Author: Gary Merrill

STARTING a career as a creative freelance is always a challenge, but restarting can be just as tough.

It’s not unusual for freelances to have a period of absence; maybe you’ve taken parental leave; or maybe you’re semi-retired and have decided to explore ways of earning extra income; or maybe, like me, you’ve had a permanent job for a few years and are now shifting back to freelancing. Whatever the reason, re-launching yourself as a stand-alone creative professional can be both an exciting and a daunting prospect.

I’m currently in the early stages of my third re-entry into self-employment and I am eager to turn my specialisms - journalism; copywriting; and professional training – into a viable portfolio career. My first re-launch was back in 1998. I had been out of the loop for a mere 12 months but it took me another 12 months to re-establish myself and earn a reasonable income. This was a very difficult year and I quickly learned that planning and forethought are essential.

I had foolishly assumed that the market would be the same as when I left. I expected the same key people would be in the same positions and they would commission work at the same rates. I also thought that my reputation – built over the previous six years – would be strong enough to carry me through the transition. Alas, none of these assumptions were correct.

Thankfully, I learned from my mistakes and am now taking a more structured approach. So far, the following five steps have allowed me to look forward with confidence.

Overlap and plan

Officially, I became freelance again on October 1^st 2015 but I’ve been preparing since January. At first my plan was a little more than a hazy dream, but over these nine months, I did plenty of market research, loads of calculations and slowly added detail to my ambitions. I gave myself the goal of becoming a self-sustaining freelance within twelve months and worked out how much money and approximately how many commissions I would need to be relatively secure.

This period of overlap with my previous job also allowed me to build up a contingency fund for the inevitable ‘rainy days’. Cash flow is always an issue for the self-employed and it is very risky to assume that you will immediately secure commissions and then receive prompt payment. It is clearly a good idea to restart a freelance career with your bank account firmly in the black.

Have a second string to your bow

My own contingency fund has been boosted by a hobby that I turned into a small business. Two years ago, I began trading in vintage maps and I now sell my products at weekly antique markets. Summer and pre-Christmas are the busiest periods but February to May is typically dismal. These seasonal undulations are not necessarily a bad thing, however, because journalism and copywriting tends to have the opposite pattern.

My two income streams are sufficiently diverse to give me a fighting chance of achieving a degree of income stability. The same could be true if I took a part-time job to help counter the unpredictable cash flow of freelancing. Many creative professionals take this route, and there is a lot to be said for devoting a few days a week to earning a guaranteed income even if it involves doing something totally divorced from your creative passions.

Create a digital presence

At the time of my second re-launch in 2008, social networking was still in its infancy and few people recognised the marketing potential of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other platforms. Back then, I relied on my website to provide a ‘shop window’ for my services but, in retrospect, it was rather bland, and merely featured a few examples of my articles and statements of my capabilities.

This time, I have revamped my website and it now includes podcasts, videos and links to some of my published work on client websites. I have also set up a Twitter account and follow various news organisations, research bodies and other journalists in my area, and engage in discussions and debates. This allows me to see what issues are on the agenda and, by also following editors, I know who might be receptive to a pitch. The marketing potential of Twitter also works in the other direction and some editors use it to invite bids for freelance work. Spending 20 minutes on Twitter every day is a surprisingly effective way of keeping tabs on your area of specialism.

Even life-long technophobes have the skills to set up Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. These platforms are very easy to use and totally free. You should, however, expect to pay a modest amount for your website, but the rudiments of web design are pretty straightforward, so think hard before commissioning a professional designer.

To design and publish your own multi-media website on WordPress, check out the digital learning centre for free step-by-step tutorials. You can also find examples and tutorials on www.moonfruit.com.

Write a list

Social media is very widely used by creative freelances for self-promotion these days but it has not replaced the tried-and-tested methods. Indeed, phone calls and face-to-face meetings are much more interactive and human than tweeting and sending impersonal emails. They can also be much more productive, if you do some research and carefully target your clients.

I have written numerous lists over recent months but the most important is my top twenty list of potential clients. These include organisations I have worked for in the past, and some that I aspire to work for. For the last few months, I have been catching up with old contacts and following prospective new ones on Twitter to familiarise myself with their publication’s editorial focus and the styles of writing. The next step is to contact these people individually with finely-tuned article proposals, point them at the examples of my work on my website and make myself available for future commissions.

Investigate your entitlements

Freelances are famously proud of their independence and few would expect to get financial help from the state. If, however, you are on a low income, even for a limited period, you have the same entitlement as people in employment. This help could be in the form of housing benefit, tax credits or council tax benefit, and although it might not amount to much on paper, it could be a useful supplement to your earned income.

To find out if you qualify for financial help, have a look at http://www.entitledto.co.uk/. You will need to fill in a few forms but it’s worth the effort and you might be surprised at the outcome.

As with all plans, there is no guarantee that mine will be effective. But it is certainly an improvement on my previous, somewhat disorganised re-launches. My next mission is to start phoning my top twenty potential clients with ideas for work and, with a bit of luck, my bank account will see the benefit of my industry some time in the New Year.

It is a fact of life that not everyone you approach will want your services. If, for example, you have an email list of 100 potential clients and send each one a short, punchy overview of your talents and experience, you would be very lucky to receive 20 replies, most of which would probably be along the lines of ‘thanks but no thanks.’

Irrespective of the media we use for marketing – email, phone, face-to-face, social – it is inevitable that most of our efforts will draw a blank. Nobody likes to be rejected, however, and so you might be tempted to avoid the pain by simply reducing the chances of it happening by giving up on your marketing efforts. An alternative approach is to actively hunt for new opportunities and, at the same time, challenge the way you think about rejection.

