How To Maintain Relationships With Editors

After a few months of freelancing, you’d ideally like to have an anchor gig. These consistent streams of income may vary; some freelancers may get assignments from newsrooms, while others may have reassurance that a particular editor will always read their first pitch and subsequently give them first look. Though the way to score one of these gigs may seem opaque, it’s fundamentally about having a strong relationship with editors. 

Here’s a guide on how to stay in touch with editors you’ve worked with and keep on getting assignments.

Step 1: Appreciation 

If your first assignment goes smoothly — you’re happy with the edits, you enjoyed working with the outlet, and you got paid on time — you should tell your editor via email that you appreciated working with them and note that you’re open to more assignments in the future. In this email, you can also inform them of any other beats or topics that you’re open to. Let’s say you completed a cultural criticism essay, you can also tell them that you’d be for on-the-ground reporting, Q&As, or listicles. The goal here is to let them know that you’re available.

Step 2: Don’t Get Discouraged By Rejection

Hannah Macready, a freelance journalist with bylines in Fast Company and Ambrook Research, says that she views herself as a “consultant” to newsrooms and companies. She believes that in addition to delivering clean copy on time, freelance writers are desirable to work with because they can bring fresh ideas. However, part of being a consultant is having some of your ideas rejected. Just because an editor was thrilled with your first assignment doesn’t mean they will automatically accept all ideas moving forward. But don’t sweat it. 

“Don’t get taken aback by that process and think ‘they don’t like me or maybe they lied to me that they liked my article in the first place,’” Macready advises. “It’s just important to just keep bringing them ideas because that’s what they’re looking for.” 

Step 3: Stay In Touch 

Media is an industry with a lot of turbulence. Journalists jump between outlets. And so, you should make an effort to congratulate anyone you’ve worked with in the past for starting a new job and try your best to stay in touch. 

Pearse Anderson, a freelance journalist who has been published in Teen Vogue and WIRED, keeps a pitch spreadsheet and frequently returns to it to see which editors were particularly enthusiastic about his work. From there, he sees where to build relationships. 

When Jordan Gass-Poore, a freelance journalist with bylines at Mother Jones and CNN, visits New York City, she asks her editors out for coffee. 

“It does not have to have anything to do with you pitching or work related stuff,” she says. “It’s building those relationships.” 

Anna Medaris, a freelance journalist on the health beat who also has experience as an editor at a publication, says that the freelancers she worked with were at times, just random people who popped into her head. 

“For whatever reason if you’re not top of mind, sometimes you need to remind them that you’re there,” Medaris says. 

Step 4: Focus On The Work 

“The number one thing is to just do good work and they will come back to you,” Medaris says. No matter the scope of your initial assignment, it’s a chance to show this editor that you have the potential to tackle larger and more in-depth projects. 

To stay on an editor’s radar, let them know that you appreciated working with them and approach each assignment as if it’s the start of a long-lasting professional relationship. 

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