One of the things I’ve learned over the last 12(!) years of content writing and novel writing is that everyone has a different process.
Sometimes that process can change over time, and that’s totally fine.
If you’re new to working with freelance writers, the process can be confusing.
So in this post, I’ve put together three different content brief styles you can use when working with a freelance writer.
The type that suits you will depend on:
- Your business
- How much time you have
- What you want from your writing
- How your writer works best
- How much experience your writer has
(Need help with your B2B SaaS content? Give me a shout!)
A note on the writing process
Before we dive into the content brief styles, I just want to dispel some myths around content writing.
Many people assume writing takes the longest. But when you’re a professional writer, it doesn’t. It’s the stuff that comes before and after that takes longer – the research and the editing.
A solid brief/plan will mean a post comes together faster and require less editing because things like the structure are already in place and agreed upon in advance.
Sharing resources with a writer also saves them research time because they know what you class as a trusted resource and they don’t need to go find more stats.
With that out of the way, let’s dive in to the three types of content brief…
1. Give them total freedom
This one is risky, particularly if you’re new to content writing or hiring someone who is.
Giving someone total freedom is a sign of trust.
However, it often means that first drafts get covered in notes and annotations. So then the writer spends longer making changes than they did writing the post in the first place.
Or worse, you hate the topic and want them to scrap the whole piece, but then have to pay for the time they’ve already spent on it.
Neither is an ideal situation.
So, if you want to take this approach, ideally you want to ensure:
- You have a good relationship with the writer
- You’ve sent them guidelines of things they can/can’t cover
- They have a recent copy of your style guide and any other useful documents
Giving them this background information minimises the risk of miscommunication and issues.
2. List ideas and let them fill in the blanks
If you struggle to articulate what you want, or are happy to give your freelance content writer some creative freedom, simply give them the topic (or a list of topics) and let them do the rest.
This may cost extra – and take longer – because the writer is doing extra work researching.
Research is often the meatiest part of the process. So the more you can make the writer’s life easier, the quicker you’ll get results.
If you have a writer on retainer, they can sometimes reuse resources from previous posts.
3. Create an in-depth brief
This is the process that requires the most upfront work on your/your team’s part. But it will also get you the best results first time.
If you’re not a fan of lots of back-and-forths, and/or you’re short on time, this is the option for you.
Creating a brief means telling the writer things like:
- Topic
- Keyword
- Title
- Main area(s) to cover
- Stats/facts you want included
- Writing style
- Target audience
- Goal of the piece
Many content writers will have a preferred template that you can work from.
If you work for a larger business, you may have an in-house one.
A brief doesn’t have to include all those things, but the more you fill in, the more you’ll get out of the writer and the content they create, especially in the early days of your relationship.
Once you’ve worked with someone for a while, you’ll need to share less details with them because they’ll have a decent idea of what works for you and your brand.
But there will be a little bit of trial and error at first as you get to know each other. That’s totally normal.
It can sound like this will take a long time to do, but you’ll already have some of this information anyway, often in a company style guide (such as writing style and target audience).
If it’s stats you’ve created or cite often, you should also have these to hand.
There’s no right or wrong way
The right working relationship comes together when a business and its freelance writer can communicate honestly and openly, respecting each others’ opinions, experiences, and decisions.
That means giving clear feedback whether something does or doesn’t work.
If you’d like help with your content in 2024, check out my content packages or drop me an email.