Working With Freelancers

I saw a thread of people complaining about terrible freelancers they had worked with, and I was shocked how many of them had neglected even the basic, common sense things that would have spared them all the stress and heartache. It made me realise maybe these things are not basic and common sense and that a blog post about them might be helpful.

Despite working with friends, strangers, people overseas and people without former clients, I have never had any problems with freelancers. Some might say it is luck, but I think it has a lot to do with the following guidelines. The first is most important of all, and if you are only going to pay attention to one part of this, make it the first part.

Contracts:

If you are working with a freelancer, regardless of what they are doing for you, or how much it costs, you should have some sort of contract. Even if they are a friend and always, always, always if money is involved.

You don't need to be scared of contracts. They don't have to be like those hellish 300 page terms and conditions none of us read or can understand. A contract is just a document that states what is happening, who is getting compensated what and what you will do if things go badly. Both parties should understand it and both parties should be protected by it.

A contract should contain the following information:

- What service are they providing?

- What are the costs?

- When do they have to be paid?

- What happens if you are dissatisfied with the service?

- Timeframe, and what happens if deadlines aren't met?

Don't sign anything you aren't willing to abide by. And never listen to anyone who says: 'that will never happen' or 'if that happens we'll X, it doesn't need to be in the contract'. If X will definitely happen, there is no reason not to put it in the contract.

Remember, a contract should protect BOTH of you, so make sure you are covered, and don't be a complete shit-heel about the stuff that is protecting them.

Word of Mouth and References:

Anyone can write a testimonial and put it on their website. If you are looking for someone with a skillset that doesn't have an easy to view portfolio (EG: editing, as opposed to cover art), I suggest asking around. Some freelancers may have previous clients who are willing to talk to you. You can also contact state associations for recommendations (EG: The Queensland Writer's Centre or Editors Queensland INC).

Ask in facebook groups, on forums and google anyone you are considering using to see if you can find any complaints against them. Ask other writers you know who they recommend and, if possible, ask to see samples of the freelancer's work.

Obviously if you don't like someone's samples, portfolio or what you heard about their practises, don't hire them. There are literally hundreds of thousands of freelancers in the world. Don't go with the first one someone suggests. Round up at least five people who come highly recommended and go from there.

Samples, Sketches, Rough Drafts

When working with freelancers, it’s a good idea to check in on them throughout the process. Ask to see sketches and drafts during the process, so if there are any issues, you can address them early. I commissioned an artwork of myself recently, and while I was very happy with the art, in the sketch phase I realised the artist had forgotten my glasses! It was an easy fix, but one we were both glad I had caught before the inking and colouring phase.

Depending on what sort of freelancer you are hiring, seeing sketches and drafts may be difficult. When hiring copy editors, for example, I believe it is work paying for them just to edit the first chapter to start with. And if you like their work, then hire them to do the rest of the book.

Don't ask for them to do samples for free. You wouldn't ask a hairdresser to give you a free trim so you can decide if you want a full cut and colour. Pay for the time you are asking for, but don't over commit by sending them the whole book up front, then finding out they are sloppy.

This is a bit trickier if you are looking for structural edits, since no one can do structural edits for a novel after only seeing the first draft. It may be worth paying for structural edits on a short story, before you commit to the expense of a full novel. It could save you money in the long run, finding the right structural editor for you. Alternatively, with some freelancers, you might just have to rely on word of mouth and the samples they have on their websites.

Never hire someone if you haven't seen some of their work, in some capacity—be it a sample, a smaller project you have paid for, or examples provided by someone else who has worked with them.

Be Reasonable

Don’t be an asshole. I feel like this should be a given, but a lot of people seem to have very unrealistic expectations of how freelancers spend their time. Remember that freelancers are human, they have other clients and probably another job. They are not home all day, doing nothing but working on your project.

To that end, stick to realistic time frames. It's okay to ask for proof things are happening, but don't badger people. Ask them when they can get it done, discuss and schedule and make sure it is outlined in the contract. If you need it by a set date that is set in stone, make sure that is in the contract too (and ideally tell them the set date is a week or two before the ACTUAL set date). Keep communication channels open and ask them to please tell you if anything comes up that is likely to delay them.