So how do you deal with the inevitable rejection? There are three basic techniques that I think work best if you employ them simultaneously:

1. Acknowledge that rejection is totally normal and refuse to take it personally. No matter what your industry or specialism, you cannot expect that everyone you approach will need your services at that particular moment. This does not mean, however, that you are a failure.

2. Contact prospective clients at the right time. For example, freelance journalists instinctively know the production cycle of a newspaper and will pitch ideas for articles way before the presses start rolling. They also know to never phone an editor on a deadline. Actors too know that they need to be in the minds of casting directors months or even years before filming begins.

The same principle applies in the corporate world. Every company has a financial year but this doesn’t necessarily mirror the calendar year. Some British companies’ – and many public sector organisations’ - financial years follow the government’s tax year, from April to March. But there are no strict rules, so is worth hunting around the financial pages of your target companies to make sure. Budgets are decided three to six months before the new financial year begins, so if you are going to make an innovative proposal, this is the best time. If your proposal arrives toward the end of the financial year, don’t be surprised if the budget has been spent. However, on saying this, in some cases, people have money that they need to spend before year end. It’s just a matter of keeping in contacting and finding out the right time for each individual.

3. Assume an infinite population of prospective clients. ‘Infinite’ is obviously an exaggeration but it can certainly appear that way when you are actively marketing. Journalists and writers have hundreds of magazines, newspapers and websites to approach. There are numerous film production companies, thousands of music venues, and, of course, tens of thousands of other companies that might need writers, actors and musicians. If a phone call or email yields no result, move onto the next one and don’t fret about what might – or should – have been. A useful motto when you are trying to eek out new commissions is: ‘Someone, somewhere needs my services right now, and all I need do is find them.’

Actively searching for new clients clearly necessitates a different mindset from the passive approach to marketing. Sometimes it demands considerable mental dexterity: you need to be simultaneously fatalistic (‘oh well, these things happen’) and optimistic (‘this next phone call could be the big one!’). And you also need to know when to stop.

It helps to give yourself a target. If, for example, you have decided to actively sell your creative services to technology companies, divide your project into tasks. In week one, start by doing the research: check out the websites of 10 companies, find out what they do and how they promote themselves. Find the name of the marketing managers/or people commissioning and read their profiles. It might take a day or two to gather sufficient information, so on the third day give yourself a target of calling each of the 10 names on your list.

Cold calling prospective clients is deceptively hard and stressful work, and this is one reason that many people prefer email. But the phone is often a much more versatile medium: you can express enthusiasm much better with a voice; you can answer and ask questions quickly; and you can even inject a little humour into your pitch. Each call is, in effect, a performance, and after 10 you will need a break.

Your first day’s efforts might well bring no success, but this doesn’t mean you should quit. Instead, you should consider the feedback from the phone calls: were people totally disinterested, or was it a case of bad timing? What did you find out that will help you decide what to do next? Did anyone suggest calling later in the year? Did they suggest you spoke to a colleague instead? Armed with this knowledge, call another 10 companies the next day.

If you still are hitting brick walls after 50 phone calls, you should consider changing direction. Maybe the technology industry is not the best candidate for your services? Maybe your idea is just too radical? Maybe your idea isn’t as good as you thought? Contemplating this latter possibility can be rather deflating but it could be true. Although it might seem like a defeat, there is no disgrace in pulling the plug on an idea with no future.

Again, how you think about such things is the key to contentment: view it as every time an idea doesn’t come to fruition, you’re a step closer to one that does and will have found out plenty of information along the way that will help you refine your marketing efforts.

Every freelance knows that self-marketing is the key to winning new commissions. Although emails and phone calls sometimes appear out of the blue, it is usually your own efforts that generate the most interest. The problem is, however, that most other freelances use the same basic techniques and so, to stand out from the crowd, you need to constantly look for new approaches that might help you connect with prospective clients.

Many marketing gurus will advise you to put social media at the heart of your marketing efforts. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other platforms are indeed invaluable aids for creative freelances but they are not the only route to more clients, and lucrative commissions. This blog posting considers an approach to marketing that has been around since before the digital revolution and, despite its age, it is still effective, particularly as it has a very different foundation to modern techniques.

Many years ago, before I was a freelance journalist, I sold software to big corporations. The products were very specialised, very complex and very expensive, and for these reasons, few companies would ever consider buying them. My sales territory was the south-west of England and in my first week, I set about getting appointments with 100 or so companies on my prospect list. After a week of knockbacks, unreturned calls and vague promises of meetings, I confided in a senior colleague.

‘Shotguns and rifles,’ he said sharply.

I was puzzled.

‘You are taking the shotgun approach,’ he said. ‘It’s like aiming at the middle of a flock of ducks and all you’re doing is shooting off a few feathers. You need to use a rifle, with a telescopic sight and choose your targets carefully.’

Focus your aim

I took my colleague’s advice and spent the next few months doing research. This was in the days before the internet so most of my information about the companies, their IT environments and their budgets came from phone calls to people who know such things. Crucially, I also found out the names of the people who made decisions to buy, those who held the budgets and the technical staff who made recommendations. By qualifying my prospects, I reduced my target list from 100 ‘maybes’ to 10 ‘possibles’ and only when I had built up sufficient knowledge did I make the calls to the key people. Six months later, I started to make a serious dent in my sales target.

So why is this approach relevant to creative freelances? Well, a few years later, I became a journalist specialising in the IT industry, and instead of firing off letters to every editor under the sun, I followed a similar strategy and found the magazines that would most likely give me commissions. I read back-issues; found out how much they paid; got copies of their schedules for feature articles; and asked other journalists how best to deal with the editors. Again, my ‘rifle-shooting’ paid off and within a few months, I began to see my by-line in the IT trade press.

