Beyond the pitch: How to get editors to come to *you*
The real secret of a sustainable freelance biz: Building relationships.
Hi gang! Today we’re going to talk about how to get so good at freelancing that editors will come to you instead of the other way around. Really, this is the ultimate goal for a freelancer. Building working relationships with editors is key to longevity, that’s exactly what we’re covering today.
I’ve invited veteran freelancer Paulette Perhach to shed some light on how she approaches relationship-building with editors (and how a Times editor literally texted her an assignment).
Take it away, Paulette!
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Bad news, friends: If you want to sell your writing, you must actually — brace yourself — sell your writing.
I know. We didn’t sign up for this. But rent’s due, so let’s get into it.
When we talk sales, let’s not conjure the image of a sleazy liar trying to pry a dollar out of some unsuspecting grandma.
Instead, think of your favorite salesperson: the ice cream man.
He’s just out there playing his little song so you know he’s around, offering something he thinks you’d like. And what do you do? You grab the change jar and haul ass out the door. Because he has something you want.
That’s the kind of writer you want to be for editors.
The world beyond pitching
But my god, you might be thinking, the competition!
This is a mistake I made when I was a beginner, long before I believed I could be the kind of person who had 20 bylines in The New York Times. I focused solely on competing by story.