In a perfect world, editors and writers would all be mind readers. Each would understand the other perfectly, deadlines would always be met or beaten, word counts would be precise, and the results would thrill readers and Web site visitors.
It has never worked that way, of course, but today’s editors have a particular incentive to manage writers successfully: they need to produce enticing content for the Web, lots of it, quickly and affordably.
So how does an editor get on a writer’s wavelength?
My colleague Ruth Thaler Carter suggests:
- Include detailed content guidelines in assignment letters
- Suggest headlines or lead sentences to establish the desired focus
- Ask writers—especially new ones—for outlines and drafts well in advance
- Set an early deadline for final copy, to allow enough time for back-and-forth
- Be very specific—and repeat—required word counts
Editing takes a firm but gentle hand. Those terms aren’t mutually exclusive. An editor must pursue the publication’s mission without distraction from wandering contributors. At the same time, the editor needs to preserve the writer’s distinctive voice. (Otherwise, why have this person write for you?).
But since one editor’s gentle soul is another’s wimp, and firm can come across as rigid, consider using personality-neutral techniques for negotiating better stories under deadline pressure.
Get on the same side. Without backing off—or belaboring—a strongly held position, suggest alternatives for the writer to try. Refer back to earlier copy that worked, and (especially) ask the writer to suggest how to reach a shared goal.
Ask to be told the story. If a story is weak and the writer seems out of ideas, try putting the copy aside and saying, “Tell me this story.” Frequently, the writer will respond, “Well, we started out to say this but the facts didn’t support it and we couldn’t get so-and-so to talk and …” Turning the dialogue from negative to positive can identify what the facts do indicate. You may come up with new sources and whole new angles.
Be willing to let go. Sometimes a fresh approach does the trick, but sometimes there simply is no story. Best of all, you will reach that conclusion much faster when the writer puts aside the copy as written and gives you the bare facts.