One of the problems with social media is that it gives a nice warm feeling that you are reaching lots of potential clients by doing very little. Yes, you may well have 500 Facebook friends who know you are a musician for hire, or you might be a writer who is ‘connected’ to a host of literary critics through LinkedIn. But such connections tend to be rather tenuous and the inevitable consequence is that you spread your efforts thinly. Social media encourages a rather passive ‘shotgun’ approach to marketing.

A new approach might be to combine the best of old and new techniques. How about using social media to find potential clients, then use the internet to its full potential to discover more about their specific needs and preferences, and then fine-tune and personalise your marketing message?

This was exactly the strategy I adopted at the turn of the millennium, when the internet was taking off but before the advent of social media. I had been working as a freelance journalist for five years and, although I enjoyed the work, the rates were pretty low. I often used the internet to check out companies I was writing about and noticed that their own marketing material was often poorly written. So again, I did my research and came up with a list of about 20 companies who might benefit from my services.

Within a few months, I had successfully shifted my specialism from journalism to copywriting and soon had a client list of leading IT companies to add to my journalism portfolio. Again, this principle could equally apply to other creative professions. As a musician, for example, you might typically earn your money from playing gigs in pubs and bars, or session work, but how about selling your talents in the commercial world? Likewise, actors and other performers might be able to find a way of packaging their skills as something that a company could use.

Companies are always looking to find ways to build teams, improve communications, and appeal to their customers in innovative ways, and these facts are manna from heaven to creative professionals. It is certainly not easy to find such opportunities: don’t expect an advert that says: ‘Wanted! Actors to give classes on voice projection.’ But the potential rewards are considerable. I discovered, for example, that copywriting paid four times as much as freelance journalism and, to add to the attraction, the work from my corporate clients was regular.

The onus is on the freelance to find a creative angle for their services. Journalists and writers should home in on the marketing department, and find out who is responsible for co-ordinating the production of marketing literature. A good starting point for musicians and performers might be to find out who makes your potential clients’ corporate videos; or track down the person responsible for staff development and community projects. It will take time and effort, and you will inevitably hit plenty of walls. But if you persist, you might just see the financial benefits of rifle-shooting in the corporate world.

What is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is based on the principle of raising relatively small amounts of money from a large number of people. So, for example, if you needed £10,000 to start a new project, instead of borrowing the whole amount from one bank, a thousand people could provide £10 each.

What are the origins of crowdfunding?

Although there are examples of similar models of business financing as far back as the 17^th century, crowdfunding is a product of the internet age. The first recorded use of the word was in 2006 and since then, myriad websites (or ‘platforms’, as they are formally known) have sprung up to help connect people who need to raise funds (‘creators’) to those who might want to provide funds (‘backers.’) Leading crowdfunding platforms include: www.kickstarter.com, www.crowdfunder.co.uk and www.wefund.com

How popular is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding has exploded over the last few years. Banks have never been very keen to lend to start-up businesses because they are inherently risky. But since the Financial Crisis of 2008, banks’ aversion to risk has become even more pronounced and this has been compounded in the UK by severe cuts in arts funding. Consequently, entrepreneurs (including many creative people) have tried to find finance via alternative routes and crowdfunding has become a particularly popular option. Forbes magazine estimated that crowdfunding raised over $5 billion globally in 2013 and in the UK, the equivalent figure was estimated to be around £400 million.

How does the crowdfunding process work?

Crowdfunding starts with the creator. This could be a musician who wants to record an album of their own songs but can’t afford the studio fees. Or it could be a TV producer who needs funds to film, edit and promote a ground-breaking documentary. Or maybe an author who is fed up with rejection letters and wants to self-publish their book.

The first step is to choose a platform and submit a project. This is a description of your idea, usually with a promotional video, that will encourage backers to pledge money. You will also set a target amount and an end date for example, £20,000 by December 31. Typically, your project will run for between four and eight weeks, during which time you will spread the word among your friends, family, clients and anyone else who you think might be interested. The beauty of the web is that you have a global audience – assuming you can drum up interest.

Backers pledge donations online, using PayPal or debit/credit cards, and then, hopefully, by your end date you will have achieved your target amount and you can start to bring your plans to life.

Are projects guaranteed to gain funding?

No. In fact, many projects fail to attract funding altogether. One reason for failure is that creators don’t hit their target. Some crowdfunding platforms are based on the ‘all or nothing’ (AON) principle, so, using the example above, if you secure pledges of £19,999 by your end date, you will not receive a penny.

Other platforms have adopted the ‘Keep It All’ (KIA) model in which the creator receives whatever funds are pledged, even if the target is not met. A recent study of some 23,000 crowdfunding campaigns revealed that AON-based projects are more likely to be successful because creators are more meticulous with their descriptions and justifications, which makes backers more inclined to pledge funds.

What makes a successful project?

One of the greatest misconceptions about crowdfunding is encapsulated in the phrase ‘a great idea speaks for itself.’ Your project may well be the finest film, album, book or play in history, but if you just submit your project and wait for the money to roll in, you will be disappointed.

Successful projects are characterised by very active and innovative marketing on the part of the creator in which social media often plays a crucial role in raising awareness. In addition, ‘old school’ techniques are used, such as using the phone, meeting in person, leaflets, PR stunts, throwing a launch party… whatever it takes.

It is imperative that your target is achievable and can be justified but equally, you need to be realistic about how many people you can convince to make pledges. Not every person who says ‘yes’ by email or via Facebook will actually honour their intentions. You can ask friends to encourage their friends, but people who don’t personally know you will only make a pledge if your project is extremely compelling.

