Let’s look back on all of our recent guest post contributions and recent posts from our regular All Freelance Writing team to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

• How to Know if You’re a Pro Writer — by Carol Tice
• Are You Prepared for Incoming Calls From Potential Clients? — by Chris Bibey
• Simple SEO Tips for Freelancers — by Josh Olswanger
• How Writers Can Prepare for the Perfect Interview — by Andrew Kardon
• The Easy Fifteen-Minute Marketing Plan — by Lori Widmer
• Freelancers: How to Get Started Without Getting Exploited — by Philippa Willitts
• 18 Local Prospects You Might Not Have Considered to Pitch — by Luana Spinetti
• Choosing a Word Processing App for Your iPad — by Jessie Fitzgerald
• Freelancer’s Union: The World’s Largest Invoice — by LaToya Irby
• Print Writing: Getting the Goods — by Catherine L. Tully
• How to Network, Find Clients, and Grow Your Writing Career — by Amandah Blackwell
• Applying for Your First Writing Gig: What to Include — by Shadab Mahbub
• I Write Like… Me? — by Rebecca Garland
• The Two Sides of the Guest Post Story — by Cathy Miller
• Are Cold Calling Misconceptions Holding You Back? — by Chris Bibey
• 5 Big Reasons Why You Want to be a Freelance Writer — by Kari Jenkins

Thank you so much to all of our recent guest contributors and regular contributors for their fantastic and thought-provoking content.

Now you’ve done it. After  years of planning and negotiating, you finally snagged an interview with that reclusive semi-celebrity. Good for you! But… uh… now what? Lining up a key interview subject (whether for an in-person or phone interview) is just the first step. There are so many things that could possibly go wrong. Sorry, but it’s true! Fortunately, there’s a ton of ways to prepare. And I’ll even share them with you.

Do Your Homework

The most important thing about interviewing someone is doing your homework. That means reading up on the person (or brand, or company, etc.). If your interview is about their most recent work, then you better make sure to see it or at least read all sorts of reactions to it. But besides catching up on your subject’s latest goings-on, do a bit more digging. Learn more about them: Where did they grow up? Where do they live now? What hobbies do they have? Any family? If they’re on any social networks like Twitter or Facebook, start following them and see how they interact with their audience.

You can never ever be too prepared so do as much research about your subject as possible. That even means reading recent articles written about them by other writers. After all, it’s much better to be way over-prepared than under-prepared.

Questions, Questions, Questions

Once you’ve thoroughly researched your subject, it’s time to start compiling your questions. You probably have a standard list you use and adapt for most interviews. Good. Get those out of the way. Then add in any new ones pertaining to the recent project or your subject. All that research you just did will come in handy. Always try to come up with some fun, unique questions.

Chances are your subject’s been interviewed a number of times and answered at least half of your questions already. So changing things up for him will keep him from getting bored and he’ll hopefully give different and better answers this time around.

Besides listing out a slew of questions, you definitely want to put them in order. I always try to start with a few simple ones to basically ease into the interview. Put meaty/important ones closer to the top and middle, and then various others after. Make sure to put the least important near the end in case you run out of time and don’t get around to asking them.

Testing, 1, 2, 3

Whether it’s on the phone or in person, it’s annoying but worth it to tape your interview. I always prefer a micro-cassette recorder simply because transcribing is way easier than trying with a digital recorder. I have an old transcribing machine with the foot pedals and I’ve just got a great rhythm going. You may find a digital recorder much better and easier to use, or maybe you send your interviews out to be transcribed. Whatever works for you is great. But the key here is that it works…

Make sure your equipment is ready. That means your batteries are charged, your tape is empty, your phone is working, etc. I always do a quick trial run before every single phone interview, where I call my voicemail and leave myself a message, taping the entire thing. Then I do a quick playback to make sure it works. There’s definitely been more than a few occasions this saved my bacon!

Once you’re all set, try to find as quiet a place as possible and use a land line if you can, rather than a cell. You want the best available sound quality you can get so that it makes for the smoothest conversation and easiest transcribing later on.