Furthermore, don't be difficult to work with. Communicate clearly, without criticism. Return phone calls. Answer emails. Be polite. Don't make them chase you and don't make them guess what you want. Unless you are hiring a psychic, they have no idea. Be clear and concise.

Keep A Recording Of Correspondence

Mostly to cover your own ass, it is a good idea to keep a record of all correspondence. If they are smart, they are doing the same thing. As much as possible, I like to communicate via email. Because then both people have a clear record of what was said and when.

Sometimes phone calls and in person meetings are necessary. However, in those instances, ALWAYS make notes of what was said and follow up by emailing those notes to the freelancer you are working with, so you can both be sure there have been no misunderstandings. EG:

'Thank you for meeting with me today at Café Ver. I was very pleased with the progress you have made and loved the sketches. As discussed, I would like to see the crumbling tower moved from the left to the right side of the image, as I feel this will balance it better. And I have made a note of the new delivery date as per the extension you requested. I am looking forward to seeing the finished product on the 8^th of June.'

After receiving an email like this, the freelancer can either respond with an agreement, or a clarification. Even if they don't respond, if something breaks down in the process, you will have the email to forward them in the case of a dispute.

You Get What You Pay For

There is no getting around this. You get what you pay for. The only time you might not get what you pay for is if someone is ripping you off, or you are ripping someone else off. And I would hope, if you are a friend of mine, these are equally unappealing.

When you hire a freelancer, you are paying for someone's time, education, equipment and materials, and creative flare. And whatever they are doing for you, it is probably harder than you think it is. Or you would be doing it yourself, right?

Have money put aside before you sign the contract, or even begin looking. This is for two reasons: 1. You then know what your budget is and 2. When it comes time to pay, you don't have to scramble to find the funds. They are there, ready to be sent.

Don't ever make people chase you for payment. If they have done the work, and you are happy, PAY THEM. The stress and heartache freelancers' stuffer chasing payments is the worst part of the job. Don't inflict that on someone else, particularly someone who has been working hard producing something just for you.

If you follow all this advice, even if things go pear-shaped, you should be covered. After all, what happens when things go pear shaped is covered in the contract you signed, right?

So that's it. I hope that has helped you and given you a clear reference for the future. Working with freelancers doesn’t have to be stressful and it certainly shouldn't be a waste of money. Follow these guidelines and hopefully you will enjoy many successful and rewarding partnerships with others. Also, never become one of these guys: https://clientsfromhell.net

For Love Of Writing

I love writing.

Some writing is harder than others. Depending on the stage of a project, some writing requires more focus and mental power. However I always enjoy the act itself.

Many of you know my co-author Meg and I have insanely high word counts. We love writing together even more than I love writing alone. As a result, we produce a huge volume of first drafts. About 15 last year, I think. More than one a month and most are between 60k-100k. We can do this, because we enjoy it so much.

A few days ago a friend came over and he gave me some excellent advice. He said: 'You need to stop writing first drafts and focus on editing.'

Unfortunately, while his advice was excellent, it was also wrong. He, like most other people in the industry, considered writing a first draft to be part of the work and editing to be another part of the work.

However for Meg and I, writing the first draft isn't work in any capacity. Writing the first draft is something we do for fun. It's like playing video games or watching TV. We would do it even if we knew it was never going to be a book, if it was never going to go further than that first draft. It's pure joy. It's quite literally a game we play.

The suggestion we stop writing first drafts to focus on editing is like saying: 'Don't watch TV, play video games or read, just work all the time.'

I mean, I could do that. It would be a pretty joyless existence. The problem is not that we are writing first drafts instead of editing. The problem is that editing, while I love it, requires a lot more focus and concentration and skill. So it is much slower. It is a 'work' process. First drafts are not.

Slowly, however, Meg and I are changing our first draft processes to make the editing process much easier. So perhaps in future, it will be faster. At the moment, however, while we are very fast writers, we are pretty normally paced editors.

And that is perfectly okay.

It really only causes problems when I am gung-ho and decide I can skip normal human functions like eating and sleeping and edit at the same pace I can write. Unrealistic expectations are not your friend.

I think the barrier a lot of people have with writing, is that they don't let themselves enjoy it. I work fastest when I have no deadlines. The moment I have a deadline, my productivity dies, because I feel the weight of expectation and it's no longer about me just having fun. Suddenly people expect things. People I like, such as my editors.

