On-Spec

by Michael Sedge

I was both surprised and pleased recently to find that I had become the topic of an Internet discussion group debate. More accurately, I had stimulated the controversial comments of several writers on the subject of working on speculation—that is, without a contract or guarantee of payment.

Traditional school-of-thought on this topic is that professional writers should obtain a contract prior to doing any work. In my new book, Marketing Strategies for Writers, however, I say: "Many professional writers' organizations—including the American Society of Journalists and Authors, of which I am currently a member of the Board of Directors—disagree with writers doing work on a non-contract basis. Yet I believe that perhaps 75 percent or more of these organizations' members operate this way. The rigid competition for freelance writing assignments today requires us to accept on-spec work if we are to make a living. Writers who insist on contract work and consider on-spec writing a sign of lowering their professional standards are often staff writers. I prefer to look at it from a marketing standpoint. Doing a story at no obligation is merely offering a guarantee. It is customer service at its best. More than this, it is opening new roads to future business. It is a marketing tactic—step one, so to speak—on the way to reaching these coveted contracted assignments."

These words, obviously, created havoc among some of the discussion-group members, because I received a note from the monitor asking if I could elaborate on my comments, because the individual who had begun the conversation had obviously not been able to quote my entire book.

That, I thought, is too bad. Had she been more specific, it would have been obvious why I feel on-spec writing has a proper place in the marketing tactics of any professional. So, with the invitation to explain my viewpoint, I did just that—and think you too might benefit from my reply.

I have always operated my professional career as a business. One of the primary aspects of any business—and all successful marketing plans—is customer satisfaction. If you cannot please a customer, then they should not be obligated to you. At the same time, I—as should you—have enough confidence in my writing and ability to fulfill an editor's needs (that is, give her/him what his readers want) that I am willing to offer a first job, on spec.

Some people—both newcomers and veterans—are awed by this. Let's put it into perspective, though. Say someone comes to cut your grass and trim your bushes. You have no idea who they are, but they show some good references. You agree to let them do it and to pay $25 for the service. Of course, you don't say you'll pay them 20% of the fee even if you don't finish. You simply offer to pay upon completion.

Now image, three hours later, the person comes to your door and says, "Okay, I'm finished. You owe me $25." As you look around, you notice the grass is cut, but the bushes have not been trimmed. So you don't pay. Right?

On the other hand, if the job is done, and done well, you not only pay the $25, but ask for a business card. Two weeks later, when the grass has grown, you call and offer more business.

This is the same approach (the latter, not the first) that I use on new editors/customers. Once I've satisfied them, they almost always come back for more—or I approach them for additional work.

Is it successful? Let's see, thus far this approach has gotten me into the "stable of writers" for Bank America World, Family Circle, Mobil Oil Compass, Newsweek, Robb Report, Scientific American Discovering Archaeology, and many others. In fact, I am currently working on a piece right now for a new client—this time an Internet magazine.

So, yes, offering to write your very first article on speculation does and can work for you. The key here is to be a good "business person" as well as writer. Give the editor an option. MAKE them say yes. Don't put them under a "take it or leave it" obligation which requires a commitment on work that they are not sure of. This only pushes them towards a negative response to your query.

At the same time, however, once you have successfully worked with an editor, there is no need to and you should not work on speculation. If an editor requests that you to do so—after you have already sold to him/her—then you need to stand your ground.

— MS
©2000 Michael Sedge