Make sure you have everything available now, so you’re not fumbling around during the actual interview. Get an empty notebook and a few pens handy, as well as a glass of water.  I always have a printout of my questions handy too, so that I can cross each question off as I ask it. Just helps keep me focused. If there are samples on the Web you want to talk about, get those windows open now so you can quickly get to them later.

The Interview

When the interview’s finally upon you, it’s always good to start with some basic small talk. Again, your research could really come into play. See if there’s any common interest between you and your subject. Maybe you grew up in the same town or have a mutual friend. Or maybe you just read his latest book or saw him in a movie 10 years ago. Try to mention something that’s a bit out of the ordinary. Something that makes this guy realize you’re not just another reporter who Googled his name and is asking some questions. In other words, show you care. Just be careful not to overdo it on the personal side or he may think you’re a bit too stalkerish!

When your interview’s done, try to ask if you can contact him again if you have any follow-up questions. I usually ask if they mind me following up, as well as what’s the best way to follow up: phone, email, etc. Thank them for their time, wish ‘em luck and you’re done. It’s a great idea to shoot a quick email later on just thanking them for taking the time out to talk to you.

And that’s about it. Like I said, there are plenty of things that could go wrong (power failure, dog barking incessantly, you lose your tape recorder, etc.) so prepare as much as you can ahead of time. Life is certainly full of surprises, so you can’t prepare for every eventuality. But arm yourself as much as you can, and hopefully the only thing you’ll have to worry about is writing a strong lede when you’re done.

About the Author

Andrew Kardon is a professional freelance writer and editor. Over the years, he’s interviewed hundreds of people including Marvel Comics founder Stan Lee, wrestling superstar The Ultimate Warrior and “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane. He also runs JoeShopping.com, the friendliest coupons and deals site on the Web.

This is something that you should expect from time to time as you get involved with cold emails and cold calls. Simply put, some companies will trust that you can help while others will be a bit more skeptical – especially since they have never talked to you in the past.

My advice is as follows: there is nothing wrong with providing a free sample to a potential client as long as you feel that it could turn into a paid gig. Unfortunately, there are people out there who collect as many free samples as they can from as many writers as they can find. When everything is said and done, they did not pay a dime yet have plenty of unique content.

Over time, you will become skilled at separating the pretenders from those who are truly interested in hiring you if you provide a high quality sample.

If you are going to add cold emails and cold calling to your marketing strategy, expect some people to request a targeted sample. This may not be something you want to do, but if that is what it takes to land the gig so be it!

If you’re ready for a break, maybe you’d like to catch up on some reading or chat chat with other freelancers. And that’s where our weekly roundups come in. Here are some of the forum discussions and posts you might have missed in the last week.

From the Writing Forums

• What’s Your Morning Routine?
• Freelancers: Do You Sell More Than Your Services?
• The Domain Squatter Dilemma

From the Blog

• A Funny Cold Call Story
• All Freelance Writing is Accepting May Guest Posts

From the Web

• 8 Things I Learned Analyzing My Yearly Freelance Writing Expenses — by Michelle Rafter at WordCount
• Your Favorite Ideas for Writing Ergonomics, Aesthetics, Functionality, and Work/Life Philosophies, Please… — by Peter Bowerman at The Well-Fed Writer
• Do as I Say, Not as I Do — by Cathy Miller at Words on the Page
• You Ask, I Answer: How Can I Find Niche Markets? — by Linda Formichelli at The Renegade Writer
• Freelance Writing — How to Break In — by Anne Wayman at About Freelance Writing
• 3 Content Marketing Tips for Building Your Client Prospect List – by Andrew Fingerman at Freelance Switch

From the Archives

• 5 Tips for Becoming a Happier and More Productive Freelance Writer
• Writing When You Just Can’t Write Anymore
• Demand Studios: Beyond the Rate Debate
• Free One Page Project Planner
• Freelance Writers: How to Prioritize Your Own Projects

Rebecca Garland (one of our regular AFW contributors) will be keeping an eye on comments and making sure they get approved in my absence. And our regular contributors will still post as usual.

