, resume, and portfolio should all be the highest quality. And all your work should be done right, not just "good enough." C.J. has noticed that many freelancers seem "half-hearted" about their work. This lack of dedication can be frightening to clients who have seen freelancers disappear halfway through projects. As Steve Sizer said earlier, truly professional freelancers are highly valued.
• Meet all deadlines. This sounds obvious, but there’s more than your reputation at stake. If you miss deadlines, your in-house contact takes the heat, and that’s the last person you want to offend.
• Don’t work at home. It’s too distracting. Go to the local library instead or arrange to work at the client’s location. Working on-site is ideal for access to client contacts.
• Cultivate professional relationships with others in related fields, such as illustration, design, CAD, and marketing, so that you can offer more services. Don’t bill yourself as a "do-all" operation. Instead, farm out the tasks that you don’t do well.
  

Originally published in the November 1993 issue of the Watermark.

Return to Best of the Watermark