So the creator gets the funds, but what’s in it for the backers?

People you know might donate money for purely altruistic reasons and expect nothing in return. But to attract larger numbers of backers, you will need to offer an inducement. This can either be a reward or equity.

A reward can be anything from a credit on your album or in your film to a free signed copy of your novel or a handful of tickets to see your play. Alternatively, you might want to tempt backers with a promise of equity: either a share in the profits of your venture or your business as a whole in exchange for a specified amount of money.

Are there any notable examples of successful crowdfunding?

Plenty. The most well known examples of successful crowdfunded projects often involve huge amounts of money (e.g., $40 million dollars to develop a computer game); sheer quirkiness (e.g., a museum of miniature exhibits) or already-famous creators (such as filmmaker Spike Lee and singer Amanda Palmer).

Of course, the vast majority of successful projects are more modest, and every platform website has examples of how a few thousand pounds have helped creative professionals realise their goals. Click on the following links to read more about successful projects.

• Kickstarter
• Crowdfunder
• We fund
• Sponsume

What is the role of the platform?

In essence, platforms act as financial ‘dating agencies’ because their primary role is to connect creators with backers. Platforms also have a moderating role and ensure that everyone sticks to the rules. Typically, the platform charges a small fee, perhaps 5% of the total funding raised.

Although all platforms adhere to the basic principle of crowdfunding (small amounts from lots of people), each one operates in a slightly different way. As a creator, it is vital that you understand what is expected of you. So, before launching your project, visit various platforms’ websites and carefully read the terms, condition, rules and regulations.

How do I narrow my choice of platform?

There is a huge choice of crowdfunding platforms and it certainly pays to do lots of research before you decide. Some platforms specialise in certain types of projects: property, technology, art, etc. Others are focussed on local community projects, or specialise in helping young entrepreneurs. Most platforms offer crowdfunding for multiple niches and their websites will usually give examples of the categories of successful projects, for example: arts; publishing; music; film and theatre; community; environment etc.

Are any platforms recommended for FEU members?

It all depends on what you want to achieve. You need to feel comfortable with the platform and be confident that it is right for you and your project. A good starting point for your research is the UK Crowdfunding Association. This was formed in 2012 and at the last count it boasted almost 40 crowdfunding platforms as members. Scroll down this web page, read the brief descriptions of each platform and click through to the websites of those that appeal.

The well-established, general platforms (like kickstarter and crowdfunder) have helped many film-makers, playwrights, writers, performers and journalists realise their dreams. But you might also want to consider platforms that specialise in the creative industries. These include:

• Newspryng (for journalists)
• Sponsume (for all types of artistic enterprise)
• Unbound (for authors)

However, platforms that enable creators to raise funds by selling shares (or ‘equity’) in their venture must be authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. Most platforms, however, are not investment-based and so do not come under the authority of the FCA. In March 2014, the FCA published a document that explains its policy for crowdfunding in detail.

Despite crowdfunding’s lack of regulation, the risks faced by creators (and backers) are small. Even so, if you are going to launch a project you need to be sure that your chosen platform is a reputable organisation with a strong track record. Membership of the UK Crowdfunding Association does not guarantee a successful project, but at least it ensures that the platform follows the industry’s code of practice, which should give you peace of mind.

Find out more about crowdfunding

Crowdfunding has received lots of media attention in recent years. The following links are useful starting points:

• The Telegraph – Which are the best 'crowdfunding' websites?
• The Guardian - Crowdfunding for the arts: top tips from the experts

So, how do we make our own luck? Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is through personal experience: In mid-1997 I had been a self-employed journalist and PR consultant for five years but I needed a break. Thankfully, I’d made enough money to take a year out and I spent twelve months travelling, reading and thinking. Halfway through my sabbatical, I met a wonderful woman, we fell in love and at the beginning of 1999, we decided to buy a house and get married.

With my new responsibilities, I had to start earning again but in May 1999, two months after buying our home, I was broke and extremely worried. The wedding was just three months away but I couldn’t even afford to buy my fiancé an engagement ring. I had thrown every remaining penny of my savings into the house and was earning just enough to pay my share of the mortgage.

I couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong. I had a degree in business, I had read loads of business self-help books, and my specialism – the IT industry - was booming. Since the beginning of 1997, I’d built a database of some 700 companies, found the marketing managers’ names and was methodically phoning each one with the goal of securing corporate writing commissions. After making contact with the 300^th, and gaining nothing more than vague promises that they’d call me if they needed my services, I swallowed my freelancing pride and applied for a job as a PR director at a London agency.

Three people were interviewed and I was the only one to be invited back. It was clear that the boss had already made his decision and we were soon discussing strategy, salary and contract. After an hour, the boss detected an air of doubt: “What have you got to lose?” he asked with a smile. I answered with surprising honesty: “I would lose the view of the Marlborough Downs from my home office. I’d miss taking the dog for a walk at lunchtime. And I’d really miss the freedom to work how and when I like.”

I dreaded the idea of having a boss and commuting three hours a day but financial necessity and my impending married life seemed to be forcing my hand. However, after teetering on the edge, I found that I just couldn’t do it. To the amazement of the boss, I talked myself out of the job and drove home in a cold sweat.

Despite feeling intense panic, this was actually the first step in making my own luck. While I wasn’t sure exactly how I was going to get out of this hole, I listened to my guts and choose not to do something out of desperation but to find another way. But how would I explain this to my fiancé? I slumped into my office chair, gazed blankly at the dark clouds creeping over the Downs and sighed. From the corner of my eye, I noticed the red light flashing on my answering machine. Maybe one of the 300 marketing managers had called me back? Maybe my luck had finally changed?