But to mix things up a bit while I’m gone, I’m also open to posting guest posts. We’ve already received one guest post for May and have had one other person express an interest. If you’d like to publish a guest post here, here are the basic guidelines:

1. Promotional links should stay in the bio area below the article (I usually add one to the very top with your name or site name when I introduce you as the guest poster too).
2. The content must be relevant to freelance writers specifically. So keep the topics related to the business side of freelancing or the art of writing.
3. The links must also be relevant to our audience here. For example, linking to your professional site or writing blog is okay. We have one from a design and SEO firm offering website tips specifically for writers’ professional sites. In that case it’s okay to link to a professional site for their firm. If you’re another kind of freelancer, I’m okay with links to your freelance or small business site. But a relevant article with links to a pharmaceutical site would not be okay. I also don’t accept guest posts from “online education” sites (I receive too many spammy pitches from them here). And I don’t accept posts from SEO or marketing firms pitching guest posts on behalf of their clients. If you pitch the post, you should be the one with the byline and it should link to your own website, social media profile, etc.
4. We allow nearly anything topic-wise. But try to make sure it wasn’t covered already. The only things we don’t allow are directly promotional posts (you “reviewing” your own product or service) or anything promoting sites and services that I feel exploit writers (like content mills or encouraging people to use “race to the bottom” underbidding strategies on freelance bidding sites). Anything else is fair game.
5. To submit a post, just email it to jenn@allfreelancewriting.com by April 24th (so I have two days to get everything uploaded and scheduled). If you’re more comfortable emailing me the topic idea first, you’re welcome to do that, but it’s not necessary. Include your bio and link info with the article. You can include a photo if you’d like, but it’s not required.

If you have a specific day you’d like your post to go live, you can let me know in your email. But chosen dates are first come, first served, and they won’t be published on days when our regular contributors are scheduled to post. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are usually open. So is every other Thursday.

If you have questions, feel free to email me or post them here in the comments.

From the Writing Forums

• Do You Have The Nerve to Ask For What You’re Worth?
• How do You Prefer to Get Paid?
• What’s Your Freelance Brand?
• Tips for Building a Professional Network

From the Blog

• Do You Have a Standard Payment Policy?
• Writing When You Just Can’t Write Anymore

From the Web

• 11 AP Style Guide Rules That Are Easy to Mess Up - Melanie Brooks at Freelance Switch
• That Freelance Mindset - Lori Widmer at Words on the Page 
• Part Time Freelancing – Joe Wallace at Freelance Zone
• Three Tips for Dealing With Non-payment – Chris Bibey at ChrisBlogging.com 
• Who Else Wants to be a Headline Writing Ninja? – Karol K. at Daily Blog Tips

From the Archives

• 30 Ways to Build Your Writer Platform
• Build a Writing Portfolio Even if You Have no Experience
• Using Your Freelance Earnings to Earn More

Have a great weekend and happy reading!

From the Writing Forums

• Writing vs Life
• Working Outdoors
• What Do You Look For In Freelance Writing Courses and Webinars?
• Does Your Professional Website Rank?
• Do You Bid on Freelance Writing Projects?

From the Blog

• Using Your Freelance Earnings to Earn More
• Freelancing Makes You… Cocky?
• Potential Cold Email Problems — And the One Solution

From the Web

• Do You Need to Write From Beginning to End? – Michael Kwan at Beyond the Rhetoric 
• 7 Ways to Toughen Up Your Freelancing Game – Genevieve DeGuzman at Freelance Switch
• 5 of My Favorite Freelance Writing Tips – Anne Wayman at About Freelance Writing 
• Part-Time Freelancing — Is it Worth It? – Laura Spencer at Freelance Folder 
• How to Skyrocket Your Subscriber Count — Crucial Strategies for Bloggers – Mary Jaksch at Write to Done

From the Archives

• Think Twice About Writing for Revenue Share
• Search Tips for Finding High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
• 30 Ways to Build Your Writer Platform
• 5 Tips for Becoming a Happier and More Productive Freelance Writer
• 5 Signs You’ve Landed a Great Freelance Writing Job

From the Writing Forums

• Why Do You Blog?
• Why (or How) Did You Get Into Freelancing?
• How to Overcome Writer’s Block
• What Software Do You Swear By?
• Should You Share Your Business Ideas With Your Blog Readers?

