Hiring a freelance writer isn’t like onboarding a full-time employee. We’re easily replaceable, so you won’t have to spend days emailing your HR department to come up with a good reason to move along to somebody else. The thing is, every time you move from one freelancer to the next it’s going to cost you time, as you try to make some talented wordsmith knowledgeable-enough of your products and services so that they can turn your ideas into content.

You may know of a writer who came highly recommended, but if you need someone to be constantly available and your recommended writer needs two weeks to create an article, you’re going to clash, and the engagement will fall apart.

The next time you are looking for a freelance writer, be sure to work these questions into your conversation. They'll help make sure that you and your writer are on the same page.

Can I see your portfolio?

Let’s get a little more specific here. If you want someone to rewrite a web site, ask for web page samples; if magazine style articles are what you’re looking for, read through their longer form pieces. You’ll get a sense of their writing style, and if their writing is different for every client, you can see how adaptable they are to each assignment.

Look for someone who matches your needs. If your industry demands detailed content and the articles in front of you are immensely readable but present a high-level view, you’re probably talking to the wrong writer.

What’s Your Specialty?

A lot of writers can create great content for an array of industries, but the ideal writer is one who is already familiar with your industry or niche. They can create materials faster, with less help, and will get the terminology right the first time.

That being said, there are plenty of writers who write copy for all types of clients. They may not be able to get into some of the finer points of a distributed database, but they can fully help your readers understand that data contained in blockchain databases are immutable.

Again, this comes back to your needs, the level of detail required, and the time you want to invest in your freelance writer.

What’s Your Work Process Like?

Do you need someone who can turn around content in an afternoon? Or do you need articles delivered monthly following a briefing process?

Some writers excel at the quick turnaround times, while others thrive when they have the time to pace themselves and create content.

Find out if your work style and needs are compatible. There may be times when you need a rush job or have something that you won’t need for another month, and you’ll have to deal with those as they happen. But you want to make sure that your typical workflows are compatible with your writer’s process and style.

What’s Your Pricing Model?

Does your budget demand fixed costs? Does hourly rates appeal to you? Do you want every conversation to begin with pricing?

Most freelancers employ at least one of these models.

• Project pricing

• Hourly rates

• Pay per word

Each of these offers different advantages and disadvantages. For instance, pay per word means you get exactly what you paid for, but writers might be motivated to leave bloated copy in place to boost word counts.

Project pricing allows you to set a firm budget. However, you may be limited in the number of revisions that are included in your project. You’ll also find that most experienced writers build some padding into project prices, to protect themselves from risk of a project running longer than expected.

Hourly rates are like pay per word, in that you get what you pay for. However, projects and articles may take longer than expected (or less time than expected), which can make setting a budget more challenging. Some clients prefer retainer pricing, which gives them a set number of hours over a time period, often at a discounted rate.

As the client, you want to find a pricing model that works within your parameters.

What is Expected of Me?

You might not realize it, but you are going to have to put some time into the relationship for it to work. At a minimum you’ll need to give a rundown of what your company is about, and what you need.

Your involvement depends largely on the level of autonomy you give to your writer. If you are comfortable with giving them a topic and letting them write whatever they want, you won’t need to be very involved. However, if you have specific ideas of what you want written, expect to spend some time being interviewed by your writer, or writing detailed briefs so that they know what you are expecting.

It’s Time You Called Some Freelancers

Now that you know what to look for, talk to at least 2 or 3 different writers. By investing the time early in the process, you can avoid frustrating freelancer experiences.

Contact us today to learn more about how Writehook can help start generating marketing content for you