Evergreen Times

Of all the things you specify when working with a freelance writer, tone can be the most difficult to pin down. One person’s “friendly and informal” is another’s “assertive and authoritative,” for example.  Think about the last time you went to a social gathering. Everyone may have been friendly, but different people have different ways of expressing that. 

Personalities come through in writing, even when the tone is fairly neutral. It’s possible for you to commission an article or blog post only to find that, although the brief has been addressed, you aren’t entirely comfortable with the result. 

From your perspective, it may be difficult to explain just why you aren’t happy. The work is publishable, and the facts are correct, but something isn’t quite “right.” Try telling that to your freelancer, and you’re likely to get a response asking you to be more specific. 

How can you avoid this situation, or deal with it if crops up? Let’s dive in!

Choosing Your Freelance Writer: Begin With a Conversation

Determining whether you can work with a freelancer begins with a bit of chit-chat. No, you don’t absolutely have to “click” from the get-go, but there are a couple of things to look out for. Top of the pops? Too big of an ego!

A writer who sees themselves as an “expert” is less likely to take your comments on board, less likely to listen to you in general, and more likely to throw their toys out of the cot if you honestly tell them that what they wrote isn’t quite what you’re looking for. They’re also more likely to convey the impression that, if you hire them, they’re actually doing you a favour. 

A good writer knows that, as the person who is to reflect the client’s “voice,” they may have a learning curve ahead of them. They listen better, they say “Let’s try it out.” They don’t say anything along the lines of:  “You lucky devil, you just got the best in the business. Leave it to me. You’re going to be thrilled to bits.” OK, so no freelancer is actually going to say that in so many words, but that’s what they’ll convey all the same. Back when I used to run a team, I encountered it a few times, and I found writers with big egos extremely difficult to work with.

Choose someone who is willing to learn about you and what you want, even if they are subject-matter experts of one kind or another. You should spot the signals in your early conversations, and if you notice them, you might think twice about working with Mr or Ms Smarty-Pants.

Identify Your Target Audience

One of the most important ways you can help a freelance writer to match the style you have in mind is to define who they are addressing. For example, writing an article about fire safety for an audience of building managers differs from the same facts presented to an audience of building residents. 

Some clients will specify things like income group, profession, age, gender, areas of interest, and geographical location to identify target audiences. Others will create a “persona” of a fictional person they see as being representative of their target market. Whichever route you take, telling your writer about your ideal readers will help them to decide on the appropriate writing style to use when addressing them.

Provide Style Examples

Style examples aren’t the same as sources, so you don’t have to stick to your subject area when showing writers the writing style you’d like them to produce. These examples could be articles you’ve already published or they could come from other websites. 

You may not know why you like your style examples, but that’s for your writer to figure out. A good one will. Even little things like how long the paragraphs are can be indicators of writing style.

Of course, you could prepare a style guide: “lead with verbs,” “avoid passive voice,” and “don’t use a long word if a short one will do,” are examples of what you might include. All the same, I’m inclined to think that examples are a better guide when it comes to tone of voice. Most style guides tend to the technical side and miss out on pinning down “personality.”

Search “Components of writing style” on Google and see what you get. The varying answers you’ll find are just one more example of how defining “style” can be a tricky business. 

Ask For a Trial Article 

Even a freelance writer with a strong track record may not be right for you. They may have hundreds of satisfied clients to back them up, but that doesn’t mean they’re the person you need to express your brand’s persona. That’s not to say that the right person will always offer you exactly what you want on the first try, but that first attempt is still significant. 

If they err, let it be on the side of neutrality. I’ve had clients who asked me to “let my hair down,” for example – and I was happy to oblige with greater informality. If, however, what you receive is absolutely off-base even though you provided a fairly thorough brief, it’s time to move on. 

Should you pay for a trial article? In my opinion, you shouldn’t – not unless it’s longer than 1K words (500 words is usually enough for a trial) or is something you can use. The average freelance writer will be happy to agree to a test piece. If it’s close to what you want, and you think they can patch it up with a few tweaks, give them a chance. If not, it’s time to move on. 

Would You like to Test This in Practice?

I’m not going to promise you that I’m the right writer for your brand. I’ve found myself able to adapt to different “voices” in most instances, but I won’t deny that there were prospective customers I couldn’t seem to please. A few of them used my rejected and unpaid trial work on their websites. They got free work, but lost their writer, so I’m not sure that was the best choice for them.

Some of them found a writer they like working with, and we have years-long relationships to prove it. Want to give it a try? Message me. I might be able to fit you in.