SiteOn Lazy Writers
Three weeks ago, a writer (let’s call him Jack) e-mailed me asking for the contact information of the editor at a magazine I wrote for. I told Jack that I no longer write for the magazine and that the editor had changed since I last worked for them — but that the magazine was published by 123 Custom Publishing, and he could contact them for information. I didn’t hear back from the writer with a thanks (or anything else).
Fast forward to yesterday. A friend of mine who writes for the same magazine told me that she heard from this same writer asking for information on who to pitch.
There are two ways Jack could handle the situation of not knowing who to pitch:
1. He could go to 123custompublishing.com, get their phone number, call, and ask for the name of the editor at X magazine. He could then call or e-mail the editor to introduce himself. Time elapsed: 10 minutes.
2. He could ignore the valuable information I shared, wait three weeks, and then contact another writer for the magazine, hoping that since I failed him, this writer would be able to hand him the editor’s contact info on a silver platter. Time elapsed: Three weeks.
If he had chosen course #1, Jack might have had an assignment by now. But since he chose course #2 (and my writer friend also didn’t know the name of the new editor), he wasted three weeks, still has zero information, and will need to either contact yet another writer from the masthead or simply give up.
The writers who win assignments are those who are willing to show a little initiative and research ability to get them — that is, the ability to look up information online and pick up the phone. For example, a few months ago I wanted to pitch a custom health publication I saw at a friend’s house. The only contact information listed on the masthead was the editor-in-chief’s phone number. I called her and introduced myself, and she asked for clips, which I sent. I forgot all about this exchange, and then last week the editor called out of the blue to offer me a $1,000 assignment. All because I had picked up the phone. Would I have gotten an assignment if I had relied on other people to hand me the information I needed (and ignored the clues they did provide)?
Now, I’m not saying you should never ask other writers for editors’ contact information, but it should be a last resort after you used your research skills to try to find that information yourself. I know that it’s scary to call an editor or a magazine’s editorial department, but for us writers who have something to sell, the ability to fight the fear and go after the sale is a worthwhile skill to develop.
C’mon, fess up — are you a lazy writer? Or have you had a run-in with someone who is? Let us know in the Comments section below. [lf]
23 Responses to “On Lazy Writers”
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Heiddi
Said this on December 7th, 2009 at 10:47pm:It’s one thing to ask writer pals for help, but it’s quite another to email someone for mag information that one could get for oneself. He didn’t even know you and had the nerve to ask you for the info. Very lazy writer to me. As you said, his actions didn’t land him the job. Sometimes, people don’t see how they get in their own way. Thanks so much for this post. And as to the question, no, I’ve never had someone ask me for info like this. lol
Claudine
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 9:38am:Or, it’s probably pretty likely he’s a lazy person, not just writer. And not everyone is cut out to be the person in front. Some really like it when they’re directed and following in the wake of another. That’s why some are business owners/independents and some are not. Not anything to really point fingers at as wrong or right, but just kinda the way it is.
Debbie
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 10:00am:Unless it’s a writer I know very well, I don’t like to give out names of editors. I don’t want to have my name linked to someone who’s not up to par, or have someone pestering an editor and tossing my name out in the process.
It doesn’t happen too often, but the few times I’ve been asked I’ve just been very vague (‘oh, the editor has changed a few times, can’t recall off the top of my head who the current one is…).
Devon Ellington
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 10:28am:I have to say, I’m sick of writers early in their careers who come to me with an attitude that I “owe” them to walk them into the doors of my contacts because I’m published and they’re not. Mosf of these are people who come across my writing or blog, don’t know me, but demand I “get them published.”
There are reasons I’m published and they’re not. Part of it is that I’ve worked at the craft, and have both the talent and craft. The other is that I have a strong work ethic and a lot of initiative.
It’s all part of the theory that writing is “easy” — it’s an art and a craft that requires talent, skill, and work.
LindaFormichelli
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 10:58am:Thanks for your comments!
Devon, I agree that writing is an art and a craft that takes skill and hard work — but what many new writers forget is that it’s a BUSINESS, too. You need to market yourself, to be persistent, and to act like a professional. Lots of writers are missing those skills, which I guess is good for us because it means less competition!
Debbie, good point. Whenever I give out the name of an editor, I specifically tell the writer NOT to use my name. I don’t care if it comes across as rude. If I can’t vouch for your work, I don’t want you using my name.
Freelance Writing Jobs for December 8, 2009 : Freelance Writing Jobs for Web and Print
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 11:07am:[...] On Lazy Writers at the Renegade Writer Blog [...]
Robert
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 11:12am:It scares me to think this person would probably apply the same work ethic to their articles, as well.
Steve
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 11:38am:Linda:
In addition to the way this individual did and didn’t act on the advice given, where’s the “thank you” for you?
Common courtesy is important — or should be!
