Content developers seeking a freelance writer must hire carefully. Hiring a copywriter for a freelance job seems like a simple matter—look over the samples, check the resume, interview the applicant, hire them to write your copy. But it isn’t always so easy.
Freelance writing requires more than just the ability to adapt and have a neatly presented portfolio of samples. It requires a writer that understands your perspective. It requires a writer who can write on your deadline. It also requires a writer who writes clean copy the first time without the need for extensive editing.
This last part is crucial. Many writers need the guidance of an experienced editor while others may not be equipped to write for all audiences. What happens if you choose a writer who does not write clean copy or one who does not understand your specific business needs? You have to edit or you have to hire another writer. In other words, you waste time and money.
So what can you do to ensure you’re hiring the right person for the job? Consider asking them to write some off the cuff copy on a subject when you interview them. Give them the resources they need to do research on the subject too. Often someone’s ability and willingness to research a topic is as important as the writing itself. The ability to gather and synthesize information, even when that information is not going to be directly used in the copy, is a sign of a potentially good writer.
Sometimes even the best writers aren’t the most appropriate fit for the job at hand. Hemingway didn’t write poetry. Goethe didn’t write user manuals. The writer you hire has to be the one who can write for your unique needs.