The message played and my heart jumped to the ceiling. It was the special supplements editor of the Daily Telegraph and he wanted me to write an article. What luck! Or was it?

Admittedly it was perfect timing but, as it turned out, it wasn’t pure luck but the result of something that actually started 15 years earlier, way back in 1984, when I was an undergraduate doing a six-month internship at IBM in Bristol.

My job was at the lower end of the sales food chain and mostly involved stuffing envelopes with brochures and invitations to seminars. Even so, the senior staff were friendly and supportive and invited the humble interns to social events. Although I only spoke to him once or twice, I was particularly intrigued by one of the sales managers, primarily because of his vibrant red braces and his booming ‘Good morning!’ whenever he entered the office.

Ten years later, in 1994, I was working at a client’s office on a freelance commission when in walked in Mr Red Braces (Michael). I stood up and re-introduced myself to him. I didn’t want or need anything from him but this seemingly small move initiated a close professional relationship that lead to a series of commissions and new introductions to others who would commission me. The phone call from the Telegraph editor in 1999 might appear to have been ‘lucky’, but it was a consequence of reconnecting with Michael five years earlier. He had recommended me to another person who subsequently, recommended me to the Telegraph.

I wrote the Telegraph article in double-quick time and then started hammering the phones. The effort of making 300 hundred calls previously and building a database now meant that all these contacts were to hand and I could introduce myself as PR and journalist who wrote for the best-selling broadsheet in the UK. This underlined my credibility and within a few months, other editors were commissioning me to write articles, marketing managers were offering me lucrative corporate work and a month before the wedding, I bought my fiancé an engagement ring.

It is clearly difficult to convert this tale into a formula for success, but looking back at this chain of events, a few truths stand out:

•  You can’t control everything but taking initiative to do what you can will have a positive cumulative effect – possibly when you least expect it.
• Some decisions can be down right scary. However, before accepting solutions that seem to be the answer to a short-term problem, weigh up your options to consider what you really want now and where you want to be in the future – you may find that short-term discomfort is worth it if it keeps you on your chosen path.
• Being professional, amiable and willing to keep in touch with people is important. I suppose ‘networking’ would be the formal term but I think of it as taking an interest in people and what’s going on in the industry. Also, if you only contact people when you want something, it can be really off-putting for them.
• Don’t assess someone’s worth by their current seniority or by what you think they can do for you now. People change jobs, get promoted and shift careers. If you have made a positive impression on them in the past, you never know if and when they might recommend you to a third party or do you unexpected good turn.

In my next blog, I’ll talk more on accentuating your good luck by saying yes to the unknown.

Napoleon Bonaparte is widely recognised as a military genius but in recent years, he has become a role model for people who are intent on getting rich and building corporate empires. To authors of business self-help books, Napoleon offers plenty of material: he was a tactical mastermind; he was determined and rarely lost a battle. However, Napoleon also understood an uncomfortable fact of life that authors are somewhat reluctant to acknowledge.

Despite his supreme abilities, the great man knew that it wasn’t skill, training or intellect that swung battles in his favour. At times, Bonaparte struggled to isolate the reason he won or lost and eventually, by a process of elimination, he decided that chance was the key difference.

‘Give me lucky generals,’ said Napoleon. Although this is a catchy and pithy motto, this line of thought clashes horribly with the widely-held belief that we are masters of our own destiny.

The self-help books tell you that if you believe in yourself; work hard; network enthusiastically; never give up and explore every potential opportunity, success will inevitably follow. While there is plenty of merit in this advice, achieving your goals this way is far from guaranteed because – as Napoleon understood better than most – events and decisions totally beyond your control can scupper your aspirations.

Whichever word you prefer - luck, chance or fate – it’s important to stress that Napoleon did not believe that this single factor is all you need. To be successful, creative professionals also need to be skilled, focused and reliable. Fate will not miraculously deliver clients and fortune to your door, so you have to do some self-promotion. However, it’s equally important to acknowledge that circumstances outside your influence can have a dramatic impact on your future.

This can work in either direction, of course. An actor, for example, may have flown through the auditions and be within a hair’s breadth of securing the lead in a six-part TV drama. And then, without warning, the casting director is fired and the replacement chooses another lead. Conversely, a struggling freelance journalist might receive a phone call out of the blue from a long-forgotten university friend who has just been appointed editor of a Sunday supplement and urgently needs someone with his old buddy’s talents.

However you define luck, it is highly debatable whether it affects some people more than others. Napoleon wanted lucky generals but in the long run, all of his senior officers probably had their fare share of good and bad fortune. The same is true of poker players, sports people and creative freelances. What is less contentious, however, is encapsulated in a common aphorism: you make your own luck.

There is certainly some truth in this maxim and this is best illustrated by comparing a creative freelance to a fisherman. If the fisherman believed entirely in luck, he would stay in bed all day and wait for a monster salmon to fall from the sky. Of course this strategy would deliver nothing more than disappointment, so the fisherman will head for the river. He might choose a spot where he’d had success in the past. He might also have picked up tips from angling magazines about the best bait for a particular type of fish. He may have read a book about the influence of weather and time of day on piscine feeding habits. Armed with knowledge, experience and technique, the fisherman finally casts his line into the river and hopes for the best.

Compared to an opportunistic angler who casually drops his hook into a random section of the river, the methodical fisherman is clearly improving his chances of catching a fish. The opportunist might get lucky, but probability obviously favours those who put their efforts into planning, preparation and focus.

