Hiring a writer is a significant decision in the development of a new product. A writer can often make or break a product, as his or her words represent you and your organization. Below are some factors to consider when identifying and hiring a writer.  

Know your objective. Are you trying to educate your reader? Change behavior? Entertain? Generate interest or sales in your organization or its products? Different objectives require different writing skills. Be clear on what you want to achieve with your product and use these objectives as part of your criteria for selecting a writer.

Know your audience. Is your target audience highly educated? Or at a lower literacy level? Technically focused?  Or sales oriented? You need to select a writer who can speak to your audience on their level. It is often beneficial to select a writer who already has written and published content for your audience or for an equivalent audience.

Know your medium. You want to hire a writer who has already successfully published in the planned medium for your project. For example, Web-based products require different writing skills than book-length products or articles. For example, writing for the Web often requires shorter sentences and paragraphs, and search engine optimization skills.

Know how you want your content presented. Some writers are incredibly talented at telling stories. Others can break down complex content into interesting, readable copy. Others can market and sell with enthusiasm and expertise. Select a writer who has already published material that reflects your product’s needs.

Understand copyright and compensation issues.*
Take the time to educate yourself on the range of writing arrangements that can apply to your product.

Licensing and copyright. Are you purchasing a single or limited use of the content, or are you contracting with a writer to assign all copyrights to you?

Fees. While more expensive writers are not always better, an inexperienced writer may underbid on projects to have something published under his or her name.  Additional compensation issues to consider include the following:

· Method of payment. Are you paying a royalty, a flat fee, an hourly rate with a cap, or a per-word rate? Typically, on longer products (such as a book), writers are paid a royalty, a flat fee, or an hourly rate with a cap; on shorter products (such as an article), writers are paid a per-word rate.

· Stages of payment. For longer projects, writers are typically paid in stages: a percentage or an advance upon signing the contract, a percentage upon completion of the first draft, and the final percentage upon completion of an acceptable final draft. Other long-term projects are paid on a monthly or quarterly basis. Royalty payments are made after publication according to the schedule set in the contract. Short projects are usually paid in one lump sum at the end of the project.

· Acknowledgement. Will the writer’s name appear on the cover or in a byline, or in an Acknowledgements section? Or is this a ghost-writing project, in which the writer’s name won’t appear at all?

Set a realistic timeline. If you are trying to publish a 200-page book, don’t expect to receive the first draft of your entire manuscript in two months. Writing takes time and research, and good writing takes more time and research. Plan for this upfront, working closely with the writer, and you won’t be forced to choose between good writing and an unrealistic deadline.

Request a quote for your product and writing samples of previously published work. When requesting a quote, be sure to provide the background information the writer will need to produce an accurate estimate, including a manuscript page count (this will differ from the published version of your project, for example, a 200-page book typically requires 400 manuscript pages), depth and breadth of content, primary and secondary audiences, content focus, and a timeline for the project. When requesting writing samples, ask the writer to provide published samples that are similar to your project in scope, audience, and/or length.

Review the bids and writing samples. Did the writer address all the key points in your discussion with them and in your request for an estimate? Did the writer submit the bid on time? Does it include all the necessary product components?

Research your preferred choices. Ask to speak with editors with whom the writer has previously worked. Was the writer responsive to the editor’s reasonable requests for revisions? Did the writer follow directions? Meet deadlines?  Require minor or major revisions?

Talk with your potential writer. Is the writer easy to communicate with? Is he or she responsive to your suggestions and ideas? Does he or she understand the subject matter? Does he or she deal with you in a professional manner? Would you feel comfortable working with the writer? 

Hire your writer. Once you’ve selected a writer, be sure to do the following:Use a written assignment sheet with clearly identified deliverables and due dates.Provide a product proposal and outline.Have a written contract that addresses the type of assignment (typically a work for hire), compensation and related deliverables, due dates, level and frequency of reviews and related revisions, and transfer of print and electronic copyrights, if applicable.* Provide all necessary print and electronic resource materials, as well as contact information for all individuals to be interviewed.

Communicate with your writer frequently throughout the duration of your project. Make sure the writer can reach you with questions, concerns, or emerging ideas. Be responsive and give the writer complete information. In turn, ask the writer to keep you informed on the project’s status and alert you to any issues that arise, especially any issues that might affect the project’s due date. Document decisions in writing and share them with the writer.

One final note: If you change the scope of your project, be prepared to change the writer’s payment to compensate him or her for the additional work required. You should also document this change in the writer’s contract.

*This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not provide legal advice. Please contact a lawyer to review your hiring practices, copyright issues, and contracts.