Often, writers and public relations reps have a love-hate relationship. Sometimes, things just flow, and collaboration is easy. After all, we’re deeply co-dependent in this wacky world of media and communications. We need each other.
Yet, sometimes, it feels like one of us is writing in Japanese and the other in Urdu. We’re not even using the same keyboard, bruh!
However, I’ve had fantastic relationships with PR folx over the years. When I look back on what worked and what didn’t, there were three key anchors of my most successful (i.e., delivered win-win results) collaborations. Here’s what they are:
Knowing Who You Work For vs. Who You Work With: Freelancer writers, like mwah, work for themselves. Our clients are folks we’ve agreed to work with. As services vary, writers’ paying clients could be editors at magazines, brands, companies, individual thought leaders, publishing houses, and PR companies. PR folks work for their company, which represents some of the same folks writers could target directly as clients. Sometimes our client aims align. Sometimes PR reps think they’re working with writers to land press for clients. Sometimes writers think they’re working with PR reps to land sources to complete work for clients. Our fors and withs don’t always align, and that can lead to a lot of confusion about who is doing what, when, and why.
But, in order for a freelance writer to stay on the right side of ethical integrity, we’ve got to be really clear about who we’re working with and for so we don’t trespass on a conflict of interest. This could mean disclosing or recusing ourselves from competing work… or letting a PR company know that we can’t do paid strategy or content work for their clients, while also getting paid for a publication assignment. I mean, over time, it can get murky and messy. But it is a pretty straight arrow if you follow the money. If something feels, sounds, or smells like double dipping, it’s important to have a transparent convo about competing fors and withs.
Don’t Do Each Other’s Jobs: In my deepest Newark accent, read me clearly: “Yo son! I hatttteeeee being pitched whole stories by PR companies.” Attribute that line to me in the history books.
Legit, it makes me want to take a long, hot shower to get the ick off. I’ve gotten pretty good at deleting any email from someone (who usually spells my name wrong) about how they’ve got a story for me that publications X,Y, Z would love – see paragraphs below or attached for use.
But every writer is different. While I also do content strategy, that’s not usually what a PR rep is reaching out to me for. They want to land. And I get that, but when I’m wearing the writer’s hat, I’m wearing the pants.
The angle, the expert sources, the outlet, that’s on me.
Generally, I think writers and PR folks have to respect each other’s craft and not be tempted to try to do each other’s job in the process of working together.
Timing is Everything: As much as I love to mull over a gnarly idea, my writing assignments have deadlines. And Public Relations folks have milestones, too; those media hits keep those contracts in place. We can appreciate each other’s need for immediacy. We can work together to get these quotes and expert insights to and from each other in record time. But, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten multiple emails from a PR rep hyping up a product or brand, but when I come back to follow up (admittedly sometimes months later), it’s crickets or delays to reach “the right person.”
Let’s do each other a solid and communicate about whether or not we’ll be able to come through - just say your yes, no, or maybe upfront so we can free each other of the time-sensitive angst.
The worst burn is waiting for an email that’s been promised but never delivered.
Working effectively with a writer can be a rewarding experience for PR executives. And vice versa. I truly love the spirit of collaboration that comes with checking out a new product or service. And I value the thoughtful PR reps who open the door to that.
But, it can backfire when we swerve into each other’s lane without signaling.
Instead, let’s keep radical transparency front and center of our collaborations, so we can share credit for some amazing wins now and in the future! Win & Win.
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