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[H854]How To Be Best Friend

by Daphne Gray-grant, Dap

The rest of the universe, however, was stunned. The world record (until then,4:01.4) had stood for nine years and sportswriters of the day had created an enormous mystique around the four-minute mark. They convinced a willing-to-believe public that it was an unreachable, unrealistic and possibly even dangerous goal.

So what does this have to do with writing? Well, the Bannister story sprang to my mind this week as I was coaching a client who was thoroughly convinced that she could not write quickly. She's not alone in her passionately-held belief.

Just as people in the 1950s had persuaded themselves that a mile could not be run in four minutes, many of us have convinced ourselves that we cannot write quickly. (To put a number to it, let's say that's something like 500 words in 15 minutes.)

Of course, I've had the bad writing days too -- days when 500 words in five hours would have seemed like an achievement. You cannot write quickly when you're exhausted, dispirited or when you don't have a clue about what you want to say.

But if you have a topic you're reasonably keen on and knowledgeable about, there's no good reason why the words can't fly off your fingers, why you can't write as fast as you can type. One of the biggest barriers that stands in your way is belief. Perhaps you don't believe writing should be easy. Maybe you assume that "it can't be any good" if it comes too quickly.

To the contrary, I have often found that my fast, dash-it-off writing is often better and more engaging than my slow and heavily laboured-over text. To encourage more of the former and discourage the latter, I now regularly time myself when I write. A kitchen timer is perfect for this purpose.

But even more important, I keep a record. This is really easy to do. You can just create a table in Word. (From the drop-down menu select table/insert/table. Set up four columns and name them: Date, number of words, amount of time, and ?how I felt.?)

Fill out this record for a month and you will soon see that on some days you can write like you're on fire while on other days it will be like starting your car in Detroit in the middle of February.

But the benefit of keeping this record is that you will chart your progress -- much as a runner might record his times. In doing so, you will also likely discover that, from time to time, you can write quickly. You'll also discover that the world doesn't end when you have a bad day (or even a bad week).

Incidentally, Bannister never won an Olympic medal. He finished fourth in the 1,500 metres at the 1952 Olympics. And he says he might never have broken four minutes, if not for his disappointing performance at that event. "A bit of experience with reverses shows you that you can recover from them," he said.

Wise words from someone who really understood speed.

They're also the ones who are the easiest to keep because you know exactly what you need to do to keep them. It's simple – just make their life easier and save them as much time as possible and they'll come back.

It may seem like a simple thing, but it will make a big difference to clients. I know because I've spoken to hundreds of clients and have constantly been told how busy they are.

Here's what three clients had to say.

“The Best Freelancer” –Emma, Editor

“The difference between the freelancer I never call again and the freelancer I call on month after month has nothing to do with writing skill. The difference is that the great freelancer gets done exactly what I need done without any hassle. If I can give her the job, forget about it, and know it'll get done right, it will always go to her first.”

“Make it Easy for Me” -Josef, Business Manager

“I contracted someone to do an ad campaign a few months ago. They started emailing me pictures all the time. “What do you think of this for the ad?” “Could this work?” “Do you like this one?” “Hey, here's one you'll like.”

I don't have time for these constant interruptions. I'm sort of glad they wanted my opinion, but do it right. Research and choose a small selection of suitable ones. Then send me those at the end of the week and ask for me to choose which one will work best. That would have been a good (and business-like) approach.”

“No Time to Waste” -George, Project Manager

“I work with some people who seem to think that the whole thing is fun and games. I sort of understand that to them it might be. They're sitting at home and maybe time isn't precious to them. But it is to me.

I don't have time for long phone calls. I don't have time to read long and detailed emails. I definitely don't have time to read long emails where you describe how you approached the project and why you liked completing it. If it's not on topic, I don't need to hear it. And if it is on topic, it's still best to keep it short and to the point.”

Making it Easy for Clients

Making a client's life easy is simple to do. All you have to do is remember that the client is busy every time you contact them and think about how you can make it easier for them. Here's a good example for a freelancer who was asked to send a brief overview stating the angle and content of the article.

First Example of Brief to Client

After a lot of thought and research, I have decided that the angle of the article will focus on effective ways of trading shares on a budget. I plan to cover three main topics. These will be new floats, low-cost shares, and how to reduce trading costs.

Second Example of Brief to Client

Angle: Trading Shares on a Budget

Content:

- New floats

- Low-cost shares

- Reducing trading costs

Both examples communicate the same meaning. But the example with headings and bullets is much easier to read. The busy client can learn exactly what they need to know with little more than a glance. It also has a more professional and organized look and so creates a better impression of you.

And as a final added bonus, the easiest way for the client is also the easiest and quickest way for you. So, you win a little extra time and quite possibly a long-term client.

A Final Tip

Remember that if clients seem rushed, they probably are. If clients seem stressed, they probably are. Don't think of it as a bad thing – think of it as a great opportunity.

If you can be one of the people that makes life easier and takes away some of the stress, you've got yourself a client that is likely to pay you well and pay you often. And that's what a successful freelancer needs to succeed.

Article Source : Pg. 7

About Author

Both Daphne Gray-grant & Shelley Wake are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Daphne Gray-grant has sinced written about articles on various topics from Kitchen Home Improvement, Writing and Site Promotion. A former journalist, Daphne Gray-Grant is a writing and editing coach who helps people writer better, faster. Visit her website at http://www.publicationcoach.com where you can sign up for her free weekly newsletter on power writing.. Daphne Gray-grant's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.

Shelley Wake has sinced written about articles on various topics from Kitchen Home Improvement, Computers and The Internet. . Shelley Wake's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.