Illustrator: Overheard_Galz of @overheard_galz
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One of the biggest worries that freelance journalists have is the fear of being blacklisted. We’ve all been in that moment of sending an email or seeing a mistake in our copy that convinces us that this will be the very last time we hear from that editor.
But how likely is it that editors have a blacklist? Do they really relegate pitches from writers who mess up to a dark and dusty corner of their inbox, never to be glanced at again?
I spoke to freelance journalists and commissioning editors alike to see what the biggest fears around blacklisting are - and how likely they are to result in a real-life blacklisting. Their worries included:
Asking for more money.
Following up too often.
Not knowing the editor’s preference for pitches, such as with follow-ups, pitch format, and so on.
Not being able to complete an assignment on time in a genuine emergency.
Pitching to multiple places and having to turn an editor down/retract a pitch.
Not following them or the publication on social media.
I won’t lie, all of these have run through my mind on occasion. I’ve backed out of asking for more money, agonised over follow-up emails (no worries if not!!), and let great timely ideas slip away for fear of pestering editors.
When I spoke to commissioning editors, however, none of these fears were at the top of their lists of priorities. Matthew Valentine, former News Editor on Retail Design World, and Jane Imrie, Editor of BDaily, both said that they never really see their evaluations as blacklisting.
The only times they could remember deciding against working with a writer again was when first drafts featured major inaccuracies or significant departures from house style. Matthew also noted that missing a deadline could be a dealbreaker for him, especially when he was commissioning for print publications.
“I tended to use a relatively small group of writers I knew I could trust and try out new ones carefully,” he went on. “Those that did well would always be welcomed back.”
Matthew was actually quite impressed with anyone who asked for more money! Both he and Jane said that they often didn’t have control over the budgets, so while they might not have been able to change rates much, they never begrudged anyone for asking.
“For me, none of those reasons you’ve given would cause me to not work with a writer again.” Jane continued. “I am happy for writers to follow up (although I can’t promise I can always reply straight away), and totally understand if they get an offer somewhere else first and have to withdraw their pitch.”
“I would never blacklist anyone for asking for more money - I have limited influence over the freelancing budget of my publication so it may be the case that I am restricted in how much I can negotiate, but I would never begrudge someone for asking.”
Even when it came to the reasons she gave that might make her blacklist someone, Jane didn’t see it as a permanent decision. “I might consider a pitch again from a writer who had [made a major factual inaccuracy], but I would need it to be backed up by solid case studies/angles and examples of published work.”
Final Tips from the Editors
Matthew: “The downsides were pitches from people who clearly hadn't researched the market or the title I edited. Those went to the bottom of the pile - it shows a lack of attention to detail and that might deter me from commissioning those people.”
Jane: “Sometimes sources for case studies and interviews fall through, but it’s worth always having backup options up your sleeve, even if you don’t mention them in the initial pitch. Especially with case studies. I don’t mind if the interviewees listed in the pitch are not available but it’s up to the writer to be able to provide a similar perspective from another source, rather than just saying ‘I can’t get such-and-such’.
As for the major inaccuracies hindering future progress, that’s an interesting one. I might consider a pitch again from a writer who had done that but I would need it backed up by solid case studies/angles and examples of published work.
All in all, it seems like blacklisting is a scary monster that’s been blown slightly out of proportion by freelance journalists in their anxiety-fuelled spirals. While it may well help, it’s not a black hole that you can never re-emerge from.
Mistakes happen and things change. Even if you do make a mistake that might warrant blacklisting, don’t see it as a permanent mark on your reputation. Instead, look for pitches or other ways that you can ‘wow’ them once and change their mind about you in the long run.
At the end of the day, editors are on the lookout for good stories. If you can bring them one, they’re often prepared to overlook the mistakes that we journalists see as fatal. Some of our fears, like asking for more money or not following them on social media, don’t even occur to editors as potential problems.
Hopefully, this stills any last-minute nerves about sending that follow-up pitch. My main piece of advice would be to try to get to know the editors you work with regularly. Engage with them on Twitter, listen to how they respond to your emails, and you’ll start to get a sense of whether they dislike follow-ups or prefer certain kinds of stories.
Say goodbye to your fear of blacklisting and re-invest that energy into work that’s free from errors and inaccuracies. According to these editors, that’s the best way to win them over for good.
A treat for reading until the end… Ella Glover wrote a fantastic article for Refinery29 this week about embracing being a beginner. I think it’s a great read for anyone, but especially if you’ve been struggling with comparing yourself to others or not feeling like you’re progressing at the ‘right pace’, whatever that is.
My biggest aim for this newsletter is for people to get more comfortable with sharing their mistakes and realising that being imperfect is part of being human.
If you’ve got a past Freelancing Fail that you would also like to share, this is your opportunity to share it with the group. You can either write your story as a guest post or simply submit the information to be shared.
It can be anonymous if you prefer and it certainly does not have to have a shining lesson of redemption. Sometimes, we just do stupid things - and that’s okay!
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