Imagine you are at the beach with your kids. No one else is there, just a gorgeous, sunny beach with gentle waves and pristine sand. They have their floaties on and sunscreen and cute little hats and they're laughing and playing. You're happy. They're happy. Everyone is happy.

Now imagine a creepy guy shows up and stands nearby watching your kids. It's the middle of the day and he's wearing a trench coat. On a beach. You think he is filming your kids with his camera? Maybe? You're not sure. You're not having fun anymore.

You also see something that might be a shark out in the water. Or is it seaweed. Was that a fin? Then your kid brings you some broken glass and you realise there is a lot of it, hidden under the sand. It's really sharp too.

Are you still having fun? Or are you ready to pack the fuck up and go home?

Nothing bad has actually happened, but the fear of bad things happening, worrying about things, anticipating disaster, sucks the joy out of things, regardless of how lovely they are at first.

If you're thinking about deadlines, what people will think, sales projections or angsting about your own skills, you can't enjoy writing.

You know what though? No day at the beach with your kids is actually flawless and awesome. Nothing is ever perfect. Someone gets stung or sunburnt or you lose something or someone cuts themselves on a oyster shell.

No book is birthed perfectly either. I'm not saying you should be deliriously happy every time you sit down to write. However EVERY book is going to be hard and stressful and draining if you are worried about shit the whole time you're writing it.

I enjoy writing so much, that if I am suck and stressed, my answer is usually to write something else. Often, it's something I think will entertain Meg or Annie. I'll pound out two thousand words, show it to them, they'll laugh and enjoy reading it and I'll feel a hell of a lot better.

Sometimes, if I am struggling to edit something, I will choose someone I want to impress or want to make happy and write the scene to appeal to them. (It's good to choose people who are enthusiastic about your work for this.)

I always turn my writing problems toward a source of joy. I always make joy the end goal. Am I happy? Is this going to make someone else happy? Who is going to smile or shiver or cry over this? I don't angst about it, I'm excited about it. And when Meg and I share our edits, I make a point of actually showing my enthusiasm. (I'm an enthusiastic person, but it doesn't always show on the outside.)

Knowing I am excited and waiting to read more motivates her, in the same way her enthusiasm motivates me. Having people I adore say they are excited to read something I have written is also very motivating.

Most of the time though, my main reason for writing--particularly first drafts--is just for the pleasure of doing it. Just like watching horror movies or playing video games. It makes me happy.

If it doesn't make you happy, ask yourself why. Clear out the negativity. Be joyous. Love the process of writing.

Characters: Heroes - Part One

Character Series

Part 09: Heroes - Part 1

Again, this post was really long, so it's been split into two parts. Let's begin:

Everyone Believes They Are the Hero

Every living person believes they are special. Every living person believes they are the hero. This is a fundamental by-product of self awareness, an intrinsic part of being human. Your novel may only have one protagonist, or it may have several. However if you want to write realistic characters, you have to remember that every single character in the novel, from the nameless guard to the queen to the villain, is the hero of their own story.

The reason you choose your particular protagonist for your particular story, should be because they are going to take the reader on the most satisfying and intense emotional journey. Presumably they stand the most to lose or gain, they are tied inescapably to the plot, and they are an interesting, relatable character. And remember, if they aren't relatable, they have to be very interesting (EG: Dexter in the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay). And if they're not very interesting, they have to be very relatable (EG: Bella in the Twilight saga by Stephanie Meyer).

Resonance & Archetypes

Resonance in writing is building on what has come before to give a sense of familiarity to the reader. This doesn't refer to what has come before you in your novel, rather what has come before in human history and the culture you are writing for.

If I talk about beautiful elves and dwarves living in mountains and orcs and trolls being the bad guys, you're going to think 'Tolkien'. However Tolkien was already using a lot of resonance in his writing, referring to earlier mythology and stories. Likewise, there have been thousands of authors who followed Tolkien, borrowing from the world he created to write new worlds that still resonated with the same ideas.

Resonance is powerful, because it allows us to draw on the emotions those previous works created. If you feel excited and awed when you think of Lord of the Rings and the cover or synopsis of a new book remind s you of Lord of the Rings, some of that excitement and awe will resurface too.

