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Passing off a large-scale writing project to an outside writer or agency can feel daunting. After all, any writing project, big or small, can easily be derailed by missing information, delayed interviews or complicated approval processes.
The key to success? “They require a little more preparation than the average project,” says Karrie Hoover, senior project manager at WG Content. “After decades of working on these projects, we’ve gathered lots of tips and tricks from clients — and added a few of our own along the way — to help you gain momentum, especially when there are so many moving parts.” We sat down with Karrie as she shared her favorite tactics. Read on for the highlights.
Q: How would you suggest preparing for a large publication or report?
A: Content briefs are always an important piece of the puzzle. But they often don’t provide the level of detail a writing team needs for projects like these. Putting in more time upfront can reap big rewards in the end.
You can set your writing team up for success by compiling all project information and assets in one shared space the entire team can access. We’d suggest starting with a content outline like this; and then, gathering all the needed assets in advance.
Consider including:
- Contact information for all subject matter experts (SMEs)
- Approximate word counts or space parameters for each article
- Samples of past issues, especially ones that were well-received
- Trusted sources for research
- Any recent and relevant source materials
- Any assets you plan to use, including images
With samples of past issues, writers can get inspiration — and a good peek at the intended layout. And for those writers who are highly visual, being able to see the space available for messaging is valuable, as is being able to easily scan formatting and style nuances.
Is it time to outsource your content for large-scale writing projects? Here are a few things to think about.
Q: What common challenges do external writing teams face?
A: Of course, almost any project can have challenges. But the bigger the project, the bigger the chance you’ll run up against a few obstacles. Here are the most common problems we see in large-scale writing projects:
Coming across to SMEs as an unrecognized contact
A first contact with an SME, especially from a writer outside your organization, will likely get ignored or wind up in their spam folder. In fact, many clinicians are trained not to respond directly to the media and to funnel requests through the public relations team, who may also be unaware of your project or the writer’s role.
Email introductions from your marketing team and directly connecting the writer with the SME are great ways to avoid any confusion. It also helps to CC the provider’s practice manager, marketing representative or public relations manager from the start, so you have a little extra help securing time on a busy practitioner’s schedule.
Relying on the SMEs to provide source material to the writer
Relying on SMEs to gather and send related materials can delay your project. While we know it can be difficult for your team to find the time to gather the project assets before bringing in the writing team, it will go a long way toward a more seamless — and faster — finish.
The good news is that almost anything goes when it comes to source materials. From pointing us to your most recent collateral, blogs and news releases to sharing a competitor’s piece you love, we can glean nuggets of information to make your content shine.
Lacking cohesiveness
While the volume of copy required for a project may require more than one writer to meet deadlines, you run the risk of losing the consistent voice, tone and flare your project needs. But there’s a lot you can do. Assigning just one copy editor to the project to ensure your tone and messaging are consistent across all written work is a good start.
We also find the best publications have a theme that runs throughout each article and ties them all together. From innovation to celebrating an anniversary, a publication can come to life with a common thread that weaves the publication together.
Requiring approvals from multiple stakeholders
At first, the idea of having multiple approvers seems like a good idea to ensure every “I” is dotted and every “T” is crossed. But truth be told, it can create confusion and take more time than you have. Paring down your list of approvers to just a few people helps. Specifically, we’ve found that a first review by your marketing team and then a “final stamp of approval” from the SMEs works well. You may also want to consider coaching the SMEs upfront so they understand what you need them to do. Consider sending them an email communication or checklist like this one that gives clear direction so SMEs know they are not “editing” the writer’s work but simply looking it over for medical or service-related accuracy.
Q: How can WG Content help?
Well, the short answer is that our team can assist from conception to publication. Our experts include:
- Content strategists to help you craft an effective approach to your publication
- Project managers with years of experience to take managing the project — and writing team — off your plate
- Writers with the expertise and passion you need to make your content sing
- Editors to ensure cohesion and uphold your brand and editorial standards
- Designers to help you pull together a high-quality, finished publication
More tips for large-scale writing projects
