Confession: I made an embarrassing error this week when I called to follow-up with an editor. All was going well thanks to the voice mail script I'd written in advance (it's a major magazine, so I wanted things to make a favorable impression). Then at the very end, in a bout of unscripted enthusiasm, I blurted out, "I'd love to write for ____ magazine!"
Except it was a competitor's name that sounds very similar to this magazine. *Gulp!*
Tempted to call back and amend my message, I decided to let it go to avoid drawing undue attention to my gaffe. It's a voice message, after all, so my slip may be too quick to notice. Or she may be too busy to listen that closely anyway. Let's hope ...
In the past, I've covered tips on what to do when you screw up an article. As the anecdote above illustrates, I've had my share of slip-ups. We all mess up on occasion, but today I'd like to share some tips on avoiding assignment-related mistakes before they happen (boy, do I wish I could undo that voice message!).
- Allow extra time. Always try to build in a little breathing room. If an article is due on the 15th of the month, I would act as if it were due on the 10th to trick myself into getting it done early. Then I'll let it marinate for a day or two before turning it in and wowing the editor with my punctuality. Even if you're one of those masochist types who thrives on getting things done at the last possible second, I'd suggest trying this technique. You never know when you might have an unexpected illness or a computer meltdown or ... a TLC makeover marathon to watch (just sayin'). Giving yourself extra time makes it easier to follow these other steps.
- Reread the assignment letter. I know writers, good writers even, who have turned in articles that completely missed the mark simply because they misread the assignment letter. They thought the editor asked for 1,500 when she actually wanted 500. Or they write about occupational hazards among pirates when they were supposed to be interviewing pilots (extra credit to the person who correctly identifies that reference). When I start writing an article, I usually copy and paste the editor's instructions at the top of the document and remove them at the end, once I've confirmed that all her criteria have been met.
- Double-check every single fact. That goes for source's names, their company affiliation, dates, addresses, phone numbers, websites, and anything else you've included. Use a calendar to check that the days of the week actually match the dates mentioned. Copy and paste phone numbers into Skype and dial them to ensure you haven't transposed any of the digits (you can do this after-hours if you prefer). Use Google Maps to double-check that addresses actually exist and are accurate. Click on all the links to make sure they still work.
- Read it out loud. I know it's cheesy, but reading your article out loud can help you catch missing or repeated words, awkward syntax, and a slew of other faux pas. Another strategy is to print your article on brightly colored paper, because it forces you to read more carefully and takes you out of your usual reading routine.
- Error-proof your emails. It's very common for people to send an email without attaching the document(s) they intended to. Here are two ways to avoid this. First, make it a habit to attach the document before writing the subject line or body copy. Second, if you're using Gmail, you can enable this handy little tool called the forgotten attachment detector which will remind you to attach a document if you have phrases like "see attached" or "I'm including" in the body of you email.