The Freelance Writer's Manifesto

What Every Magazine Editor Should Know About Hiring Freelance Writers

by Nancy Monson

Having attended my fair share of pitching sessions where magazine editors tell writers what they want from them, I'd love to attend a reverse kind of program where writers tell editors how we'd like to be treated. Alas, it will never happen—even if we scheduled such a panel, I doubt any editors would show up!

But that doesn't stop me from hoping. Here, then, is my freelance writer's manifesto.

1. Treat us with respect. Yes, you're the client, but don't expect more from us than you've contracted for or than you're paying us for. Editors tell writers how much they love them all the time, but many treat them disrespectfully: We may not be able to get a hold of an editor on the phone to talk about an assignment, we may have to plow through snarky comments in the margins of our stories, or we may have to wait months for acceptance of a story and then payment. Treat us like the colleagues and collaborators you say you're seeking and you'll likely find writers who are willing to give 110% for you because we feel valued and appreciated. What's more, we'll be there for you come crunch time.

2. Remember we're doing this to make a living. Writers may be a dime a dozen, but those who make a living at this, such as ASJA members, excel at being professionals. We deliver, and that can make your life as an editor a whole lot easier. So give experienced writers the best fees and rights agreements you can. Don't make our relationship adversarial from the start by being stingy: We know you have a bigger budget and better contracts than you're letting on.

3. If you know us or we have decent credentials, respond to our emails and phone calls. We know you're busy. We are too—but we've put a lot of work into our queries and we need a response, yea or nay, to move forward.

4. Don't wield the kill fee for frivolous reasons—for instance, you decide after the fact that the article angle is all wrong, a product sampling survey goes against the expected results, or articles in process get killed due to a change in the masthead or a redesign. Editors don't get docked for work that doesn't get published…neither should writers. And in these cases, assigning editors should stand up for writers with higher-ups.

5. Become a whiz at thinking through and assigning articles. That can save both you the editor and us the writers a lot of time and effort. Many kill fees are more the result of poor or rushed assigning than poor writing.

6. Be willing to pay extra for extensive revisions or angle changes. Many editors seem to think writers should do their bidding, no matter how outrageous, for no extra pay. Again, you get paid for your work, so should we. If an assignment is changed or expanded, payment should be increased—and we shouldn't have to ask for it.

7. Let us see the edits, if not the page proofs, of our articles. Our names go on these articles and our reputations along with them. Sharing the edit shows basic respect for a writer's contribution, and offers the magazine another pair of eyes to ensure the piece is accurate.

8. Give us feedback on our work. Yes, a repeat assignment is the best encouragement, but it's still demoralizing to see your piece completely rewritten in a magazine, especially when an editor said he/she loved it. It's nice to know what we're doing right—and how we could improve our work for you.

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Nancy Monson is a long-time ASJA member whose work has been published in numerous magazines including First for Women, Fitness, Glamour, McCall's, More, Glamour, Redbook, Shape and Woman's Day. She is the author of Craft to Heal: Soothing Your Soul with Sewing, Painting, and Other Pastimes. Her email address is nancymonson (at) earthlink.net if you'd like to respond to her article.