Magazines that cover technology or vertical markets may be going from print to the Web, but they still seek articles contributed by technology vendors.
Yet it's likely that your experts don't have the writing skills necessary to produce a quality article -- and trying to write one isn't the best use of their valuable time.
Many technology companies use freelance writers to ghostwrite technical articles, working in a collaborative effort with the subject expert who will be named as the article's author.
When seeking a freelance writer for a technical article project, consider these criteria:
- Can the writer work within the publication's guidelines? Verify the minimum and maximum article length, restrictions such as use of product names, and typical reader characteristics.
- For a very technical paper or article, can the subject matter expert (SME) write a first draft, even if the text is very rough? This draft can save time and rounds of rewriting and reviews by giving the copywriter a good starting point.
- Is the copy writer's technical knowledge sufficient to work productively with your SMEs? Your experts shouldn't need to spend precious interview time educating the writer with basic explanations of your product or technology.
- Can the writer create or recommend diagrams, charts, and other visuals to enhance the article text?
To help you in finding a freelance technical writer who can meet these criteria, read the useful advice in this article: Finding, Choosing, and Working with a Technical Copywriter. You'll also find ideas on how to identify the types of copywriting help you need and how to sustain a good working relationship with freelance writers.
A Simpler Solution
If you are a technology marketer, you can save time and effort by considering the copywriting services offered by award-winning freelance technical writer Janice King.
To see how Janice's technical copywriting services can benefit your technical articles and other marketing projects, visit: www.writespark.com.
