There’s a saying that two heads (or more!) are better than one, but how does collaboration fare in the world of writing? Although copywriters are stereotyped as lone wolves by many, there are instances where we need to work with others to clear large hurdles – especially for time sensitive or bulky assignments. While having more opinions and perspectives can be beneficial during group writing tasks, improper planning may cause more headaches than good! Curious to find out more? Read on…
Before you begin…
Even if you aren’t a seasoned copywriter, you’ve probably taken part in your fair share of group assignments during secondary school and university – how many of which do you recall being pleasant experiences? Every group assignment brings together a medley of student types with differing personalities and competence: average joes, team players, bossy know-it-alls, self-elected leaders, freeloading slackers and everything in between. Since teachers often allow students to pick their own groups, this means that hard workers and team players tend to stick together – with the less-desirables left to fend for themselves.
However, the luxuries of the classroom do not extend to the workplace. We don’t get to choose who we work with, nor do we have safety nets tolerating incompetence, so proper planning truly is what prevents poor performance. Before rushing to delegate tasks, make sure you tackle two essential housekeeping tasks first:
What writing styles does your team excel or struggle at?
Everyone has a unique writing style – some write with brisk precision, some lengthy and academic, while others prefer the colloquial. While most competent copywriters should be able to alter their writing style according to each assignment, do note that certain technical jobs require knowledge of industry lingo and compliance with international standards (ie. financial reporting according to the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation and International Accounting Standards Board). For instances where someone is unfamiliar with the required writing styles, it may be prudent to seek reference material and allow sufficient time to get acquainted.What are everyone’s current workloads like?
If this is indeed a major assignment, it’s understandable that you want to allocate as much time as possible to it. However, not everyone on your team may have the same bandwidth available – if they have pre-existing obligations, ask what their delivery timelines for those assignments are like and how much time they can spare for this new assignment (assuming the deadlines are overlapping). Although it’s only fair that everyone receives a similar work allocation, a person with a less intensive schedule can definitely help lighten the load from a swamped teammate. Who knows? They might return the favour somewhere down the line!
What’s the plan?
Once you have each other’s strengths and schedules assessed, it’s time to iron out a plan:
Assign roles
Every properly managed writing job requires three roles: the writers (obviously), a project leader and an editor.
The writing roles are straightforward enough – but for the average introverted writer, taking on a leadership role can be intimidating. As the lead, you have a responsibility to push the project forward according to the established timeline (more on this later) – this doesn’t mean that you need to become a dictator, but it does mean that you need to be able to think quickly on your feet. If a teammate falls behind on their work, you’ll either need to sort out their priorities (which can result in curt “negotiations” with their assignment givers), redelegate work or adjust timelines. Effective leaders also encourage teammates to express their opinions and will actively seek counsel from those with more experience.
Editors are the backbone of the team. In addition to diligent proofreading, they also ensure that all writing is consistent, relevant and adheres to the style guide.Devise a style guide
It’s important to have a clear understanding of your client’s business and what sort of writing styles and tones they use. For example, most annual reports utilise a formal corporate writing style. However, if the company’s brand voice is flamboyant, a sudden switch to buttoned-up language may sound off brand. In these cases, it may be prudent to consult with the client to determine what works best.
A copywriting style guide includes: i) how headings and subheads are to be written; ii) the overall tone and writing style of the body copy (including industry or brand specific lingo), and iii) punctuation styling (i.e. whether Oxford commas, en dashes, semicolons should be used, how quotes should be set up, etc.). Clearing up styling concerns ahead of time and ensuring content consistency will drastically cut down on easily avoidable revisions later.Assign a workable timeline
Estimate approximately how much time your team will need to complete the first draft (including time spent on research if necessary). Be sure to allow sufficient time for editing and revisions, as the first draft will never be perfect. Throughout the timeline, do your best to include leeway and flex periods to leave a buffer against unforeseen occurrences (i.e. a sudden new rush job or a slow client turnaround). After internal editing has been completed, expect the account management team or client to come back with feedback and revisions as well.Write and revise
It’s time to do what us copywriters do best. Before the scheduled delivery date, meet up with your teammates to check up on each other’s progress. Even if your section isn’t complete, show snippets of it to your team for their feedback – insightful perspectives on how each other’s copy can be improved should always be welcome.
Just because copywriters usually work alone does not mean that they are incapable of doing so. Like any task involving teamwork, proper planning sets up your team for success. So the next time you find yourself taking part in a group writing assignment, take a cue from Wordsmith and you and your team will have the foundations for a great plan!