While there are many factors that we can’t control, we can take steps that are more likely to bring success than just sitting back and hoping for the best. There is no sure-fire way of maximising good luck but as any experienced freelance will testify, pivotal moments can occur when you put yourself in the right place at the right time and kick start positive momentum that can keep you going when you least expect it.

I’ll discuss this more in the next blog.

The previous blog entry listed nine basic principles and general rules of effective writing. If you can master punctuation, and erase text talk and the inappropriate use of capital letters, you will be taken much more seriously by your readers. And, if you meticulously proofread your work, read regularly and often, and practise, your writing will improve.

The next step is to work on your style. There are no hard and fast rules that apply to all types of writing. As highlighted in the previous blog, your first priority should be to write for your reader. Consequently, the words that you use will be determined by your audience. The following guidance primarily refers to a professional audience – via emails, websites and other promotional material – but it may also apply to other types of writing.

1. Forget (some of) what you learned at school

Some ‘rules’ about writing that you may have learned at school are just plain wrong. Contrary to what your teacher may have told you, you can start a sentence with ‘but’ or ‘and.’ And if you don’t believe this, read any newspaper or novel and you’ll see that professionals follow neither of these pieces of misguided advice.

2. Direct, precise and concise

One of the greatest misconceptions about good writing is that it involves complex sentences, impressive words and clever phrasing. This might be true for some forms of fiction, but it does not apply to promotional writing. You should avoid verbosity at all times, and leave the flowery language to the poets. Don’t try to amaze the reader with your vocabulary: get to the point; say what you really mean; and always look for opportunities to remove words.

3. Show, don’t tell

One of the guiding principles of story telling is, “show, don’t tell”. In other words, instead of telling the reader that you are ‘an experienced actor’, give a few details of the five years you appeared in a well-known TV series. This simple technique is used by scriptwriters, novelists and journalists to engage their audiences more closely with the story and characters. There will be times when you need to be brief and ‘tell’, but whenever you get the chance to describe yourself in more descriptive terms, try to ‘show’ the real you.

4. Avoid clichés and empty words

Everyone has their own definition but generally, a cliché is a phrase that is so overused – or misused – that it has lost its value. The English language is riddled with clichés and sometimes it is very difficult to avoid them. But if you are ever tempted to use phrases like: ‘I’m a glass half full type of person’, ‘life is what you make it’ or ‘live each day to the max’, try to think of a more original and descriptive phrase.

Likewise, some words are rather empty of meaning. The classic example is ‘nice’, but ‘cool’, ‘interesting’ and ‘exciting’ have become increasingly vacuous in recent years. The long-term answer to clichés and empty words is to improve your vocabulary by reading more and self-critiquing your writing.

Also, stay away from jargon that you think everyone knows the meaning of but, in fact, goes over your audience’s head.

5. Steer clear of superlatives

When describing yourself – in a profile, a website or a CV – you may be tempted to use a superlative or two in order to stress your abilities. Confidence is to be encouraged but if you state that you are ‘the best’, ‘the greatest’ or ‘the most experienced’ then your reader might demand some evidence of your bold claims. Such self-assessments are totally subjective, of course, and a much better strategy is to let the reader decide for themselves.

6. Leave humour to the comedians

Even professional writers find it hard to inject humour into their words. It takes years of practice to master the art, so it’s advisable to forget about trying to make your reader laugh. A badly-phrased witticism or quip will confuse or, at worst, offend the other person, and sarcasm is particularly hazardous. Stand-up comedians can pull it off because they have timing, tone of voice and facial expressions at their disposal. These elements are essential for making sarcasm work, but none are available to writers.

7. The power of threes

There are two easy and effective writing techniques based on the power of threes. First, aim to write introductory emails in three paragraphs. Open by stating who you are and why you are writing. The second paragraph should give more details of your proposal; and the third should suggest the next step. Second, try to keep lists to three components. For example, ‘Previous clients include the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.’ No one has explained why this works but listen to skilful orators – like President Obama – and you will notice that they often follow this principle to make their most powerful statements.

8. The danger of synonyms

You should always try to avoid repeating the same words, but this can be difficult when writing promotional material. Microsoft Word and other word processing software might suggest synonyms, but you need to be very careful when considering the options on offer. Some words might be deemed perfect substitutes by your software but under closer inspection they’re clearly not. For example, Microsoft Word suggested ‘suspicious’ as a synonym for ‘careful’ but it is evidently inappropriate in this context. Again, the key to developing your vocabulary – and understanding which words are real synonyms – is by reading regularly and often.

9. Resist the urge to emulate others

If you are struggling to find the right words, you might be tempted to check out other people’s websites to see how they’ve expressed themselves. You might even ‘borrow’ some of their phrases, give them an edit and then include them in your own promotional material. There is nothing wrong with taking inspiration from others, but remember to read critically. Look for clichés, empty words, jargon, and other symptoms of bad writing. Just because someone else has fallen into these traps doesn’t mean that you need to automatically follow.

The letters on your computer keyboard can be used in an almost infinite number of permutations and combinations to create just about anything. From the works of Shakespeare to a dense scientific tome; from a heart-warming love song to the instruction manual of a microwave, the same 26 letters of the English language form the building blocks of understanding.

There are, however, limits to the use of English. Even the most creative pieces of writing adhere to rules and principles. For example, although he was famous for inventing new words and twisting the meaning of others, Edward Lear’s ‘nonsense verse’ still makes sense because he also used capital letters, punctuation, and enough conventional verbs and nouns to communicate with his readers.

It is important to remember that the advice contained in these blog entries does not restrict what you can write about nor what point of view you can express. The purpose is to help you say what you really want to say while also demonstrating to the reader that you are an effective, expressive and reliable communicator.

