by Leo Wiles
15 July 2014
I’ve been asked to do a writing job in an area I have no experience in. Should I come clean to the client or not? P
As a cadet, my desk was located (with its clunky desktop computer and inbuilt ashtray) between the loos – and the features desk. These people were my real life heroes. No capes or lycra; just six men and two women who were able to receive their brief in the morning and turn in 1,500 words as experts by the time the paper went to bed that afternoon.
To say I was in awe of their ability is putting it mildly. To some degree, I still am – as it took real detective know-how (and still does) to track down the right interviewee for a story, understand the ins and outs of the topic and deliver it all to educate an audience who knows as little of the story as the writer did that morning.
Which brings me to another benefit of knowing nothing about your area – you won’t assume, use jargon or come off as a tosspot if you are writing in layman terms for a naïve audience. Speaking for myself, I tend to know a little about a lot but have a great passion for finding out more. That’s what spurs me on to keep digging for a great news story, with a enthusiasm that a writer who’s bored out of their brains writing about the topic for the thousandth time cannot fake.
However, if you are say, writing about cement for construction workers, then they’re going to expect a more detailed and drilled down story. That can be hard to fudge when you don’t know enough to know the errors you might be making. Which brings me to part two of your question on coming clean. I’m not sure on this one. I feel it may be OK to fudge a few details but outright lying… well I’d say that’s up to your individual moral code.
Having worked as an editor, I would say most editors assume that not everyone who writes a medical feature trained as a doctor – or went to the bar or wore a wig before writing about legal matters. I think corporate clients mainly want to know you can research and deliver a piece that resonates with their audience. They most likely don’t care that you have never written a dog styling piece before – they just want to know that your copy will connect and engage pet lovers who in turn will follow and buy from their brand.
If this is the case, it’s time to read between the lines, understand what it is the client really wants from your writing and then offer to produce that for them. Backed up with ways in which you delivered sparkling copy for so-and-so who then saw a 20 percent rise in traffic to their site or 2,000 more likes /subscribers (or whatever it is that the new client is looking for). And, do this AFTER reading up like mad on the hot topics in that industry, pitching ten top ideas for blog posts/articles/videos, and including names of the experts you will be interviewing to hold it all together.
All that being said, if it was a regular gig, a really big stretch from my comfort zone and something that demanded niche knowledge such as astrophysics, gaming, medical procedures or car mechanics – I’d most likely recommend someone I knew who would be better suited. Not just for the karma, but mainly because when you write about an area you know nothing about it takes twice as long. If it’s an area you have no interest in, it can feel like it takes three times as long!
But if it’s a new niche you think you’d enjoy, or you’re desperate for the cash, then go for it. I think that’s what journalism and more often these days, content production, is about – attracting people like you and I who have a curiosity about the world and want to share our new-found knowledge.
What’s your experience with writing on topics you knew nothing about? Was it ground breaking, nerve-wracking or just plain egg-on-your-face time? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Most clients aren’t actually after your expertise on the topic, they are after your research skills and ability to write in an engaging manner. If you feel a little fraudulent, let them know it isn’t your main area of focus but then ask questions so you can gauge where you should start. After that, the rest of your writing expertise can kick in.
I was once thrown into the editorship of a magazine for the gift and homewares industry, an area I knew nothing about. I knew a little about retail and a lot about small business, however, so I started there and asked the client questions like “which experts do you value?” (then swot up on their wisdom) and “how would you describe the state of the industry?” Not only did this mean I could show interest in their views, I could also use it as a starting point for research.
Nice one Adeline – great tips – thanks for sharing.
Another great post Leo and I think you nailed it when you talked about whether you have an interest in something or not, that really is key. If you’re interested you can get yourself up to speed pretty quickly with Google etc. Having said the that, more than once I’ve said yes to something because I needed the money or as a favour to an editor who was in a tight spot and I’ve ended up finding the story interesting, doing other stories in the area and all of a sudden found that I had a niche.
Thank you kind sir.
Like you Darren I think the more digging you do the more engaged you can become no matter what the subject matter.
My real fear is the project creep. Especially as I tend to over-research.
Partly because it’s one of my favourite parts of the writing process and secondly because I fear missing out on the ‘latest’ data or a potential angle.