How to Find Good Writers

recently had a call with a potential client who had a lot of content he needed written for his company’s website. I asked if he had worked with freelance writers before, and he had—from content mills. If you don’t know what content mills are, they are sites like Upwork and Contently that connect you with writers who have registered with the site.

I asked how that had worked out, and he said that it was hit or miss. Sometimes the writers were good, but sometimes they turned in work of low quality. (That’s what happens when writers compete with a lot of other writers on price.) Sometimes the easiest way to find a writer isn’t the most efficient or cost-effective method after all, in the long run.

So how do you find a skilled, experienced writer who is a fit for your needs? Some ideas:

• Ask your contacts. Marketing professionals with titles like Marketing Manager, Content Manager, and Director of Marketing often work with freelance writers and be able to refer you to them. If you don’t have any direct contacts with this title, ask contacts in other departments if they can introduce you to them.
• ook at the listings on professional writers’ sites. Freelance Writers Den, MediaBistro, and the Independent Writers of Chicago all offer sections of their site where you can see profiles and contact information for their members. Often you can filter for specialties and expertise. You can also post job listings that members will see.
• Ask writers you know, even if they work in a totally different genre or format. We writers tend to hang out with each other, both online and in real life, and if we’re not a good fit for what you need, we probably know someone who would be.
• Put a call for proposals on LinkedIn ProFinder. The service only allows five people to respond with proposals, so you won’t get overwhelmed with responses, and LinkedIn vets applicants to the service, so you can be sure you are getting someone with actual writing experience.
• Finding a good writer can take some time investment at the outset—but it will ultimately pay off when you don’t have to rewrite content or go through endless revisions to get something usable.