Five Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Freelance Writer

When you need a quality writer that will do exactly what you’re asking for, you may think it’s a simple task. But in reality, there are millions of writers around the world, and choosing the right one for your project could be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

The job can certainly be made easier if you’re using a freelance site to find writers, as these types of sites offer much in the way of tools you can use to communicate with prospective writers. But there are still several important questions to ask your would-be freelancer that can help make which writer to choose a much less stressful experience.

Ask Yourself First

The most important question to ask is what you need your writer to do for you. Does the project require design in addition to writing, or technical skills that not all writers possess? If so, these are important items to list in your project description. If not listed, much confusion on both sides could result if expectations aren’t clearly outlined prior to project start.

Communication

Working virtually means that more communication may be needed than if you were working with your writer in person. So ask your writer how they plan to communicate with you, and how often. If the writer’s plan is to only communicate once or twice per week and you don’t feel this is enough, ask them if they would be able to communicate with you more often. If they refuse to do so, this writer may not be the right one for your project.

In addition to the frequency of communication, enquire about how many modes of communication are available to the writer. For example, in addition to email, a writer may have access to voice or web cam chat. Knowing all of the types of communication they have available can allow for more productive conversation in the event you find one type isn’t getting your message across in the manner you desire.

Who Is The Real Writer?

While this question may seem like a no-brainer, it’s important to be aware that there are teams of freelance writers who may work on one project together, and then split the payment between them. This could mean that your project contains different writing styles, something that may not be desirable to you. If you prefer the style of one writer, then knowing beforehand who will be doing the work can help you avoid mistakenly hiring a team of writers.

Payment

Find out how your prospective writer expects to be paid. Freelance writers often have their own payment terms. If you find a writer whose style you like, but whose payment terms could be better, ask them if they would be willing to alter their terms slightly for your project. And don’t be surprised if you get asked by your prospective writer to slightly alter your terms. Being able to come to an agreement in a logical and civil way is crucial if you plan to hire a writer long-term.

Track Record

If your writer is an experienced one, they will have a portfolio of their previous writing projects. Looking at these will not only allow you to assess the industries they have written for in the past, but you may also be able to get information about what their other clients thought of their work. Some freelance sites offer statistics about each writer, including comments from their other clients and ratings for their work. All of this information can give you a good overall picture of what your writer may be able to accomplish for you.

Citations:

• questions to ask a freelancer

Guest author Ruth Suelemente is a seasoned freelancer, and has hired several for her company.  They generally focus on technology topics such as who the best internet providers are available in Houston.

 

How to Remain in High Demmand as a Ghost-Writer

Many more books than you might realize are written using ghost writers. While sacrificing cover credits may be a blow to some writer’s egos, many find ghost writing to be a lucrative and rewarding career. Ghost writers can often make tens of thousands of dollars per project. It is not the same as any book writing, though, and there are some things to keep in mind if you want to become an effective ghost writer.

-        Work Well With Others

• As a ghost writer, it is essential that you collaborate with the author in a positive and successful way. Ghost writing requires a lot of teamwork, because it is your job to satisfy the author’s vision. Take as much time as you need to understand the project, and be sure to include the author in the process of writing. You may want to have your work reviewed chapter by chapter to make sure you are on track, rather than write an entire book that later needs major revision. Do your best to communicate with the author throughout the project.

-        Find Their Voice

• Since you are writing for someone else, you will want to do your best to capture his or her voice. Pay close attention to the way they speak or the style in which they have written parts of the book. You will want to emulate their voice and remain consistent throughout. This is especially important for memoirs.

-         Agree on Conditions

• Before you begin the project, you want to make sure both parties agree on conditions. You want to divide up the labor of the book and ascertain exactly what you are responsible for completing as the ghost writer from the very start. Who will do the research? When will the author review the material you complete? Who will pay for expenses? When is the deadline? Is a confidentiality agreement required? You will want to sign a contract.

-        Market Yourself

• Use Web sites to locate potential ghost writing jobs, and advertise your services on them, too. Web sites like journalismjobs.com and freelancedaily.net advertise ghost writing gigs. If you have an expertise, you may find ghostwriting opportunities in your field.  Network with other writers, editors and agents to find potential clients. Make sure everyone knows you are willing to ghostwrite.

-        Have a Diverse Portfolio

• Make sure you have a portfolio to offer to potential clients, and make sure it will appeal to authors that are looking for a ghostwriter. Have a variety of different writing samples that show your range and versatility as a writer. Authors want to find a ghostwriter that will be able to adapt well to their needs, not someone with a very distinct, original style.

-        Be Polished

• As a ghostwriter, you should do a lot of your own editing and proofreading before offering a finished product to your author. Whether you submit work chapter-by-chapter or as a whole, make sure you use a spell and grammar checker to go over your work. It isn’t appealing when your book contains simple spelling or grammar mistakes. You want to make sure to present the best product possible if you hope to get referrals or be hired again.

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