Regardless of their experience, every writer will encounter comments from clients and requests for amendment periodically. While adhering closely to briefs and proofing your own work can help reduce the chance of revisions, they cannot prevent them arising entirely.
Feedback and revisions are a normal part of freelance writing, as a first draft is often viewed as an initial blueprint instead of a finished product. Content creation can be seen as a collaborative process that includes a writer’s execution, but also an editor’s experience and a client’s vision.
If an editor or client asks for changes, it is important for writers not to get discouraged. Revisions do not necessarily mean that a piece of work is poor, but can be a valuable step towards refining work into the best version it can be.
In the following sections, we’ll explore ways that writers can manage feedback and revisions when working as a freelancer. This includes how to use points to sharpen their skills, but also how to set boundaries and recognising when it is appropriate to push back.
Don’t take feedback personally
When writing freelance, it’s key to remember that you are creating content for others – not just agency editors and clients, but also target audiences. As such, the professional approach is not to view comments as personal attacks on your abilities, but just a natural part of a multi-step process that ensures articles achieve their aims.
Having an emotional reaction to feedback can cause writers to only read the negative points made and misunderstand revisions and why they are necessary. It can be helpful to read all comments thoroughly with a clear head before attempting any edits. If any requests are unclear, asking questions before going ahead is always a wise move.
Using revisions to improve
Most writers don’t tend to make lots of different mistakes, but have recurring grammatical or spelling errors that often persist. Learning what these common mistakes are allows writers to check for them when they proofread their work before submission. As a result, writers that watch out for comments that arrive time and again can take them on board and use them to improve their future work.
Establishing parameters
When working with clients as a freelancer, it is important to agree on a number of amendment rounds to avoid making endless changes. It is also key to request that feedback is consolidated so all edits can be made in a single writing session and no points are missed.
It is also essential to understand that a reasonable revision involves refining, adjusting or fixing existing work so that it better aligns with the original brief. If a request alters the original scope of the brief, it is fair to call it unreasonable.
When multiple editors or clients are overseeing work, they may have contradictory feedback. This can be confusing for writers but offers an opportunity to develop flexibility. In some cases, it is possible to find writing solutions that address the concerns of everyone involved. However, another approach is to have them discuss the changes they want with each other and settle on points before sharing them for edits.
While finding ways to work with different people can be advantageous when working as a freelancer, there will be times when push back is required. Appropriate instances include when changes asked for contradict the initial brief and when edits requested are not factually correct.
Enhance how you write with Words of Worth
Once you start seeing constructive feedback as a tool to help improve your skills, handling comments and revisions becomes easier and can assist you in building your career.
At Words of Worth Australia, we take a bespoke approach to working with our writers. Our experienced team of in-house editors provide feedback to help freelancers hone their abilities. This includes requests for edits and encouragement when work excels. Apply to write as part of our team today.