Hi, everyone!
I think I am getting addicted to this board. Can't help it. Is it a bad thing??

I wrote an article for one of my clients. I think I did a good job, but he made too many revisions and changes, here and there and everywhere. I know that making changes and editing copy is a part of the process. Moreover, he is a professional journalist himself, with an urge to alter sentences to his liking.

According to Bob Bly, there is always a certain degree of discontent built into the process, because writing is subjective. Unlike some technical disciplines where everything is set in stone and very few would question your expertise. Clients will always make changes to your copy. That's something we have to deal with. In the end it might only slightly resemble the original version. How can you not be discouraged by this??

Some of you have been around for a while. How often do you have to "tolerate" it? Occasionally, most of the time, all the time?? I feel a little sad...

Therein lies the problem. If he's a professional journalist why couldn't he write the article himself??? Seems like he wanted to set you up for the fall, so that he could 'save' himself by making enough revision to call it his work. He's probably boring all of his friends with stories of how he hired a pro copywriter and had to re-write the article because it wasn't up to scratch. His view of 'scratch' and yours will probably be very different.

Journalists want the trophies and awards, copywriters want the money, and never the twain shall meet...

Angie,

Don't take it personally.

Usually, my client will tell me if I need to add or delete something. I just make the changes and go on with life. I still get paid either way.

The way I see it is this way: The project is my client's baby. I'm just the surrogate. In the end, the client has to live with the outcome. If the client wants changes, then I make the changes. My job is to make the client happy.

If you can learn from his suggestions, take them to heart. If it's just a matter of seeing things differently, don't worry about it. Give the same assignment to 20 writers and each would do it differently.

It's a good point. Again, I agree that some changes and revisions are essential. Especially if we are talking about the first draft. But he changed and restructured so many sentences, which was not necessary. Then he added a bunch of technical details I had no idea about. He had never provided these.

Now it looks like he was the one who wrote the article. Or most of it. I might not be perfect and still have a long way to go, but there is one thing I KNOW for sure. I am a good writer!

Angie

How to not be discouraged?


Easy...


Just think about cashing his check.

LOL! That's a good one, Michael.
Of course, I do not expect any less from you.
All your comments and suggestions are great.

Same goes for Deb Holder!

PS: Regarding cashing the check. I usually require 50% in advance and the remaining amount upon completion of the project. Hopefully, the rest will arrive in the next few days. Hopefully!

Angie--I've never had a journalist or any other type of professional writer as a client before, and your experience insures I never will.

It may be that he wanted someone to get the story structure going so that he could play around with it.

This is not a similar experience, but I subcontracted to a PR specialist who let me come up with the angle and wording, which he then tweaked here and there. The big difference was that he expressed his appreciation of my jump starts, was straightforward about his intentions, and we collaborated very nicely. (he also did not facelift my writing beyond recognition...lol)

If this journalist said something similar to you, you'd probably feel a lot differently.

I have no problem making improvements on my work. As long as they are just that: improvements.

Hey Angie,

I know the project you are talking about is different...but here is something to think about...I was just recently listening to one Clayton Makepeace's CD's - an interview with a guy by the name of Robert Hutchinson (I believe thats what it was) - he mentions a few times on that disk that copywriters typically are the only writers who actually WANT other people to critique (read: totally rip it to shreds) their copy. He mentioned how most writers are uber sensitive when it comes to others revising changing their writing. The point being - work hard to leave your ego at the door, do the best job you can and you will be fine.

By the way, I've had the same experience you had and originally it made me angry but I was younger then and much more delicate. Now Im just older and delicate, but in a different way. lol

One of the conditions I set up with my last client for
his email autoresponders was this...

"You can't change a damn thing! Not even a comma".

If the guy wanted to hire me, he gets me, not me and
some editing on his part.

I knew he'd be scared to send out the emails I wrote for
him. When the client is scared, it's usually a great sign
you just wrote a winner.

I wasn't about to let him hack those pieces up.

Dale has a similar policy, and it intrigues me. Because what if, for whatever reason, you don't get it right?

Then I started thinking that by adopting this attitude and policy, you subconsciously raise the bar for yourself--and get into a zone where you are very focused. So you decrease the chance of screwing up.

It seems to me there is some sort of psychology at work here that sets you up for success. You are, in essence, answering to yourself and not someone else.

Am I onto something here? Cuz if I am, I am going to start acting like this.