Comments on: The Process

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 22:57:39 +0000

Well, she got it done. Said she didn't run into any layout issues. But she also have to change some photos with the old names in them. Never ends.

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 20:14:32 +0000

Anne, great insight. What I find is that a good number of clients believe that what you hand them as a draft is the final product. I always tell them we're a team -- we work on revisions so that I can learn their voice and preferences. I can't please them if they won't let me!

Oh gawd! That's awful, Paula. It's times like these you wish for Microsoft's interface.

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 20:09:49 +0000

If only she could use find/replace – but she's not using a word processing software. She's using some high-end design software…and because the new words aren't the same length as the old words, she probably ran into some layout issues – you know how even "widows" or "orphans" can ruin a clean section or page break.

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 19:13:29 +0000

The expectation setting is so important… many potential clients think we can guarantee their success with our writing… apples and oranges that can make a nice fruit salad, but only when the writer's roll is understood.

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:06:43 +0000

Devon, I got that a lot when I edited book manuscripts. Even when I was ghostwriting, I'd get the same question: "Where will you send it once it's finished?" Back to you, honey, because I'm not your publicist.

Paula, that should be an easy fix for her if she uses the Find/Replace function. Okay, it may not happen in two seconds, but I'd guess 20-30 minutes depending on the document size and number of instances of the word.

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:44:56 +0000

Their. Not they're, but hey, we need to save perfection for paying clients.

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:42:37 +0000

Before e-mail became the most efficient way of distributing press releases I had would-be clients assume WRITING a press release also meant printing it out, coming up with the mailing list, and mailing it out. One guy was outraged that I'd charge so much and not "do the whole job." Then I pointed out that the cost of my paper, envelopes, ink and the postage alone would probably cost more than I was charging. My time and skill isn't free, either. I'm sure I wasn't the only writer to reject his offer.

Just yesterday my sister had a long-time client inform her they're organization's name is changing from "institute" to "center," and their former "centers" are now called "groups" (or something like that). And oh - remember the 55-page booklet she's been designing and is due in less than 24 hours? They need her to swap "center" for "institute" and "centers" to "groups" throughout the entire booklet. They told her around 5 PM Thursday and needed it first thing Friday. They'd known about the change for several weeks, too. She did it, but tripled her fee.

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:20:13 +0000

Yup, all of those are important. Especially "define level of involvement." More and more places that look for press releases want to pay a pittance, then not pay to have the writer do the distribution using the writer's contacts. No, honey, you're paying me to WRITE it. And you'll pay my rate, or I won't. My hard-won contact list costs a lot more than that, and my time is hourly if I'm doing the distribution, too.

I do very little phone communication. I realized, yesterday, my cell phone's been off for an entire week. I never even missed it. My clients know that they can reach me by email during business hours. If we need to talk by phone, we can set an appointment. But there is no incessant calling to nag at me. My work gets in on time, and that can only happen if I have quiet time in which to work.

I LOATHE the phone. I wouldn't own one if I could get away with it.