Find editors you like to work with, not publications

Hello friends! This week we’re going to debunk a frustratingly pervasive myth that I see pop up among some freelancers all too often: That “big” bylines outweigh everything else, especially when they’re consistent.

Now, don’t get me wrong: Bylines do matter, and getting a story in a prestigious, major outlet is a huge accomplishment! But as I’ve written before at length, clips in general are probably not as crucial as you might think, and in the end, is it worth it to yourself if you kinda didn’t love the whole experience to get that “big” byline?

Sometimes the answer is yes! I have definitely taken on work I didn’t love but that was the right choice at the time. But as an overall, long-term career strategy, working with editors you genuinely like — responsive, gives good edits, easy to work with, collaborative — is far, far better than landing a story in any “dream” publication.

I’ve worked with a lot of freelancers who view a large part of the freelance life as chasing “big” pubs, sometimes even to the point where they’re willing to grit their teeth and trudge through an editorial process with an editor (or publication in general) that doesn’t treat them well, isn’t respectful, or generally just makes the experience less than ideal. They tend to focus more on landing those “big” bylines (sometimes, infuriatingly, referred to as the “right” bylines), but that’s kind of backward.