Many mornings, when I face my blank blog page, I don’t have any idea what I will write. Generally within minutes, however, something comes to me. Today, I became aware of my topic while reading one of my many morning emails. The topic has to do with writer reliability and responsibility.
Here’s the deal. When you agree to write a piece for the local newspaper, a magazine or a weekly/monthly newsletter, the editor is counting on you to fill that space. When you go on vacation and decide you can’t pull together your column, you get a bee in your bonnet and choose to no longer contribute or you got busy and just didn’t get it together, you’re letting your editor (and your readers) down.
On the other hand, writers can be flakey. Editors, it is a good idea to always, always have backup material designed to fill space just in case an expected article or column doesn’t show up. You’re the one who is responsible for the publication, after all.
It’s not easy running or managing a newspaper, magazine or even newsletter. Those deadlines can be killers. Just like with the airlines and rental car agencies, a good editor will often overbook. Then, if someone doesn’t meet deadline, they are covered. Of course, then you risk one of your writers being angry because her piece wasn’t used.
It’s not easy being on either end of the writing/editorial spectrum for many reasons. This is just one of them. But it would be easier for everyone involved if writers would take responsibility and be reliable no matter what. When you are getting paid to write something and/or you have committed to contributing a column piece for every issue, it is not fair or ethical to suddenly feign writer’s block. It isn’t cool to claim that you are not inspired to write this week or even to report that you were just too busy to follow through. When you do this, you are letting someone down. You are breaking a promise.
If you know that you can’t write on demand or you don’t want to be tied down to a monthly gig, don’t make any promises. Tell the editor upfront that you may not be able to contribute every month. Of course, this isn’t a very good way to establish a reputation as a reliable freelance writer.
Rather, I’d like to see you:
• write several columns ahead when you do have the time so you are prepared when something comes up.
• set yourself some strict deadlines weeks ahead of the actual deadline so you are always ready with something to submit.
• learn how to quickly transform articles and other material that you have on hand (such as your blog posts) into appropriate columns.
If you are the editor of a newsletter or magazine, be prepared for flaking.
• Double book.
• Get something in writing from your writers.
• Give them a heads up 10 days or so before deadline.
Here’s the deal: it takes a whole heck of a lot more work to create and maintain a good reputation as a writer. But only one sloppy act of undependable behavior could flush it all down the toilet.
This is just one of the points I teach in my Article-Writing course. http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm