| More and more "writers" are appearing in the | | | | Very experienced pros can help you publish, |
| market. They blog, write email, use Twitter, and | | | | distribute, and measure your results. Leaders in |
| are rabid Facebook users. There is no shortage of | | | | the field can put a team of creatives together |
| channels for them to express themselves. Are | | | | and provide a turnkey service. I have over 1,400 |
| these the people you should hire? | | | | contacts in my cellphone for just this reason. |
| According to Technorati, currently there are 133 | | | | If a candidate's portfolio shows great prose but |
| million blogs indexed since 2002. An average 900 | | | | their work hasn't had to achieve measurable |
| thousand posts on blogs happen every 24 hours. | | | | results, maybe they should be an essayist or |
| As printed newspapers get skinnier or disappear, | | | | write novels; but, not work for you. Your goals |
| more web channels are opening up from | | | | are more important than their art. |
| publishers, businesses, organizations, and others. | | | | Some great professionals in an organization I |
| More than 72% of bloggers are classified as | | | | belong to, the American Medical Writers |
| hobbyists, meaning that they report no income | | | | Association, brought up a discussion recently |
| related to blogging. Some actually write pretty | | | | about "Content Mills." These companies are signing |
| well. Of course they get to choose the topic. | | | | people up to write for a few bucks an hour. I |
| But writing well doesn't mean they can write to | | | | wish I had the time to do the research and write |
| achieve a goal about your subject. You have a | | | | an article about them. Ads from content mills are |
| stake in your topic, are risking your investment, | | | | dominating CareerBuilder and other job sites now |
| or will spend your time and budget on this project. | | | | - right there with the jobs for selling AVON. |
| If you are going to pay someone to write, I'm | | | | If you search for professional writers or freelance |
| assuming you don't just want them to express | | | | writers on the web you will run smack into many |
| themselves. You want something out of the deal. | | | | of these content mills on the first page. |
| Your goal may be to inform, persuade, enhance | | | | From a quick Google search, the news is that the |
| your image, increase the value of your brand, sell | | | | mills are making big bucks running a virtual sweat |
| a product or service, drive traffic to your site or | | | | shop. Anyone that can type fast can work for |
| event, increase leads, expand your email or | | | | them. |
| mailing list.... or much more. | | | | These typists are known for a lot of plagiarism |
| If you were going to hire someone to run a | | | | and fast "rewrites" of legitimate work they find |
| company, you would want someone with a track | | | | on the web. If someone brings a content mill |
| record of success. If you were going to hire | | | | generated portfolio to me, I wouldn't bother to |
| someone to coach a team, you would want to | | | | look. |
| know their win/loss record. If you were going to | | | | If a "writer" hasn't been paid real money to do |
| employ a person to engineer a new product, | | | | work, pass. They aren't a pro and your goals will |
| certainly you would require someone with the | | | | get lost in the process. |
| right education and experience, and the actual | | | | This surge in the supply of writers isn't surprising. I |
| physical item they made, so you can see and | | | | saw this type of growth in the 1980's when |
| touch how well they did. | | | | desktop publishing erupted. Buy a computer - |
| Hiring a writer is no different. | | | | open an ad agency. Early this decade, when video |
| The bigger the track record of measured | | | | became affordable with digital cameras and post |
| success, the better writer they may be for you. | | | | production on the desktop - buy some software |
| The better the client list they have served, | | | | and become a director and producer. Now with |
| chances are they will be able to hit the mark - at | | | | the web and "cheap publishing channels," more |
| least their brand name clients think so. | | | | people are opening up a writing shop. |
| And if their portfolio (samples of their work) | | | | However, the marketplace has a way of lifting |
| demonstrates a fit with the goals you have for | | | | the talented to the top. |
| the project you want to hire them for, chances | | | | Great talent has the genes (and I'm not talking |
| are they are the best writer for you. | | | | about Levis) in addition to the education and |
| Sounds simple right? Unfortunately, the mix of art | | | | experience. Professional writers either have it or |
| and goals makes it more complicated. | | | | they don't. You have to think about hiring a writer |
| First, before you look for a professional writer, | | | | just like you would think about hiring an |
| you should have clear goals and scope of work. It | | | | accountant, an engineer, or any other professional. |
| would also be helpful to know your budget for the | | | | Do you want your accounting to run you |
| project. Then start the search. | | | | aground? Do you want your product, that an |
| As an advertising & PR agency hiring manager, | | | | engineer makes, not work. I'm sure you don't |
| former managing editor, and video producer, I've | | | | want your communication to fail either. Don't try |
| reviewed thousands of portfolios and hired | | | | to find a writer on the cheap. Chances are you |
| hundreds of writers and other "creatives." if their | | | | will regret it. |
| portfolio has major clients and/or reputable | | | | The best source to find writers is to ask people |
| national publishers or broadcasters, they get more | | | | you know that have a well-written website, |
| than a double-take. | | | | collateral material, news stories, white papers, |
| Goals are more important than art. Almost | | | | blogs, newsletters, etc. Ask who wrote the copy. |
| anyone can write a great email to home, but | | | | Relationships and referrals are the best way to |
| very few can write to meet the clearly stated | | | | find reliable talent. |
| and measurable goals. | | | | One of the top places to look for experienced |
| Professional writers are great communicators. | | | | professional writers is on LinkedIn. I've had a lot |
| They have learned and practiced the steps to nail | | | | of positive results hiring writers, illustrators, graphic |
| down the scope of a project up front, research | | | | designers, web designers and developers on this |
| the topic, write using the style necessary for the | | | | business site. |
| goal, and lead you though the review process. | | | | |