Sandy writes: “Do you have a checklist that you use when you are offered an assignment, to make sure you get all of the information you need? It seems there are a lot of things that should be covered in that first conversation.”

I do have a checklist, though I’m embarrassed to say that I sometimes forget to use it. I created a form in Microsoft Word with blanks/checkboxes to fill out for the:

• Magazine name
• Article description
• Word count
• Pay
• Due date
• Editor’s name and contact info
• Contract sent
• Invoice sent

I then have several sections where I can fill in source info as I research the article:

• Name
• Title
• Business name
• Address
• Phone number
• E-mail
• When contacted
• Interview date and time
• Notes
• Date thank-you note sent

For each article assignment I print out one of these forms, fill out as much info as I can, and put it in a hanging file folder I designate for that assignment.

Other people may have more high-tech, computery ways to track their assignments, but this works for me.

Got a question of your own? E-mail it to questions [at] therenegadewriter [dot] com.[lf]

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