NLGJA Student Central > Food For Thought

By Sean Bugg

The life of a freelancer seems bucolic at first glance — working from home, focusing on assignments you love, setting your own office hours.

Sounds fabulous so far. But then you have to deal with someone like me: an editor.

We’re the ones you have to convince to give you work. Given the broad range of editors’ temperaments, it’s a challenge that begins anew with each publication. It may seem daunting when you think of all those magazines, newspapers and Web sites you want to break into. Your initial pitch is like asking for a first date, and there are no guarantees when it comes to finicky editors.

But what you’re really seeking as a freelancer is a second date. While a first date with the BMOC — Big Magazine on Campus — may be a thrill, it’s going steady with a smaller outlet that usually pays the bills.

It’s not easy to get a first date, either. In addition to the most important part of wooing an editor — having a great idea for a story — pay close attention to these two steps:

Do your research. It’s a bit of a cliché, but you need to know the publication before you make a pitch. You don’t have to read a year’s worth of back issues, but you should have a general knowledge of the tone and content. Paying attention to who writes what will give you an idea what to pitch. For instance, looking at a few issues of Metro Weekly, the Washington, D.C.-based publication that I edit, would alert you that I have a regular film critic, so you won’t get far asking to review the latest movies. Notice instead that I work with a number of stage critics, as well as local news reporters. Offer me what I need, and I’m likely to say yes.

Make yourself presentable. If you have a glaring factual or grammatical error in your pitch, you’ll find the door closed. When you ask for an assignment, you’re asking an editor to take a chance on you. If you can’t get the information in your pitch letter correct, how can an editor trust that your final product will be accurate? So, now that you’ve sealed your first date, how do you charm your way into a second? Here are a few ideas:

Write up to your clips. In these days of online dating, many of us have met people who have brilliant and dazzling profiles, but when they show up for the date they haven’t exactly complied with truth-in-advertising laws. Editors face the same problem with freelancers. Some new writer comes along with a wink and a smile and a stack of clips that read like a dream. But when the editor makes the assignment, the copy that comes in could choke a grammar checker. If you’re shopping around clips that have been heavily edited, then take the time to learn from the edits. If I have to rewrite your copy from the bottom up, correcting basic grammar and fixing flat ledes, I won’t willingly choose to put myself through the process again.

Learn to love the editing process. It’s not the most fashionable thing to say when instantaneous blogging is the hottest trend. But everyone’s writing can use a second set of eyes — maybe even a third or a fourth. Most writers understand the give-and-take of editing. They make a case for things they believe are important — a vibrant anecdote, an interesting style choice — and understand when changes have to be made for a story to better fit the publication’s needs.

Communicate early and often. If there’s a problem, let your editor know. Avoiding phone calls and e-mails until the deadline is nigh will rightly get you labeled as more drama than you’re worth. Is it embarrassing to have to call and ask for a deadline extension? Sure. Will you enjoy explaining that an important source didn’t pan out? Unlikely. But communication about the status of your story will go a long, long way to cementing your relationship. If you’re late once, don’t make a habit of it.

Know your deadline, love your deadline. And don’t even ask me what the “drop-dead” deadline is. Your deadline is your deadline — stick to it.

Finally, use all your talents to tell a great story. If I finish reading your story with the same enthusiasm I had when I started, then it could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2007 issue of NLGJA Outlook. Sean Bugg is the editor in chief of Metro Weekly, Washington, DC's LGBT news magazine.