From the Blog

• Cold Calling Fears: What is Holding You Back?
• Writing for Print: Reader Expectations

From the Web

• 18 Online Tools for Freelance Writers That Help Boost Productivity [Part 1] by Charnita Fance at Blogging Tips
• How Should I Format My Articles? by Linda Formichelli at The Renegade Writer 
• 5 Strategies for Reviving Your Freelance Marketing Plan by Lori Widmer at WordCount
• Enhance Your Freelance Writing Career With These 5 Tips by Edna R. Aluoch at Freelance Switch
• Paypal Wants to Decide What We Read and Write by Anne Wayman at About Freelance Writing
• Blogger Advice: Are You Guilty of This? by Joe Wallace at Freelance Zone
• Quick-Start Guide to Finding Clients by Lori Widmer at Words on the Page
• The Freelancer’s Pros and Cons of Early Adoption by Laura Spencer at Freelance Folder

From the Archives

• Work Smarter: Do Take it Personally
• What Sets You Apart From Other Writers?
• Freelance Writers: Stand Up For Your Rates
• Don’t be a Victim: Stop Content Thieves Dead in Their Tracks
• Myth: Web Content Writers Can’t Earn as Much as Business Writers

From the Writing Forums

• Who do You Bounce Ideas Off Of?
• What Social Media Marketing Tools do You Use?
• Writing-Related Health Problems: How do You Avoid Them?
• What Are Your Favorite Blog Plugins?
• What Skills and Traits to Successful Freelancers Share?

From the Blog

• What You Can do Today to Secure Your Future
• Work Smarter: Do Take it Personally
• Essential Ingredients of a Work at Home Parent

From the Web

• How to De-clutter Your Home Office – Angela M. Taylor at The Urban Muse
• The Top Myths About Working From Home – Melanie Brooks at Freelance Switch
• 10 Steps to a Client-Winning Mindset – Laura Spencer at Freelance Folder
• 5 Risks Writers Should Take – Lori Widmer at Words on the Page
• Speak Up and Grow Your Commercial Writing Business – Peter Bowerman at The Well-Fed Writer
• Free Samples? I Don’t Think So – Tumblemoose at TheWritersManifesto.com
• Tips and Guidelines for Smarter Price Estimates – Jake Rocheleau at Freelance Folder
• Do You Need to Incorporate Your Writing Business? – Anne Wayman at About Freelance Writing
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your First Guest Post – Ali Luke at Daily Blog Tips
• 20 Modern Stationery Brand Templates Fit for Freelance Identity – Sean Hodge at Freelance Switch

From the Archives

• What Your Writing Says About You
• How to Make Better Decisions About Your Freelance Writing Career
• How to Compile a Cold Call List
• How to Use (and Not Use) Twitter to Find Freelance Writing Jobs
• Freelancers: How to Replicate the Water Cooler Experience

From the Writing Forums

• Do Family and Friends Respect Your Working Hours?
• Share Your SEO Tips for Freelance Writers
• Where Do You Get Your Blog Designs?
• Share Your Home Office Productivity Tips
• Would You Rather Work With a Publisher or Indie Publish Your Book?

From the Blog

• What to Take to a Face-to-Face Meeting

From the Web

• 7 Excuses to Stay in Touch With Editors and Clients – The Renegade Writer
• Can I Split an Infinitive? The Story Unfolds – Susie Brown on The Urban Muse
• When There’s No More Demand… – Lori Widmer on Words on the Page
• Five Easy Ways to Make the Most of Your Blog Archives – Ali Luke on Daily Blog Tips
• Building a Solid Client Base for Repeat Projects – Jake Rocheleau on Freelance Folder
• 10 Evergreen Strategies to Boost Your Freelance Writing Career – Michael Chibuzor on Freelance Switch
• The Posse Clause – Lori Widmer on Words on the Page

From the Archives

• Magazine Writing – Getting Your Foot in the Door With Fillers
• How to Get High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
• Free One Page Project Planner
• 7 Freelance Healthcare Options
• Confessions of a Late Sleeping, Bunny Slipper Wearing Freelance Writer