1. What am I looking for?

Before you begin your search for a writer, make sure to outline your needs. Do you need a marketing writer that does brochures? A technical writer who knows Visual Basic?

2. How do you charge?

Many freelancers work on a per-project basis and require one-third to one-half of fee upfront. Others work on an hourly, per-day or per-week basis. Make sure you get details before you hire writer.

3. When will payment be due?

It is a good idea to check with writer about payment scheduling. Freelance writers are often sole proprietors and reluctant to extend credit to new clients. If your accounting department has a history of late payments, you will lose a talented writer quickly.

4. How will you communicate and deliver?

Be prepared for a virtual relationship with your writer. These days, more and more writers are working via email and instant messaging. In fact, you may not deal with writer face to face at all! Most writers also work by phone, fax and overnight mail.

Since it is not often profitable to meet in person, writers may not be willing to come to your office. However, they should be flexible enough to attend meetings if it is necessary for project. If you require it, be ready to be charged for writer's time.

5. What type of writing do you do?

Ask to see samples of writer's work. While most professional writers are talented, they may not have experience needed to complete project you need.

If you are confident in writer's abilities and are willing to give them a shot at your project anyway, be sure to get references. Past clients will be able to confirm that writer is professional, prompt, and courteous, keeping in close touch with client throughout project.

6. What is your turnaround time?

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HOW DO I CHARACTERIZE MY STORY? By Arthur Zulu

If art is a reflection of life, then there should be people in your story. Because in life, people make history. Either for good, or for bad.

It is just as easy to create characters in a story. Now, look around you. Are there not people whose attitude interests or puzzles you? Or do you remember reading of one strange character in a storybook?

So, using your sources you may have developed some characters for your best seller.

Now, in characterization (for that is name they call it), there are two types: real characters and stereotypes. And these characters may either be good or bad as in real life situation. Some are going to play principal roles, while others will play minor roles, also as in true-life situation. Again, they may be of different backgrounds and nationalities.

The following questions will help you to make effective characterization.

1.Who Should Be a Character? That depends on nature of your story. Anything could be a character. In Bible, a snake and a donkey spoke (Do they still talk?) And trees were characters in a mock drama. (Someone says they still do speak to those who understand them.) Even Devil himself had a conference with God. (I don’t think they are still in speaking terms).

So, your characters may be humans (DAVID COPPERFIELD by Charles Dickens), witches (MACBETH by William Shakespeare), animals (ANIMAL FARM by George Orwell), or Devil (SATANIC VICARS by Arthur Zulu.) You may even wish to make yourself a character in a fiction as some writers have done. Such ones are often heroes, or heroines –- they play most important part, and they never die. I am thinking of Thor, in KONTIKI EXPEDITION by Thor Hayerdall.

2.How Should They Be Named? First, their names should not be two long and foreign that your reader finds them difficult to remember. Abbreviated names, as in Shakespearean works, also cause problems.

Second, use revealing titles like Dr. and Prof., King and Queen, to help your reader grasp them easily. Historical names are beyond compare in this regard. Like Adolph Hitler. Or Winston Churchill. Your reader may have known about them, thus making understanding easy.

Third. The names of your characters may be used to provide clues to your reader. Like Christian and Morality in THE PILGRIMS’ PROGRESS by John Bunyan.