Arthur Berm
asked
Bobbi J.G. Weiss:
How do you develop a story when given an assignment to write on a subject that is totally unfamiliar to you, while there is a deadline looming? Does the pressure affect your ability to write to your own high standards?
Bobbi J.G. Weiss
Hi, Arthur!
I've been in that position lots of times.
1) Do research real fast, whatever form the research takes. I manage that by drinking a lot of coffee! (No, I am not joking. I've had to pull some pretty insane hours, but if I want a client to call again, I make sure I know the subject matter.)
2) Ignore the phone and friends. Sounds mean, but deadlines usually = $$, so you have to concentrate.
3) High standards. Hm. My standards are very high, I like to think. But to a degree, my standards depend on the paycheck, too. Some clients are cheap, so I write well, but I don't go out of my way for them. As my writing mentor told me once, "Don't write a limo if they're paying you for a Volkswagon." You sort of have to balance your effort on how well a client is treating you.
As for the pressure of a deadline, I had to learn how to handle that. At first I was lousy at it. I'd freak out about how little time I had for a job and end up having to really rush when I finally got myself under control. But I learned to just do my best. Clients are people, too (well, most of them are...), and they can be very understanding if they know you're really working hard for them.
Hope this helps!
Bobbi
I've been in that position lots of times.
1) Do research real fast, whatever form the research takes. I manage that by drinking a lot of coffee! (No, I am not joking. I've had to pull some pretty insane hours, but if I want a client to call again, I make sure I know the subject matter.)
2) Ignore the phone and friends. Sounds mean, but deadlines usually = $$, so you have to concentrate.
3) High standards. Hm. My standards are very high, I like to think. But to a degree, my standards depend on the paycheck, too. Some clients are cheap, so I write well, but I don't go out of my way for them. As my writing mentor told me once, "Don't write a limo if they're paying you for a Volkswagon." You sort of have to balance your effort on how well a client is treating you.
As for the pressure of a deadline, I had to learn how to handle that. At first I was lousy at it. I'd freak out about how little time I had for a job and end up having to really rush when I finally got myself under control. But I learned to just do my best. Clients are people, too (well, most of them are...), and they can be very understanding if they know you're really working hard for them.
Hope this helps!
Bobbi
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