Five Questions Every Writer Should Ask

When editors ask a writer to write an article, the writer should make sure of what s/he is being asked to do. This is the best way to make sure that both the editor and the writer are happy. Keeping the editor happy will ensure that the writer is asked to write for the publication again. Here are five questions every writer should ask when an article is commissioned.

1. What Do You Want Me To Write?

Writers need to understand clearly what editors want them to write if they are to get paid and get published. An editor's brief should include:
- how long a piece of writing needs to be and where it fits into the publication. For example, an article for the news section of a magazine may be as short as 200 words. An article written for a feature page may be as long as 2000 words. If writers learn to ask about the length of an article, they will be able to plan their writing time properly.
- what areas the written article needs to cover. Most articles have a main topic, but there might also be other relevant issues to include.

Example: If writers are writing about tomatoes for a food magazine and a health magazine, the articles would look very different. The article for the health magazine might focus on genetic modification of tomatoes and other crops. In contrast, the article for the food magazine might focus on the wonderful garnishes and sauces that can be made from tomatoes.

An editor's brief should also state what else the writer might need to include. Magazines are very visual and editors usually want to illustrate articles with other material. This can include photographs and sidebars. Sidebars are a good place for writers to include relevant information that does not fit within the main article. Charts, graphs and tables are also good sidebar material and are easy to create.

Example: An editor has requested sidebar material for an article on tomatoes. The writer visits the websites of three major food manufacturers and downloads a copy of their annual report. By using their publicly available production figures, the writer can produce a three line comparative table of food production. This provides additional interest for the readers.

Writers who need to include photographs should find out whether these should be color or black and white. They should ask whether they should be digital and find out about the preferred size. Learning an editor's preferences will help writers to target future queries and get paid and get published more often.

2. What Is The Deadline For Writing?

This is a key question for freelance writers to ask. The deadline is sacred. Writers who meet editors' deadlines get repeat commissions. Writers who miss deadlines don't get another chance. Writers need to find out when the article is due and submit it on time.

3. Will I Get Credit For My Writing?

Most magazines will give writers a byline - the line that says who has written the article. Some may allow writers to include a brief bio. Writers need to find out which option editors prefer. If a bio is acceptable, this must be submitted with the article. Writers also need to ask for a copy of the magazine where their article appears. Most magazines send this out with the payment, but it is best to make sure. Writers can use these copies to build a strong portfolio.

4. What Rights Do You Need?

When magazines commission a piece of writing, they are buying the right to use it. The copyright still belongs to the writer. In effect, the writer is renting an article to the editor. But the terms of the lease still need to be agreed. It is normal to offer first serial rights - the right to publish an article first in the country or region of publication. Some editors also ask for the right to publish the article online. In most cases, writers should assign rights for a limited period. That allows writers to publish the article again (and get paid again) once that period has expired.

5. How Much Will I Be Paid?

This is the big question for most freelance writers. Where possible, writers should ask editors to suggest a payment. This leaves writers room to negotiate if they don't like the offer. Editors will also use the same strategy. Organizations such as the National Writers' Union in the US and the National Union of Journalists in the UK set minimum acceptable figures for payment for different types of writing. However, what writers will actually get will depend on the budget of the magazine. Small, startup magazines will generally pay much less than large, established ones.

Writers should also find out how they are to request payment. Some editors require freelancers to submit an invoice once the article has been submitted. Others keep note of contributors' details and arrange for payment automatically. Freelance writers will need to find out how each editor works and when they will be paid.

Tip: Writers should always ask for payment on delivery rather than payment on publication. Editors' priorities change and an article can be spiked (not published) without warning. If an article is commissioned, the writer should be paid, regardless of publication.

Get It In Writing

Once writers have established the details of the brief, editors should be asked to confirm the details in writing. Another option is for writers themselves to write to editors. The letter should include a sentence such as: 'Unless I hear from you in seven days, I will assume that these details are correct.' Spend a little extra on postage to ensure that the letter is delivered on time. Once the details of the commission have been agreed, it is time for writers to start writing and deliver on time, so they can get published and get paid.