Put These 'Take-Home' Lessons to Work

Randy DotingaThere’s something about “take-home message” that rubs me the wrong way.

With a few exceptions, most things I take home ultimately end up in my stomach, in a landfill or under the couch. Sure, the books stick around. But they only molder on shelves while some hot young thing by Robert Caro or Mary Roach finds its way to the bedside table.

Valuable lessons deserve better. That’s why I’m introducing Take Your Message to Work Year.

For the rest of 2013, devote some time to reviving some take-home messages. To get you started, here are a few lessons I learned at the ASJA Annual Writers Conference earlier this spring:

1. Followers Matter. Their Followers Matter More.

Let’s say you’re on Twitter. And Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest. Plus Tumblr and Instagram. You’re the grand vizier of the social media world, and zillions of people await your every word.

Or do they?

Here’s the truth. “Everyone will miss almost everything you share on social media,” says technology guru Sree Sreenivasan, who gave his annual batch of social-media tips to a big crowd at ASJA 2013.

That’s because only a tiny chunk of the world actually follows your posts. And many of them, drowning in social-media overload, might not be paying attention.

Sometimes they’ll do this on purpose. It’s possible, as I’ve discovered, to “mute” people on Twitter using various programs or “hide” them on Facebook. (I haven’t muted or hidden you, of course. Heavens no. Your every word is crucial to me!)

What to do? Sreenivasan puts it this way: “Your followers are not as important as the followers of the people who follow you.” How do you reach them? By interacting with your followers, especially those who influence others.

2. They’re Writing for Free. You Might Be Too.

Think for a moment of the Huffington Post. Are your lips curling downward? Do you look like you just smelled something awful?

If so, you’ve got plenty of company. HuffPo, which doesn’t pay many of its contributors, is the leading villain in the freelance journalism world.

Critics contend that paying nothing for writing sets a terrible precedent and devalues freelance journalism. (It doesn’t help that “free” is already in the name of our line of work.) But several journalists at ASJA 2013 told a crowd that HuffPo boosts their profiles, their platforms and — ultimately — their bank accounts.

Consider this: Many of us already write for free to promote our work. How? By posting a message on Facebook or sending out a tweet. Or by appearing on a radio talk show to promote a book or writing a free op-ed for a local weekly.

In many cases, someone else (like Mark Zuckerberg) is making money off us while supplying a platform and the hope of promotional dividends.

Is HuffPo different? Is it bad for freelancers? Writers must answer these questions themselves. One of ASJA’s roles is to educate writers, and we can help them navigate this debate with reliable information and expert perspectives.

3. Follow the Rules. But Not Always.

We all know the rules.

Don’t end a sentence with a preposition. Don’t begin a story with a quote. Keep resumes and pitches to one page.

That’s all good advice, except when it isn’t.

North Carolina journalist Matt Shaer told an audience that his first pitch to New York magazine didn’t capture his story in a few paragraphs. Instead, it went on for pages and pages and clocked in at 1,600 words.

The magazine loved it and put his story on the cover. Shaer has since become an author and is one of New York magazine’s top contributors. He’s created a sterling freelance career despite a pitch letter chock full of more words than the Declaration of Independence.

That’s great news for all of us engaged in the pursuit of happiness (writing division).

The lesson: Sure, the rules matter. But the story matters more.

Now there’s a take-home message to keep around where you can see it.