Steve
Maddness
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 12:16pm:This writer may very well be lazy, but throughout my 20 year career I’ve had a devil of a time getting good contact information from the publication itself. The typical answer I get from a phone call is to send it to “editorial@” and someone will look at it. Gee, thanks.
But then, I’ve even had receptionists refuse to give me the direct dial phone numbers to the editors I was working with on assignment at the time. (My memory is hazy, but I seem to recall this happening first with Ski and then with Discover, in both cases when they moved offices. And yes, the receptionists did take a message, and I did eventually hear from the editors.) Point being that some publications are fierce about not giving out this info.
DianaBurrell
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 2:27pm:The difference here, Maddness, is that the writer never bothered calling the magazine after Linda said she didn’t know who was editing. Had the writer called the pub and been told to send his pitch to editorial@, he’d be a farther along in the process. We all get those occasional frustrating exchanges with magazine receptionists at times, but it’s no excuse for not trying.
Carol Tice
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 3:01pm:Right on! It’s amazing what tiny stumbling blocks can make writers give up. I wrote about this on my Make a Living Writing blog as well…’Find that Editor and be Unstoppable’ http://caroltice.com/blog/19
Carol Tice
http://www.caroltice.com
http://Twitter.com/TiceWrites
Eric C
Said this on December 8th, 2009 at 3:11pm:This is a really interesting post for me because I’m going through a lot of this right now.
1. It’s not laziness, it could be fear. It is terrifying to approach people out of the blue. But you just have to do it.
2. I’m about to pitch a magazine, and I’m basically going to contact them like you described, so thanks for the inspiration.
3. It isn’t right to leech off people i think the internet is changing the publishing landscape in this way.
Kat
Said this on December 9th, 2009 at 11:26am:This is too funny. I have been lazy in completely different way. I have a lot of ideas but haven’t sent many queries. Hoping to fix that problem in the coming year as a New Year Resolution.
Friday Link Love 12/11 | Brad’s Reader
Said this on December 11th, 2009 at 9:30am:[...] On lazy writers [...]
Joy
Said this on December 11th, 2009 at 12:55pm:Oh dear–I think I just did something similar to someone on the Freelance Success message board. I feel very dumb and my cheeks are red. Thanks for this post–it was much needed in my case. I’m off to make an apology!
PS Carol, I liked your post about this on your blog.
Manners cost nothing « write you are…
Said this on December 12th, 2009 at 8:58am:[...] cost nothing I haven’t blogged in ages. Tut tut. But this post on lazy writers at The Renegade Writer has me nodding in agreement, along with plenty of my freelance colleagues, [...]
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Said this on December 12th, 2009 at 10:41am:[...] On Lazy Writers [...]
Mary@Adventures In Freelancing.com
Said this on December 13th, 2009 at 9:51am:Wow, that really takes some nerve to ask for a writer’s contacts. I think it’s far more noble to gain your own contacts. If I knew the writer well and had earned her trust in the past, I may ask for some assistance, but probably not the actual contacts. You’re too nice, Linda!
LindaFormichelli
Said this on December 13th, 2009 at 10:14pm:Thanks for the comments!
Eric, good luck with your query.
Joy, don’t worry…a belated thanks is better than none at all!
Thanks, Mary…sometimes I AM too nice.
Karen Elliott
Said this on December 14th, 2009 at 12:06am:Funny this topic should pop up on this website. I recently made a comment on Linked In following a query from a group about “what are you going to do in 2010 for your writing career?”. I mentioned that I would be participating in L.F.’s Writing for Magazines class, as well as her tele-classes, and that I would be taking two classes at UCLA extension, and so on. I received a note in my LI mailbox from “Jane” – how do I find Linda Formichelli? I sent her the link to Linda’s website. Then she wrote me again asking how could she find UCLA extension? I wrote her again suggesting that she Google UCLA. I wanted to say what my mother used to tell me – “look it up!”. Or what I really felt like saying was “how about I write the articles for you too?”
LindaFormichelli
Said this on December 14th, 2009 at 10:18am:Karen, I’m glad you told her how to find ME before you got all hard-assed on her! ;-> Too funny.
Laura Tosney
Said this on December 16th, 2009 at 5:18pm:Hello,
Sorry for the two pennies-worth on what’s probably a closed thread by now, but I’m catching up on my blog reading… felt pretty compelled to comment (though, sorry, it’ll be a rather ‘nod-and-agree-with-most-people’ exercise).
I’ve been pretty phone-phobic, so I understand the really unecessary fear you can feel. But I’m amazed that even though this writer didn’t want to/didn’t have the courage to ring the pub itself, he still found the nerve to email someone he didn’t know and ask them for such info? Wow.
Anyway, total Karma …said dude didn’t get the information he wanted in the end, much less a valuable assignment.
Also, he really *should* have said thank you. Common decency, and all that.
LindaFormichelli
Said this on December 16th, 2009 at 5:38pm:Thanks, Laura! I agree…karma.