I wish these antibiotics would take hold – I’m still feeling achy and weak, though my headaches have cleared up and I don’t feel as feverish. I have one more article to finish, then I can relax a little until the next surge comes.
I was thinking about risk management this week – of course, since it’s a specialty – and I realized that writers are risk-averse creatures. Sure, we have business risks and we try to have airtight contracts and assurances in writing so we get paid (rightfully so). But when it comes to actual risk – sticking out our necks, going for it, accepting challenges – we prefer the safe little bubble we’ve created for ourselves.
Put work into a maybe. Let me clarify – put work into a maybe for yourself, not necessarily a client and certainly not if there’s no pay attached (on the client side – it’s okay to work for free for yourself). That’s the exception. But there’s something you’ve always wanted to try, or have thought “I wish I could do that, if only I had time.” Today, make the time. You can sit there dreaming about that big career, or you can get off your ass and create it. One leads to more dreaming. The other leads to better odds.
Infuse your work with personality. How many articles, writers’ websites, etc. have you read that are absolutely on point, but utterly boring? I know of one pretty popular blog that has some good information, but it’s like taking a sleeping pill to read. Why? Why didn’t the writer inject some personality? Just because you present it in a technically perfect way doesn’t mean you can’t bring personality into it. In fact, you should. Those who treat every assignment as a creative venture – even the boring assignments – can’t help but get excited about breathing life into a dull topic. I see these assignments as personal challenges – how can I make that topic sing?
Say no if it sucks. Hard to do when you’re out of projects and money? Not if you trust in your own skills enough to market higher up the food chain. Just because they’ve offered you work doesn’t mean it fits you. If it doesn’t, say no even if your bank account is begging for mercy. You’ll not regret it.
Instead of avoiding it, learn it. It’s easy to say “Oh, I don’t know SEO” or “I’m not that great at editing.” How much better will your work be if you put effort into strengthening your weaknesses and enhancing your skills?
Embrace a ‘What the hell’ moment. I’m a firm believer in taking chances even if I’m not sure of myself entirely. It’s how I got the job as senior editor at the magazine, how I scored any number of ongoing magazine gigs, and how I’ve built a client base that I’m thrilled to be working with. Erase all your doubts and say “What the hell – if I fail, I fail. Life goes on.”
Because it does.
What risks do you take? How have they improved your career?
My risk this year is to publish ebooks. I make time for my own project and when there's a lull between client assignments, I put in more time on them. That doesn't mean i don't market less for client work though, because I still need the income as I grow this aspect of my business.
I haven't seen the results yet, but I expect that in time the ebooks will improve my career.
My risk tends to be going for the big interviews. For new-to-me markets, I secure permission before pitching the story, since nothing looks worse than promising what you can't deliver.
Sure, gatekeeper publicists might say no, but if you're requesting interviews for articles (and perhaps even more important: audiences) relevant to the high-profile interviewee, more often than not you'll probably get the interview. It never hurts to ask.
Your saying no if it sucks advice really hits home. You're right when you write "just because they've offered you work doesn't mean it fits you." As a matter of fact, I get the impression more and more that just because they've offered me work it likely means it doesn't fit me!
I love this list! I'd say writing doesn't come without its risk. It is a risk to share your work. It is a risk to write it. It is a risk every time you submit your work and put it out there. Eventually you get better at it, but it's always scary. For me, the biggest risk I've taken is to just try-applying for jobs I don't think I'll get or networking with people I admire. It's doing these two things that has helped me to advance my career. It's my passion that makes the risk seem worth it.