To each his own

I often wonder how the millions of writers out there get and keep writing gigs. Yet, I think it's probably the same as with any other job, sure the writer needs the necessary background and all that, but ultimately, the fit has to be there.

What do you look for in a writer? You may have a list of qualifications and style you want them to have, but you also need to know they have the work ethics and personality that fits with you or your organization.

Case in point: Give 10 writers the exact same project, and no matter each person's writing background and experience, you will receive 10 completely different pieces of work. And just as in acting auditions, you may think, Writer A has the goods, but there's something about the tone of their approach you don't like. Or Writer B has 8 out of 10 things you're looking for, but you'd be willing to work with them because right from the get-go, their professionalism and upbeat personality came shining through.

I'm a great believer that there is enough work for every writer who is serious about what they do. And there are enough clients out there who are the right match for those writers.

So if you're on the lookout for a writer and haven't yet compiled your list of necessary qualifications and attributes - ones that are specific to what you want - I suggest you get very clear about that before starting your search.