Comments on: 8 ways to handle the haters

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:45:01 +0000

Ouch! Yes, writers do need to develop a thick skin…but wow, hearing that must have been harsh! Definitely no fun.

Thanks for your comment. I’m glad it all worked out in the end.

By: Amy C. Teeple

Amy C. Teeple — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:27:11 +0000

Well said Heather! I think you outlined the toughest part very well. It can be easy to second guess yourself and wonder what you did wrong, when sometimes it was just a miscommunication.

One of the toughest blows I took was when a lawyer said to me on a conference call with our entire group, “No offense, but this writing is fluffy sh*t.” Why on earth would I be offended? Basically, he wanted a website that was found for keywords, but that didn’t include those terms in the copy … except for in a spammy footer that he saw on other websites. Since we were not in the business of creating spammy websites, we had to work for some time to reach a compromise (since the sales team did not want to lose him as a client). In the end, I documented every change he requested and our response to it, which proved to be our saving grace when he later claimed we never explained SEO copywriting to him.

It was definitely a learning experience.

Thanks for the article!

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:14:43 +0000

Hello!

It’s true that people make mistakes…and things happen. What’s almost more important that the mistake (other than trying not to make it again!) is how it’s handled. Being proactive and saying, “I’ll take care of it” can be a powerful way to help a client feel at ease..

Thanks for your post!

By: Rullegardiner

Rullegardiner — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:12:52 +0000

I’m not a good writer but in my profession – many clients ceased me for mistakes!. Later I give up explaining the situation and just point out “Yes its me..and next will take care of it”. But those clients must know that errors is common for all human.

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:24:31 +0000

Yes, it does! Us writers have to develop a really thick skin. Still, it’s never easy…

By: Ellen A

Ellen A — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:23:41 +0000

Thanks that’s an excellent blog. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing or how long you’ve been doing it the criticism stings.

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:18:44 +0000

Thanks so much for your post, Graeme. You’re exactly right – moving past the “blame game” does free up mental space to fix the issue. Thanks for your feedback.

By: Graeme Mac

Graeme Mac — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:49:26 +0000

Owning your mistakes is huge. Moving past blame shifting & excuses allows you to focus on fixing the issue.

Great list with lessons that go beyond copy-writing –