Active Voice

the week in tweets: 2012-05-14

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

@adcontrarian bait: use of social readers cratering, reports @CNET http://t.co/IViYHKzU http://t.co/LfDsSJ4j #

the week in tweets: 2012-04-23

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:00:00 +0000

@GalleyCat asks what bloggers should be called nowadays. Alas, if only we had a word that meant "a person who writes." http://t.co/44aMaz04 #

the week in tweets: 2012-04-02

admin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:00:00 +0000

"Resisting Brandividualism Is Futile" on @FolioMag.com http://t.co/7GoSZCuZ <– is the Borg reference intentional? #
Text reflow coming to HTML? Can't get here soon enough! http://t.co/uTfLXWnq via @arstechnica #

the week in tweets: 2012-03-26

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Looking forward to presenting at tomorrow's LLAM Full Disclosure conference at UMBC. Many terrific speakers and topics lined up! #llamfd #
@mrliburyin aarrgghh! I always get those two mixed up. Thanks for the correction — I'll be at the right one! #llamfd #

the week in tweets: 2012-03-19

admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:00:00 +0000

So, is Aaron Sorkin writing the new Honda commercials? #

the week in tweets: 2012-03-05

admin — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:00:00 +0000

My article on ethical blind spots in nonprofits is now out. Sincere gratitude to my many LinkedIn friends who contribu…http://t.co/tJU4CNB2 #

the week in tweets: 2012-02-06

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Just wrapped up a 3-day ed review cmte meeting. What a great crew. How often do you get to say you actually feel bad a meeting had to end? #
Pleased to learn that my presentation proposal for the 2012 LLAM conference has been accepted. Topic: "Don't Let Your E-Files Manage You." #

the week in tweets: 2012-01-30

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

@tamharbert asks freelancers: how helpful are your social networks? http://t.co/3YJOAtRr My thoughts here: http://t.co/TF4uIb6x #
Off to Florida soon for meetings with the textbook editorial committee. Looking forward to finally meeting the production team in person! #

the quiet network

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:05:39 +0000

Freelance writer Tam Harbert ends her latest thoughtful blog post, which is about the power of the personal brand in social media, with a question for her freelancing colleagues: “How helpful is your social network in impressing editors?”

In my own case, I have to say that the effect of social media is pretty minimal. I don’t blog here as often as I could, nor, as it turns out, do I tweet as much as I thought I did (as even a cursory glance at any recent “Week in Tweets” post reminds me).

I can blog and tweet about what I know or what I think, but that doesn’t necessarily answer the very specific question that potential clients are really asking of me: “Can you solve my problem?”

So, then, what “sells” me to potential clients?

Over the ten-plus years I’ve been writing and editing solo, there’s been one overwhelming driver of business to my door: referrals. My website is a great place to find out more about me and see some examples of my recent work, but by and large what brings people to the site in the first place is the answer to a question that they have asked someone they know:

“I need a writer (or “an editor”). Is there anyone you know that you can recommend?”

Unless I’ve actually proven that I have solved problems similar to theirs, they have no way of knowing if I will be of any use to them. And while clips are very useful in that regard, the opinion of a colleague carries more weight. Because the question is also about:

Can I work with this person?
Are they going to get it?
Can they work in our kind of environment?

A colleague can answer those questions (and others) candidly.

Frankly, when the answers to those questions have turned out to be “no,” I lose work — but I usually don’t mind. That’s happened a few times over the last decade. If I’m not a good mesh with the culture, if I can’t bring what they need to the table, then either we don’t click from the start and nothing happens, or we give it a try it and discover that it’s not going to work, and wrap it up appropriately.

And that’s OK, because nobody needs that kind of headache for the life of a project.

But when it does click, it leads to long-term business relationships that benefit all concerned.

And I can do the same too for others. I am happy to refer potential, current, or past clients to fellow writers and editors who have the skills and experience that they are looking for. Or suggest clients to colleagues who are looking for work. Colleagues have done the same for me. Believe it or not, I’m not competing against other writers and editors. I’m competing against the job. Can I give the client what they want and what they need (not always the same thing), while also enjoying working with them?

So I do rely on a network, but it’s not the kind of network where I’m doing the talking. It’s the one where my clients are. It’s hard to get, but it’s the one I’ll keep.

The takeaway is this:

It’s easier to trust someone who comes recommended by someone you trust.

the week in tweets: 2012-01-16

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Did you know: only 24% of nonprofits have written & approved marketing plan for 2012? Nonprofit Comm Trends Report: http://t.co/7zEb8Ed6 #
Are your e-newsletters optimized for today's screens? See the results of my experiment in redesign: http://t.co/CXM69MNP #
@KyanWan a thanks for the great suggestion! #
Happy 16th Anniversary to @pairnetworks! They host all my sites. Never had a single day down in all the years I've been with them. #
I think my dream job would be to write abstracts for @aldaily. #