The same goes for characters and character archetypes. At different stages of our lives, we all have archetypes we are drawn to, even if we are not consciously aware of it. Go and get the last twenty books you read. Make a note of the protagonist's age, gender and a few personality traits. Is something popping up again and again?

You probably prefer an archetype that is your gender and age when it comes to protagonists. And you might have a type of secondary character you love too. Personally I am drawn to intelligent, serious and often cold characters who are neat, organised and precise. They are not jokers. They are not messy or unorganised. They often have a strict, inflexible moral code which may or may not be aligned with the people around them. I wish this archetype was more popular than it is. It crops up quite regularly in anime, but infrequently in books.

Your hero should match your target audience. And it's not a bad idea for them to resonate with other popular characters with the same target audience. Your character should also tend toward morality--or rather, their morality needs to be consistent. Or shown to develop and change as the plot progresses, driven by the events of the plot.

A hero who is against killing and actively wants to help people, but who then kills some nameless guards without feeling guilty or being otherwise affected, is an inconsistent character and their morals and actions don't match.

Agency

Character agency is a term that is thrown around a lot, but someone hasn’t explained it to you, it can be a bit tricky to figure out. Simply put, a character with agency is taking action, instead of reacting. They aren’t just a passenger, accepting what happens to them. They are doing things to help or escape or somehow get ahead of the problems they are facing.

Let’s say your heroine has been kidnapped and locked in a cell. Does she wait for someone to rescue her? Cry? Tremble in fear? Or does she come up with an escape plan. Does she do everything possible to get herself out, including trying to dig an escape route or attacking her captor or at least throwing a handful of shit in his face when he brings her food?

Characters with agency TAKE ACTION, they do not simply REACT after things are done to them.

Generally speaking, readers prefer characters with agency. No one wants to read about the sort of loser that just sits there letting things happen, never taking initiative. If Katniss hadn’t taken initiative in The Hunger Games, her sister would have gone to the games instead, died and the book would have been about Katniss slowly working herself to death, slowly giving up, watching every year as more children went to die in the same way her sister did. It probably wouldn’t have been a best seller.

Back to the Profile

In the second blog post in this series, I talked about profiles. Your hero profile is very important, because it keeps track of your hero's motives and goals, strengths, weaknesses, interests, morality and relationships. It helps you keep them consistent and it helps you end up with the kind of character you planned to write.

Your characters should have something they want from the very first page. It should be something they want desperately. This motive may be maintained through the novel or may change as they develop. However starting with a need which the characters are willing to make sacrifices for is important.

Your character should be a well rounded person with interests. Have you ever met someone who has a boring job and no hobbies and talking to them is like pulling teeth? No one wants to read about a character like that anymore than they want to talk to them. Your character doesn't have to be skilled at their interests. Maybe they like painting, but they suck at it. Maybe they love football, but they're in a wheelchair and can't play. Maybe they grew up in a cell devoid of human contact, but they collect and breed cockroaches.

That said, you should be careful that your hero isn't just the person you wish you were. It's good to share some interests with your character--if you know a lot about horse riding it will be easier to write a character who loves horses. But if your character is good at all the things you wish you were good at and has all the things you wish you had, you're not writing for an audience. You're just daydreaming.

Lastly, remember what I said about strengths and weaknesses: Every trait a person can have can be good or bad. Any strength you think you have can also be a weakness. Any weakness you have can also be a strength. What is leadership in one, is bossiness in another. What is loud and brash to one, is enthusiasm to another. What is compassionate to one, is soft-hearted and weak to another.

So when you are giving your character strengths and weaknesses, make them the same thing. Fun loving, but irresponsible. A good leader, but bossy. A skilled fighter, but aggressive. Intelligent, but impractical.

Your goal with a well written hero is often to slowly turn these negatives into their positive, rather than reversing them completely.

NEXT WEEK - Part  10. Characters: Heroes - Part 2

The previous parts of the character development blog series can be found here:

1. Characters: An Introduction

2. Characters: Creating A Profile

3. Characters: Motivation and Conflicts

4. Characters: Designing Characters

5. Characters: Gender and Gender Roles

6. Characters: Conflict, Conflict & More Conflict

7. Characters: Motivation & Stakes 

8. Characters: Conflict Escalation and Resolution