This blog entry covers nine basic principles of good writing and the next entry will look at style. In both cases, the advice is intentionally brief and if you want more detailed guidance, there are plenty of books and websites that explain grammar and style in much greater depth. Alternatively, you can sign up for FEU courses on writing, which will be coming up in the next couple of months.

1. Write for your reader

It is absolutely fundamental that your words, and the overall meaning of your writing, are understood by your reader. This means that you should always use the appropriate language and write about ideas and concepts your reader will easily comprehend. Do not, for example, use terminology that is specific to your profession or trade in emails to a general readership. Your primary mission when writing is to engage your reader so that they want to continue reading.

2. Learn how to punctuate

Thanks largely to text messaging, Facebook and Twitter, punctuation is often deemed to be optional. While it’s true that full stops and commas are not that important in a short, personal message, they are essential in longer, more formal communications because they divide your message into intelligible portions. Long, rambling sentences are boring to read and can be confusing, so break them up into shorter, punchier phrases using commas and full stops.

The misuse of apostrophes is extremely widespread and yet the rules are very simple: you should only use an apostrophe in two circumstances: possession (‘Number 10 is David’s house’) and contraction (‘David is at home’ becomes ‘David’s at home.’) If you are ever tempted to use an apostrophe for a simple plural, don’t.

So long as you use commas, full stops and apostrophes effectively, you can pretty much forget about other punctuation for the vast majority of your writing. Semi-colons and colons are appropriate in very few instances (and people often use them wrongly) so it’s best to avoid them completely. And don’t add exclamation marks to emphasise a point. If you choose the right words, they will speak for themselves.

3. Don’t overuse capital letters

Sometimes people use capital letters because they want to stress the importance of a particular word, such as ‘Police’ or ‘Hospital.’ But the only words that should have capital letters are: at the beginning of a sentence; names (David, England, Downing Street, Thursday, September, etc); titles (Mr, Ms, Doctor, etc); and abbreviations (FIFA, BBC, UN, etc.)

4. Avoid txt spk

If you use text messaging regularly, you might be tempted to employ the same conventions in more formal writing. Your reader might forgive small lapses in stylistic judgement, but some will begin to doubt your professionalism if you insist on using text speak. Do not, for example, use lower case ‘i’ or any of the various abbreviations (such as LOL, OMG, etc) when writing to work contacts. Also make sure you start and end emails appropriately: ‘Dear David’ is far preferable to ‘Yo!’, and ‘best wishes’ is much better than ‘TTYL.’

5. Be careful with homophones

The English language has numerous words that sound the same but have totally different meanings. The most commonly cited homophones are there/their, but we also have: bear/bare; deer/dear; tail/tale; who’s/whose; compliment/complement, discrete/discreet, and many more. So long as you remind yourself to be vigilant, you will spot most homophones. Remember, the spellchecker will not pick them up.

6. Check names and places

Spellcheckers are essential for removing errors from your writing but they are not much help with names of people and places. This is particularly true of foreign names, so you need to consciously focus to make sure they are correct. Some names are effectively homophones and their owners can become agitated if you choose the wrong one. Examples include: Davis/Davies; Stephen/Steven, and Clare/Claire. Likewise, some first names have female and male versions - for example, Frances/Francis, and Lesley/Leslie.

7. Proof read meticulously

Before you send your writing to the recipient, carefully read your words from start to finish. It can be difficult to proof your own words so, if something is important, try to get someone else to have a look at it with a fresh eye or give yourself a break and come back to it when you’re more detached.

8. Read every day

Just like a musician who listens to other people’s music and a sportsperson who watches others playing sport, writers need to habitually consume words. In doing so, you will see how other people construct sentences; your vocabulary will improve; and you will pick up new techniques. Conversely, if you read critically, you will begin to spot bad writing and learn how to avoid making the same mistakes.

9. Dealing with writer’s block

There are times when even the best writers are lost for words, so don’t feel like a failure if you suffer from bouts of writer’s block. One approach is to have a break and return to your keyboard with a clear head. But this is not always possible, particularly if you have a tight deadline. Alternatively, try to forget about constructing perfect sentences and just write in very basic phrases or make lists of bullet points. In this way you will be making some progress and you will often find that the inspiration returns in its own time.

Creative people have every reason to object if anyone tries to impose restrictions on what they can and cannot say, write, read, sing or play. Freedom of expression is a fundamental pillar of a creative person’s life, but whatever your specialism, there are boundaries.

Musicians, for example, tune their instruments and play the right notes. Actors follow the director’s instructions and stick to the script. And, by the same token, writers must use language correctly.

These days, with the advent of the internet, email, social media and text messaging, pretty much everyone is a writer. Even if you don’t use the written word to directly earn your income, we all need to communicate effectively with our keyboards.

Whatever you write – from a simple email, to a LinkedIn profile or the ‘about’ section of your website – people will assess you on your ability with words. If you cannot describe yourself or your services accurately and meaningfully, then you could lose out on work opportunities.

The poor use of words is evident wherever you look: from corporate websites riddled with management-speak; to long-winded letters from your bank. Even seemingly-small errors – like superfluous or missing apostrophes – can make all the difference to how other people perceive you.

If you feel that your writing could improve, then you are not alone, and it is almost certainly not your fault. It is an unfortunate fact that for the last twenty years or so, teachers in the UK have been instructed to not penalise students for making grammatical, spelling and punctuation mistakes.

In placing creative expression above all other considerations, this educational philosophy certainly has some merit but it has undoubtedly contributed to Britain being placed a dismal twenty-first out of 24 developed countries in a league table of literacy (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24433320)

Bad habits are hard to shake off, and although your friends will not judge you on your errors, employers, potential clients and people you might meet on social media may not be so forgiving. While creativity should be encouraged, it does not have to be at the expense of accuracy or, indeed, intelligibility.

