Asking For Advice? Do Your Research First

I get a lot of emails from people--sometimes people I know personally, sometimes people who've found me through this blog--asking for advice on starting a freelance writing career. Much of the time, the questions they ask are very general: "How can I get started? Do you have any advice for someone just starting out?" I used to write long, detailed responses to these emails. But lately that's been overwhelming--and I usually give very short responses nowadays.

I don't mean to be curt or unapproachable--and I certainly don't mean to dissuade anyone else from taking this path. But I do get tired of answering this question all the time. Here's why:

Because the answer is long. And it's always changing. "How to get started" isn't a few paragraphs. It's a page or more. People have written whole books on how to get started. And the answer I would have given a few years ago is different than the one I would give now, knowing a little more about the business. I also got my start on Elance, but the way Elance's structure has changed I wouldn't recommend anyone else doing that now. Writing out an entire dissertation on "how to start" every time I get these emails is something I just don't have time for anymore, unfortunately.

Because this question signifies you've done no research. There are so many resources out there for people who want to start freelance writing. Pick any one of the blogs in my blogroll and start reading. Heck, start reading all the posts on this blog--it's a pretty comprehensive account of the things I learned when I got started and as I grew my business. And for God's sake, buy Peter Bowerman's books--they give a great game plan to start with, and I credit them with getting me started. Whatever you do, don't use me as a shortcut.

Ask me something specific instead. If you ask me how to get started, I'll probably just point you in the direction of a few online resources. If you ask me a specific question, I'm likely to answer your question in better detail. I might even write a blog post about it. Show me you've done your research, have a good sense of the generalities of "how to start," and need more specific answers, and it's easier for me to get engaged.

When you're asking advice of anyone--me included--who gets a lot of questions like this, don't ask a general question. Ask something specific that you've wondered about that your past research hasn't taught you. That helps us narrow down your answer to something we can both manage.

The Young-Edgy-Cool Conundrum

When I was first starting out, I worked for a client who wanted me to write something edgy for them. Something dramatic and cool and hip and so edgy you could shave with it. I did what they asked. They hated it. I shouldn't have been surprised.

The thing is, Edgy is rebellious. Edgy doesn't care who it offends or who doesn't think the product is the right match. Edgy is what it is, and screw the world.

Which is why so many businesses that say they want "edgy" copy actually don't. Most tones targeting certain demographics don't actually offend non-target markets; they just don't draw them in. When you're working with Edgy, you have a very real risk of ticking off people who aren't in your target market. You might think "So what? They're not my target market, so who cares?" A lot of business owners do, actually. They might not be trying to actively target non-edgy consumers, but they don't want to take the heat for offending people, either.

In addition, many of those business owners themselves aren't in that target market--and they don't respond to that edgy copy. What they consider "edgy" might be only slightly more boisterous than usual; actual edgy copy might scare the dickens out of them. As a copywriter, it's a tough call how to handle requests for Edgy. Here's what I do:

Always ask to see an example. Tone is subjective no matter what the client is looking for. When you start asking about tone, you're often going to get vague and difficult adjectives like "sensual" and "hip." Much of the time, when you ask the client to show you an example of writing that has the tone they're looking for, it's very different than what you imagined initially. (For example: I was writing for a client who had a pin-up model website and described the tone she was looking for as "sensual." When I asked her to show me an example, what she actually wanted was something crisp and professional.) With Edgy, it's especially important to ask the client to show you an example of what they're looking for.

Write it up edgy, then tone it down. I often write up the copy as edgy as possible, then go through and tone down the language a notch or two before sending it to the client. In general, it's better to err on the side of less edgy on the first round; something that's less edgy than they're looking for won't cause them to panic and run for the hills, whereas something that's more edgy might. If they want to sharpen the edge, you can always send them your secret first draft.

Consider their market. Some businesses want you to write hip, edgy copy for markets that aren't necessarily geared toward that, just to stand out. If the audience isn't really one that lends itself to edginess--it's not young; it's business-oriented; or it's family-oriented, for example--chances are the client's idea of "edgy" is going to be pretty tame. Consider the client's target market when judging how edgy you think they'll actually want to go.

Edginess is a subjective factor. One person's idea of hip and cool can be another's idea of annoying and offensive. To get the tone exactly right, it's important to be able to read between the lines--and ask for very obvious examples. If you do this, chances are you'll hit the right tone the first time.