What I’m reading: The Skull Beneath the Skin by PD James (finished it!)
What’s on the iPod: All You Ever Do is Bring Me Down by The Mavericks
Where I come from, people are familiar with the term “redneck” and yes, even in places where the people live simply, it’s not considered a compliment. In my hometown, folks may not live to show off their material wealth, but they live and love strongly. They may be basic, but they’re genuine, welcoming and, in my opinion, the best friends a person could ask for. Some may claim to be redneck, and if they do, I take that to mean redneck in the original sense of the word.
Back before the Scots – specifically the lowland Presbyterians – fled Scotland for Ulster, Ireland area, they supported the National Covenant and The Solemn League of the Covenant. Simply put, they wanted to keep their religion instead of being force to adopt the Church of England. Between 1631 and 1641, they signed their intentions on documents that told the British Crown that they wanted to remain Presbyterian. Some were so committed to it they signed their names in blood. And to publicly display their loyalty to a Presbyterian Scotland, they wore red pieces of cloth around their necks. Enter the term “redneck.”
So these rednecks – how would they build a writing career? On their terms. You could learn a lot from a redneck.
Say what you mean. The original rednecks weren’t shy about stating what it was they wanted and what they meant by it. The same goes for your career, whether you’re speaking to a client or having an internal conversation. Say it like you mean it.
Mean what you say. You don’t have to sign contracts in blood, but may sure whatever you agree to is what you meant to agree to. Also, don’t just say it to get the job. “Sure, I’ll work for fifty bucks!” You don’t mean that. You mean “Sure, I’ll work for fifty bucks per hour if you promise via contract to give me 10 more projects.”
Commit fully. You want to have a writing career? Then put all the effort you can muster into it. Don’t do hit-and-miss marketing, don’t put mediocre effort into your writing, and don’t quit every time you get a rejection.
Dissent when required. If those working conditions or contract terms don’t suit, don’t settle. Speak up, push back, and negotiate until you’re just as satisfied with the terms as your client is.
Be fearless. It took more guts than most could manage to stand up to one’s government. You won’t have to fear death at the hands of a client (or if you do, you need to be rethinking your client marketing strategies), but you will be faced with unpleasant situations – clients won’t like the product, can’t behave like humans, or simply want to control everything. Stand up for your rights as a writer and a professional.
Display your loyalty to your craft. If you’re a writer, say so. Get business cards, a website, and an online presence. Learn everything you can, then keep learning. No one writer or editor knows it all, so don’t get smug and sit back saying “I do it this way” when another way may work even better for you. Continue to grow as a writer and your career will grow as a result.
How have you built your career on your terms? Anything specific come to mind?
6 responses to “Redneck Guide to a Better Career”
Yes. That's one reason I'm not as rich as I could be. 😉 Both in the theatre and in my writing, I've stuck to my guns about what I wanted.
The few times I did something JUST for the cash, and not for the cash AND commitment to the project, I truly regretted it.
It has been interesting watching my freelance career evolve. With more time under your belt, I think you become more confident in your abilities and you are not quite as inclined to make desperate decisions.
My mantra for this year was "work smarter." And I have been good about sticking to that. I moved away from taking what I call "admin" work and I keep my work to what I do best – writing.
Recently, a client of mine asked me to do copyediting for a newsletter he is planning. It will have 9 or so different authors for the articles. I know he is on a tight budget and I started to work up a quote. Then I stepped back and thought, "I really don't like copyediting work. And even if I did it, I know he wouldn't be able to pay what I was asking."
So, I told my client that I wasn't doing copyediting anymore. I was sticking to the writing, but I referred him to someone I have used for copyediting.
A year ago, I would have done that quote and underpriced it and hated every minute of it.
I sure am not as rich as I could be either, but one of the big reasons for striking out on my own was to have more control over my decisions and my life.
I can't wait to see what next year brings.
Thanks for the quick, interesting history lesson. With northern European mutt heritage, I've got a good portion of Presbyterian blood in me, so that may explain some things…
For me, "on my terms" was a matter of not caring what other people think–which is a corollary to some of your bullets here. And I mean that in both senses; you can't worry about naysayers and you can't get depressed if you're not a good fit for a given gig.
(Love the Mavericks, by the way!)
And here I always thought "redneck" referred to fieldworkers with sunburned necks.
I don't care to work for micromanagers, and I already fear the newest client may be just that. This publisher insists on weekly updates (down to the number of times you called a potential source), and e-mail he seems to be anti-e-mail. I do like initial phone contact, since it is more personal, but I find e-mail is far more efficient and accurate than phone calls. Speaking of which, I need to call a source who left a message for me after 6 PM Friday. Another source called me at 7:30 AM Monday.
I already want to scream: "If you want me available for phone calls during both east coast and west coast business hours, you need to pay three times what you currently pay." I don't mind putting in extra time when I'm being paid fairly well, but when I compare the per-word rate by the phone calls and transcribing 7-9 interviews, the hourly rate might not be worth it.
I'm with Paula… never knew "redneck" referred to people who were sticking to their guns.
I don't take on projects that I already know sound miserable just to make money, and I don't accept projects that undervalue my work. To me, a writing career is supposed to be more fulfilling than a full-time job at a company. That's the whole reason I wanted to do it in the first place. So I choose the projects that make it fulfilling.
I never thought I'd see that title on your blog, Lori. 😀
I also thought it referred to sunburned necks, so it's nice to learn something new.
I come from an area with many hillbillies. Also not necessarily a compliment most times. But when I think about the hard work, honesty and determination that makes up those people, it becomes a source of pride instead of an insult. And I certainly need some of their tenacity right now.