Revisions: dealing with edits and feedback
What do you do if your client tears up a perfectly good draft? In this episode, we discuss how to manage clients so that the revision process is a piece of cake. Our secret: The work comes before we get to a first draft.
Does this sound familiar? You’ve just turned in some work you’re really proud of, but the client isn’t too happy. You’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of edits and reviews.
What’s the best thing to do in situations like these?
Here are a couple of ground rules that have worked for us:
When you’re revising in Google docs, have a single point of contact with your client. If you’re dealing with 42 other editors with conflicting opinions, that’s not a team; it’s a disaster.
Paul Jarvis recommends creating a feedback document. Think of it as a set of guidelines for your client about what constitutes good and bad feedback. Feedback like “this word isn’t good for my brand” is useless. If the client doesn’t like something, they should say why. This document should make that clear.
When you’re dealing with case studies, things can get complicated fast. There’s both the client and the client’s customer to deal with. That’s why we recommend sharing a view-only copy of your work with the client’s customer, as it can stop things from getting out of control.
One freelance writer we know sends their work as a PDF or wire-framed document. Sending an almost complete version helps the client see how great everything looks, meaning they’re less likely to nit-pick and go back and forth.
How to deal with negative feedback
Most writers are attached to anything and everything they write. Seeing a bunch of comments on your work can feel like a bit of a gut punch. However, you have to separate yourself from it and realize the editor’s feedback is for the greater good of the project.
“Know you’re working toward the common goal of the best possible outcome. It’s not a personal attack, it’s business.”
If you feel like you’ve done something for a good reason, you can always push back. It’s better to explain your choices rather than just scrap them because a client doesn’t fully buy in.
One thing we like to do is show rough outlines to our clients. This helps get us going in the right direction, and makes them part of the process. Use lots of Google Doc comments throughout to explain your choices and make it more of a collaborative process - you’re a consultant, not just a pen for hire.
“It’s all about communication. A phone call or email even can really clear the air when you’re stuck.”
Revision, Revision, Revision
In our contracts, we usually offer one round of revisions. But it’s important never to offer rewrites. Legally speaking, if you did the work they asked for, you should be paid. Rewrites can be endless, and it’s best to protect yourself from that. If you’ve vetted your clients successfully, these issues almost never come up.
Writing briefs are essential to getting this process nailed down and highly efficient; especially if you work with subcontractors, as they’re the ones who need to execute. Whatever you’re writing, you need some kind of direction around what the end product should look like.
Sometimes clients can go overboard with briefs, however, which is a huge red flag. While it’s great to want to provide as much detail and context as possible, if the briefing document for an ebook is longer than the ebook itself should be...then you should be concerned. Sure, detailed briefs are great, but if they hired you, they should respect your process and workflow.
“I think a writing brief is critical. Everything is spelled out and crystal clear from the beginning. If you don’t, there’s too much guesswork.”
If that does end up happening, one easy way to sort it out is to get on the phone or send them an email. Or you could send a video message. Record yourself speaking, and say what’s on your mind: here’s where I’m at, here’s why I did it, and here’s what I’ve got left to do.
Revisions are an important part of a freelance writer’s life. You can avoid most of the issues we talked about today by simply:
Having an onboarding process that a) vets clients that would be a nightmare to work with and b) sets realistic client expectations.
Avoiding red flags (like the writing briefs being longer than your undergraduate thesis.)
Staying in touch with your clients according to their preferences.
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