Even if you are an experienced writer yourself, you could still benefit from outsourcing to other writers at times. Not all writing projects are alike – there’s a big difference between writing a novel and a blog post. Knowing when to outsource can help you to get even better results. This blog outlines a few considerations to help you answer the question: should I outsource my writing?
Where do your talents lie?
Some people are better at certain types/genres of writing. Creative writers tend to be better at coming up with imaginative ideas, using witty and/or descriptive vocabulary. Technical writers may be better at writing in a logical way using specialist vocabulary. Factual writers, such as journalists or publicists, are experts at creating concise, informative, engaging pieces.
If you are a PR agent working on behalf of a fiction author, you may want to write their press releases yourself, for example. However, it may not be sensible to try and write their legal contract if you have little to no knowledge of legal writing. A mistake could lead to a tricky loophole so hiring a specialist legal writer could minimise the risk of that happening.
Conversely, if you are a legal writer, you may want to outsource your marketing to a specialist PR company such as https://www.elitelawyermanagement.com/. If you have no understanding of effective marketing angles, you could fail to gain any media coverage. Hiring a PR firm would increase the chance of your campaign being a success.
It’s important to recognise/reflect on your own writing talents when considering outsourcing to another writer. If a particular style or topic of writing isn’t in your wheelhouse, or you have no enthusiasm for it yourself, outsourcing may be the best option for you.
How much time do you have?
Certain writing tasks can be extremely time consuming, such as novel or memoir writing. Do you have the time to complete these types of projects or would you be better off outsourcing them? Even if you are able to write a few thousand words per day, completing the first draft of a 90,000 word book is still a considerable time investment. Never mind the research and planning beforehand, as well as the editing and proofreading afterwards! A reputable ghostwriter can help ease those time and effort burdens for you, should you choose to outsource.
Additionally, many people who write successful blogs outsource to guest writers to contribute content now and again. Maintaining a steady flow of consistent, high quality content could be difficult and stressful to do by yourself, especially if you struggle to come up with or organise content ideas. Outsourcing some of your content to other writers (often for free, a small fee, or as a reciprocal arrangement) could help you to post more regularly without having to write more yourself. https://www.themeisle.com offers great advice on how to find guest writers for your blog, even if it’s brand new.
How much money can you spare?
If you are considering outsourcing a writing project due to not being familiar enough with the topic/genre or simply not having enough time (or desire!) to do it yourself, make sure you plan for it in your budget. If you want to get a legal contract written up, or you need a very niche content piece that requires a lot of research, or you want a ghostwriter to bring your novel or nonfiction book idea to life, you can expect to pay for these services. So once you’ve found a suitable writer, make sure you have the money to hire them. Many may require a deposit up front and all writers deserve to be paid appropriately for their time and expertise.
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