Being able to write clearly and persuasively is good for business. And although you may struggle to find the right words and express yourself as you would like, if you follow the principles outlined in the next two blog entries, your writing will improve dramatically.

There was a time when virtually everyone believed the earth was flat. But this unanimity did not mean that it was. The same principle applies to the idea that marketing yourself through social media and other on-line means somehow replaces ‘old school’ methods. Many people believe this to be self-evident but it’s not.

As suggested in the first blog entry, email might appear to be the best way to make initial contact with a potential client but it has severe limitations, not least because emails from unknown people are very easy to ignore. A telephone call, however, is much more direct. What’s more, a phone conversation is far more dynamic, interactive, and natural than the written word.

Another reason why people shy away from the phone is habit. As we spend more time online, we inevitably spend less in the physical world and, as a result, we forget how to interact in ways that nature intended. This is particularly true for those who were born in the last three decades. Dubbed ‘Generation Y’ by sociologists, members of this demographic have never known a life without mobile phones, email, the web and, more recently, social media.

For Generation Y, these manifestations of technology are normal and, by extension, anything that harks back to an earlier era is inferior. Social media is the classic example. It is claimed that Facebook, for example, has revolutionised human contact. While it is true that people all over the world can connect in ways that were unimaginable even twenty years ago, surveys have shown that young people who are most immersed in the virtual world are the least confident with real-life interactions. Social media is, arguably and ironically, actually anti-social.

As a university teacher of journalism, this has become increasingly apparent to me over recent years. A decade ago, a few students would be a little nervous about doing a vox pop or a phone interview, but most would be excited by such a mission. With each successive cohort, however, comes increasing trepidation about connecting with real human beings. ‘Can’t I just send him an email?’ is a regular request, and last year, for the first time ever, I had to coach students on how to introduce themselves to a stranger.

And, it’s not just young adults who suffer from ‘stage fright’ when faced with an unknown person, either on the phone or in person. The prospect of opening a conversation; being stuck for words; embarrassing yourself by saying the wrong things; and, of course, the fear of being ignored and rejected, fills many people with dread. And so they avoid it.

Avoidance is a rational response to fear but the rewards for learning to interact with human beings - outside of the virtual world - are enormous. Remember the maxim: humans buy from humans, and the closest, most fulfilling and ultimately, the most lucrative professional relationships can only be built through real-life connections.

Like anything else, making phone calls to people you don’t know becomes much easier the more you practice. The best starting point is to spend a few minutes with a pen and paper and write a script. This might seem excessive for such a brief, simple and seemingly-natural exchange but it works beautifully, and ensures that you don’t talk nonsense and waste a golden opportunity.

If, for example, you are a freelance journalist and you’ve had no luck pitching ideas to editors via email, try the following. This script applies if you are trying to sell and article, and you can adjust it if you are an actor, singer, musician or any other creative profession.

Before you make the call, do your homework. Check that you are phoning the person who can commission articles, and make sure you understand what type of articles appear in the publication. You also need to write the substance of your pitch (a brief description of the article, its suggested length, etc.) in advance because you will need to refer to it later.

Then read your script out loud a few times to yourself and try to anticipate and react naturally to the possible responses. When you feel ready, take a few deep breaths, punch in the numbers and smile broadly as the phone rings (it sounds crazy but if you force a smile, your voice will be more upbeat). Remind yourself to speak slowly and clearly…

Editor – Hello?

Journalist – Hi, John. My name is Gary Merrill and I am a freelance journalist …

At this point, pause ever so slightly, less than a second. This gives you an early opportunity to gauge the person’s mood. He might say ‘Hi Gary’ in which case the door to conversation is opened. He may sigh, perhaps indicating a busy day, or he might say ‘Can I stop you there?’ and then explain that he is not commissioning any work at the moment. Assuming he is neutral or better, quickly move into the main part of your call.

Journalist - I wonder if I could pitch an idea for an article to you…

Be careful with your voice tone not to say this line as a question: if your intonation rises at the end, you give the editor an easy opportunity to say a flat ‘no.’ Insert another slight pause for the same reason as before.

The editor will often say ‘yes, but could you email it to me?’ Advocates of new methods of marketing might claim that such a response confirms the power of email, but if you precede an email with a phone call, your case is far stronger.

If the editor agrees to hear your verbal pitch, refer to your prepared overview of the article. At the end, pause again, a little longer this time. You should always give the other person opportunities to give their views but you also need to ‘control’ the flow of the conversation so that it meets your objective, which is, of course, to get commissioned.

If the editor suggests emailing, check his address, tell him that you will send it straightaway and thank him for his time. The editor will remember your name and will be far more likely to read about your idea. And in less than five minutes, you have successfully positioned yourself as a confident, courteous and reliable professional.

Yes, there will be times when the person on the receiving end of your call sighs loudly as soon as you speak. Sometimes, he might even cut you off and hang up. But don’t let such reactions dent your confidence. Everyone has bad days and people who commission work have more than most. One of the reasons is that they are so inundated with unsolicited emails that they have no time to do their more important tasks.

Despite the risks to your ego of negative responses, making the initial contact with a prospective client by phone is far more likely to result in success than an email. Apart from the obvious improvement in speed, you have instantly placed yourself apart from the countless other freelances who subscribe to the ‘copy-paste-send’ school of marketing. By using your voice and listening to the editor’s replies, you are communicating as nature intended, and you have taken the first steps toward rediscovering the lost art of being human.