The Business of Writing

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The Business of Writing

Christina Sexton Wilcox

Present Yourself As A Pro

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, professionalism is the key to selling your articles and securing future assignments. Part of your job as a writer is to make the editor's job easier. Not only are your words under scrutiny, your work ethic is, too. Show the editor that you're the right one for the assignment by being thorough, flexible, and courteous. Here are six tips for presenting yourself as a pro.

Follow The Rules
Make sure your manuscript follows the rules set forth in the Writer's Guidelines. Most magazines' Web sites have specific pages devoted to the details of manuscript/article submission. You also can request a copy of these guidelines by sending the magazine a note with a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). Most are very specific.

Should you query or send the entire manuscript?
Are e-mail queries accepted?
What about attaching documents to an e-mail?
Is there a different editor for fiction and non-fiction?

The guidelines will have the answers. Remember they aren't suggestions — they are rules. No matter how compelling your article on the indigenous people of Madagascar may be, if you don't follow the rules your story may end up in the slush pile.

Check The Basics
Once you've formatted your manuscript per the magazine's guidelines, double-check the basics. Proper grammar and correct spelling and punctuation tell the editor that you are a professional.

Check your facts and spelling of proper names.
Offer to provide a reference or source list (required on some technical pieces).
Provide details of artwork or photography that will accompany your piece.

Editors want to feel that you wrote the particular piece for their magazine. But don't direct your correspondence to Bob, if his name is Robert. Don't assume that because an editor has made contact with you, that you are now friends. Use Mr. or Ms. as appropriate. Check the word count and make sure your piece is within the appropriate range. Use a readable and universal font such as Times New Roman, 10 to 12 point. If mailing via postal mail, present clean and clear copies. Always enclose an SASE.

"Don't call us..."
Once you've sent off your query or manuscript, start work on another one. Don't call the magazine in a week to make sure it was received. This only annoys editors and is a sure-fire way to sound inexperienced (and desperate).

Check the editorial response time on the Writer's Guidelines and make a note on your calendar to e-mail (or write) for status. Once that time has lapsed, you can feel free to inquire. Documents do get lost in the (e-)mail, but not that often.

No Whiners
At some point, you may be asked to make changes to your manuscript. This request may come before your article is even accepted. The request itself usually means you're on the verge of being accepted. Make the changes. Don't write back to defend your use of the first person or argue that the last paragraph on page two is essential to the whole premise. Make the changes promptly and send them off.

As a writer, you need to divorce your ego from your manuscript. The sooner you can develop thick skin and accept criticism of your work, the better. If you think of criticism as a learning tool, you might just produce a better product.

Meet Your Deadlines
A deadline is a time limit as to when your article must be finished. There is no excuse for missing a deadline. If you do miss your deadline, chances are you will not be given a second opportunity. Kids, pets, day-job obligations are of no concern to editors who have deadlines of their own to meet. It won't even matter if you are the only one in the world to see the rare pygmy squirrels of Panama. The goal here is to endear yourself to an editor so that your article will be published, you'll be paid and (most importantly) you'll be asked to submit again.

When you agree to a completion date, your article better be in the editor's inbox no later than 8 a.m. that day. This way, you don't put the editor in the position of having to send you an e-mail at some point during the day to make sure the article is, indeed, still going to arrive that day. The easier you make the editor's job, the better your chances of getting more assignments.

Editor's Note: Sometimes, you can't finish an article by 8 a.m. the day the article is due. This invariably happens when you're at the mercy of a source who is looking over the completed article to verify, say, the accuracy of some technical information that you paraphrased from their comments in an interview. When this happens, there is nothing wrong with leaving them an e-mail (or voice mail) message for them to find instead of the article at 8 a.m. The message should be brief, such as: "I wanted to confirm with you that my article will be in today. You can expect to see it by or before 12:30." Then make sure you do everything to get the article in by or before that time; if you blow it, you can almost guarantee that you won't get work from them again.

If the editor you have been working with has been somewhat nervous about the details during your interactions, you might go so far as to add one sentence that states you had a source double-check some technical information for you and expect the comments first thing in the morning. But don't make a general practice of it; most editors only want to know when the article will be in.

Show Me The Money
If you've checked the Writer's Guidelines, you will at least know the range and time frame of your payment (upon acceptance or publication, etc.). Remain focused on getting your article in on time with any requested changes. If the editor is a professional, (s)he will bring up the terms of payment. You'll either be sent forms to sign or, at the least, be asked to provide your Social Security number and mailing address for check processing.

Don't let the payment aspect of it all get in the way of your doing a good job on your article. However, if payment is never discussed and you've checked the guidelines, follow up courteously with the editor as to the process of payment.

You can't go wrong by being meticulous in your prose, compliant to requests, and punctual in your deadlines. The more professionalism you display, the more willing editors will be to accept your articles and even call you for assignments. Keep these tips in mind when sending out your next article and you will convince editors that you are the best writer for the job!