Back in the day, I remember having what can only be described as an unhealthy fear of editors. Between my first published clip and me was that editor, faceless, nameless, looming like an evil force with a red pen, just waiting to impale me on my own prose. Yes, it was a pretty deep fear.
Funny what time and experience can do to the attitude. Having been an editor, I now understand what goes through the minds of some editors (I won’t claim to know how all of them tick). Editors, especially editors with strapped budgets and barely a staff, want someone to make their lives easier. And we writers are well positioned to be a trusted partner. Here’s how we can do it:
Suggest a few ideas. Sometimes editors like options. If you approach them with one idea that doesn’t fly, it’s okay to hit them with another, but why not offer up two at once? It shows the editor that you understand the focus and the needs of that publication. And it helps the editor to see you’re not a one-trick pony.
Get it right the first time. That may mean asking a few more questions up front, but make sure the questions aren’t of the “Whom should I call and what should I ask?” variety. Rather, ask if there’s a particular contact the editor would like to see quoted or if there are any questions the editor would like to see answered by the article. If you’ve framed your query correctly, the last question may answer itself, but it’s not uncommon for editors to put their own spins on your idea. That’s when you
Go with the flow. It’s not about proposing an idea, etching it in stone, and guarding it like your firstborn. It’s about cooperation and collaboration. If the editor comes back with a twist on your idea, take it as a chance to open a dialogue and do a little brainstorming or quick discussion, letting the editor take the lead on the conversation.
Share additional ideas. Show your editor you’re on top of it by sending an interesting link on the subject. I do this sometimes AFTER the article’s been published. It works the other way, too. When editors send links for you to consider, comment on them. Recently a client and I had a nice conversation on a link he’d sent. It gives you both a chance to talk shop and it gives you more credibility when you pitch the next idea.
How do you work well with others?
You just detailed how I work with my editors. When possible, I also suggest possible sidebars or quick bits of added value for the pieces I'm pitching.
Recently, while rounding out national sources for a new article, I came across a local place doing exactly what my article is focusing on. I shot my editor an e-mail, saying it might be a stretch, and asking if she thought it would fit with the article or not. She suggested a little blurb of a sidebar on that as a microcosmic example of the national trend. Which reminds me….I still need to contact that place!
It's the added value, isn't it? They want help in putting together a great publication. We're in a position to be that help. It's a win-win.
Contact that place, Paula. 🙂
I used to be in awe of editors and also feared them, but then I started freelancing full time and I joined the NUJ. I soon realised they were human just like me, and then of course, I became an editor.
We don't have to do such detailed outlines here in the UK – published articles are so short only a paragraph is necessary. However, I do always suggest photograps and sidebars and boxes and suchlike