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From the Periodical Writers Association of Canada Top 10 ways editors can work By John P. Mason
I've seen many sides to Canada's periodical industry -- as freelancer and staffer, as a writer and editor -- in the almost 20 years I've lived by my pen and word processor. Like most professionals, my resume is checkered with some notable highs and lows. There was the struggling newspaper that went on to thrive. The long-established trade journal that tanked a year after I joined. And the tiny magazine that grew from a money-loser into a million-dollar windfall for its owners (not me) in just four years. There's been one constant in all these experiences. An editor's attitude to freelancers who come calling with queries is very important. It's a measure of the respect the publication has for its editorial content and, ultimately, to its readers. How editors treat freelancers is an excellent barometer of a publication's future fortunes. Of course, establishing solid working relationships between editors and freelancers is a two-way street. Both sides need to know the basics of their craft and be able to function with both professionalism and civility. For those who want to learn more, the following tips are for you. 10. Know what kind of story the magazine wants. Before commissioning any article, every editor should write an outline. Good editors make this a habit. This requires more than a snappy headline and word count. It involves some hard thinking about the approach, the content and interviews. Is the article intended as an industry overview? a thought-provoking feature? a service piece? Mapping out a solid editorial plan at the onset makes the journey to final published editorial easier to navigate for all involved 9. Know what kind of freelancer is needed. Armed with a blueprint, an editor can find the person with the right tools and skills to bring ink to the idea. Some topics require an industry expert, while other approaches favour a generalist. A novice may have a unique experience to tell, while a "brand name" writer can add marquee value to a manuscript and a masthead. 8. Know the publication's resources. Many editors and freelancers find themselves in the same situation -- they have champagne tastes with bare-bones budgets. Editors need to be realistic about what they want a freelancer to deliver given the time and dollars available for an assignment. Other resource-related issues may be outside an editor's direct control and can vary considerable between publication. These can range from how quickly are freelancers' invoices paid to how much influence, if any, do advertisers have in editorial coverage? Editors need to be well versed in their employers' policies so they can be up front with freelancers. 7. Put it in writing, always. So many freelancers learn the hard way that an unwritten contract for an assignment is worth the paper it's written on. That's why 'Put it in writing, always' has become a credo among the veterans in the Periodical Writers Association of Canada (PWAC). Of course, not every assignment needs four pages of legal fine print. A letter of agreement that's based on the editor's original outline (as mentioned in Tip #1) is often enough. When an editor fails to prepare such an agreement, the freelancer needs to create the necessary paper trail. PWAC has developed a standard Letter of Intent and Freelance Publication Agreement as simple, one-page documents that reflect the responsibilities of both sides. 6. Pay fairly. Sorry to keep coming back to dollars, but the reality is freelance rates haven't changed in 20 years. In contrast, Statistics Canada recently revealed that for the 1996-97 fiscal year, the average operating profit for Canadian magazines hit seven per cent, a four-fold increase since the early 1990s. Driving this healthy growth was a nine per cent rise in advertising revenue and a 4.5 per cent increase in circulation. Since it's editorial content that makes our periodicals distinctly Canadian, I have difficulty understanding why so few Canadian publications continue to treat the providers of content so poorly. Editors who know the value of quality editorial and are willing to pay reasonable rates are investing in the future of their industry. 5. Talk and be available. An assignment doesn't write itself once it's commissioned. Editors need to keep in touch with their freelancers. Whether it's giving new information, providing a mid-course correction should an interview fail to happen, or simply offering moral support, talking about the project keeps the process on track and avoids last-minute surprises. 4. Work with your freelancers. Keeping freelancers in the loop can make the job of editing a lot easier. Asking for the writer's input for headlines, photos, cutlines and display copy all can lead to a published piece that delivers much more impact to readers. Remember that editors are obligated to ensure the writer has an opportunity to review the final edit. This more than a professional courtesy, it can prevent those stomach-wrenching errors that, for the want of another set of informed eyes, wind up in print all too often. 3. Build a team of freelancers. Developing a group of skilled freelancers gives a host of different voices and perspective to a publication. It also increases the ability of an editor to match story ideas with the appropriate writer. As more freelancers become familiar with a publication's style and operation, editors can spend less time of mundane copy-editing and rewriting. Instead, they can devote more time to managing other aspects of their publication, such as developing long-term editorial plans and gaining the resource to carry them out. Team-building is about trust. It can start as simply as inviting a few freelancers to an info session about your publication, distributing editorial guidelines, asking them to critique the magazine, or adding them to your mailing list. 2. Be professional. I'm always amazed at the number of people in our industry who plead ignorance on crucial issues that affect the way periodicals do business. This includes basics such as fees, copyright and professional practices. It also extends to technology-based subjects such as electronic rights, Internet distribution and computer-based publishing. Since little formal training opportunities exist within the periodical industry, the best source of information comes from professional associations that represent the interests of editors, freelancers and publishers. Being professional means being involved in such industry groups. 1. Make sure the pen stays mightier than the bean-counters. My number one fear about the future of Canada's periodical industry is that too many decisions that affect our magazines and newspapers are made by people who fail to value editorial excellence. Editorial content is valuable. That's why it seems that everyone -- from publishers, to advertisers, from lawyers, to accountants -- wants to have control over what's on a magazine's front cover, how a headline reads in a newspaper, or how much money gets spent on editorial. In the past, editors managed their printed realm of words and images by setting budgets, developing editorial policies and generally having a strong voice in important business and creative decisions. Today, I worry that we are seeing an editorial ghetto emerge. This is where editors work in positions of responsibility, but lack the needed authority and resources to maintain the editorial integrity of their publications. Of course, the editorial well may never run completely dry. There
are always the hacks and flacks who are happy to provide their own
low- or no-cost copy to promote their products or services. But
once a publication's editorial integrity is compromised, professional
freelancers take flight to other markets. And as quality freelancers
go, so do quality readers. John Mason is an award-winning editor, freelance writer, corporate communications specialist and former national president of the Periodical Writers Association of Canada. This article is adapted from a presentation he made at the magazine trade show, Magazines '98. Published in Sources,
Number 43, Winter 1999.
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