I'm looking to soon hire at least 4 full time writers for at least a year. I previously used writers I found online as well as writing agencies but I always ended up in problems. Writers would change often, style and quality varied a lot, admin things like legal, payments, etc. took to much of my time... Even working through an agency didn't help things much. With this new requirement I'd like to do organize it properly from the start. What's the best way to ensure consistent, high quality, consistent style, unique writing ? I can think of two options: 1. Work though an agency. Can you help me recommend an agency which will take the project seriously? I don't want an agency that will just outsource my writing to an Indian writer they found on some board. Agency should ensure consistent editing, create guidelines to help new writers get up to speed, maintain a knowledgebase about the topic, etc. Or am I asking for too much? 2. Hire an editor / project manager who can help me with hiring writers, editing, maintaining consistency, checking for plagiarism etc. If you think this is better, where can I find a person who would work with me on a long term contract basis? Why is one approach better than other? What is more cost effective? My main concern is to spend least of my personal time on this and to get consistent output. Oh, and I need that somebody to have an understanding of web and SEO which is why I'm hoping that I will get some direction here. I'm not looking for the cheapest option. I'm always paying above average rate. I also have quite realistic expectations. For example, for some of my topics I was paying a writer for more than a month just to let him get up to speed with a topic before I expected any output (only to lose him after 2 months because agency screwed him over). As for writing, I will need almost everything - blog posts (ghost written and others), web content, PR, white papers, brochures, pitch letters, articles, etc. Coming topics are only about 10% usual web related and SEO topics. Rest are management across cultures; globalization; offshore IT outsourcing; executive headhunting; M&As; management consulting, etc. Let me know if you can recommend some serious agency or if you know somebody who could help me as an editor / project manager. Or, if you can't recommend anybody, where should I look for such services?
oh ?! Sorry about the long post. Any editor wants to give it a try and make my post shorter while keeping the meaning?
There is a third option: you can always hire your four writers from here, or better yet, hire a writer that will do some of the content/SEO work as well as serve as group editor. From off the top of my head as to whom might be ideal to fill the editor/head writer position you should speak with jhmattern (Jenn) on here. From what I've read of her experience and work ethic she could handle the role of a group editor as well as do some share of the writing. I know that she can also suggest a number of freelance writers as well as provide additional ideas thanks to her past work experience. Hire a pro that can do the job and can delegate and that way you don't have to worry about talking with four different writers all of the time. As for who else might fill the remaining three slots, there's more than enough talented writers sneaking around the forum (including myself), but it does sound like you should pick a head writer and then let them help you assemble your team.
Thanks for the advice. I'll get in touch with Jenn. True, I cold just hire writers. That's what I've been doing for last few years. But that is becoming unmanageable. With 4 more writers I'll have to spend half of my day managing them. I'm not qualified to edit their writing and that is affecting quality. Finally, costs I'm incurring with wrong hires, re-training, etc. are soon going to be more than a full time salary for an editor. Ideally, I'd find an agency or an editor/writer that can provide this added level of guidance, quality control and writers management while still not costing an arm and a leg.
It's hard for me to say what a fair cost will be for your job, but if you say "full time position" and "looking for quality" you should expect to pay a fair dollar value and also be entitled to professional and polished content that you shouldn't have to re-edit, re-write or be otherwise concerned about. In any case, good luck! If Jenn can't do it I'm sure that she can suggest other possible candidates for you.
I just found out that someone reading my last post gave me -5 reputation points. "why u say that?" was their comment. The only reason I can see why this person decided to issue me a negative rep is because they weren't the person that I recommended for the job or they didn't like that I dare mention that the employer get good quality for their money. Apparently some people -- or better put, cowards -- on here will smack you down if you try and do a good deed and recommend someone for a job. I guess that's what you get for trying to be a good citizen on DP.
Chant, thanks for the tips and for the PM. I'll get back to you about the PM. In the mean time I'll give you reputation points as soon as I figure ot how that works. Why would somebody give you negative points for your posts here ?!?!?
Your editor can only do so much. Are you going to pay him/her to fact check for you or will you hire someone for that. If you hire "cheap" writers, you'll need to spend a lot more money on tasks like this. Beginning journalists (degree holders) get anywhere from $20,000 - $25,000 to start (depending on CoL for city).
Why do you assume I hire cheap writers? I'm paying from $0.1 up to $1 per word depending on the type of writing, copyrights, etc. As I mentioned before, sometimes I even pay full month salary to a ghost-writer just to let him get up to speed with the topic and after I don't pay him any less because of that. And it still takes too much of my time to do all the associated tasks. I don't need a full time editor. For some of my writing I can even live without any editing. But I need somebody who can edit when needed, do some administrative work like hiring and payments, write themselves, maintain style guidelines for some of the projects and maintain the knowledgebase on some of the topics, fact checking occasionally, etc.... Maybe if my needs grow more, I'll be able to hire 3 people for all that work. But right now I just need somebody to take away some of my work.
Who said you hire cheap writers? I simply said IF you were to hire "cheap" writers. The job changes with the talent. That's all I said.
i feel an individual writer will be much cheaper as you can have a bargain with him while the company wont allow you the bargain!
Find better writers. Really good writers will be able to give you exactly what you want with little or no subbing work required. Sure, you'll have to pay more, but the extra money you spend on getting quality copy is offset by the fact that you will be saving money on hiring a manager or simply freeing up more of your time. I personally wouldn't go through an agency as they're looking for sales first, quality second - any magazine section editor will tell you that agency work is of a lower standard than that of staff or freelance writers.
Once again we're back to print versus on-line standards. Print is much more demanding, so even if an agency doesn't produce articles up to print standards, they may well be way beyond typical on-line individuals. Good writers aren't perfect, any more than anyone else. If so, magazines would need a lot fewer editors, and articles wouldn't get proofed by several people before publication. Most web publishers just don't bother. Some only skim the articles to make sure there's no porn hidden in there and that the article is on the topic requested.
If you've had trouble with agencies in the past, it seems you might have trouble in the future. (Just an opinion) Hiring an editor/writing manager seems like the best route if you can find the right person. You should also find high-quality writers, and there are definitely some out there (a good editor can even suggest some he/she knows personally). The writers who are already familar with the style of work you are looking for with a track record of quality, fact-checked output should simplify the editing job. Most professional writers are looking for rates around or above $0.10 per word, and an editor would need a different payment structure. Would the editor also be writing for you? Would the editor be paid per project, per hour, per week, etc... I would suggest finding an editor who understands the style you're seeking, set up that system, and then work together to find writers. An editor with contacts might make the writing aspect simpler than finding them and "introducing" them to the editor later. Rebecca
I really have to disagree with that. Print or online has very little to do with it... we're just more familiar with standards of large print publications. There are just as many, if not more by now, large online publications (including online versions of print ones) that have just as high standards. There are also tons of smaller, practically unknown print publications that don't have high standards (and many that don't even pay). You're really just comparing the most commonly thought of sub-groups in each area, and the fact of the matter is that quality variations are across the board any way you cut it. As for potentially looking for writers here on DP, there are plenty of good ones. The ones I generally refer off the bat are DeniseJ, InternetAuthor, Latoya, and HighFlyer. If you wanted marketing copy, I'd recommend marketjunction. But there are plenty of others, mostly newer members who seem pretty good, but whose work I'm not familiar enough with to recommend all the time.