How to ask a professional for help with your project

WeaselFire · Sep 22, 2014

Faye-M said:
How should an author approach a professional, non-writerly person for help with their writing project?

Email, phone call, snail mail, in person...

Pretty much the same way you ask your parents if they can watch the baby while you and your husband go to dinner. Or asking your neighbor to check your mail while you're gone. Or getting the nice lady you work with to watch your cats.

You just ask.

The absolute worst thing they can do is say no. You've lost nothing but the few minutes it took to ask. The upside is that almost everyone will help you if possible.

Jeff

Putputt · Sep 22, 2014

Out of curiosity, what field is the guy you approached an expert in?

VeryBigBeard · Sep 23, 2014

Many universities compile searchable databases of experts on various fields. It's usually in their media relations info somewhere, which means it's often also badly designed and impossible to find, but they are there. The school I went to has a reasonably accessible one: https://experts.dal.ca/

The people on there are used to getting called by journalists all the time, especially if they work in something fairly topical. In Nova Scotia, oceanography is huge. Every news story on anything to do with the state of the oceans will have one of about three profs in it, chosen from that list. If you can't find a useful database, do a Google News search and find sources.

Faye-M · Sep 24, 2014

Orianna2000 said:
I agree, and I should have thought to mention it in my previous post, but what does "artistic guidance" have to do with anything? It's not like you were asking this "expert" for advice on character arcs, or plot twists, or anything to do with writing. You went to him for help researching a particular subject, in which he's supposedly knowledgeable. It's certainly none of his concern what you do with the information he gives you!

(. . . Unless you're asking for advice on making explosives. Then I'd be concerned if he didn't ask why you needed to know.)

Gah! The nerve of some people. I'm starting to get angry with this dude, not only on your behalf, Faye, but because he's insulted all of the writing community with his haughty ignorance.

I'm not sure where the "artistic guidance" comment came from, since I'm pretty sure I made it clear that I needed scientific guidance. But I think it's all working out for the best - I've found a way around the scientific information I thought I needed, and I think the story will be all the better for it.

Faye-M · Sep 24, 2014

Helix said:
I know how you feel, but that sounds like a quick way to end up with the Author Behaving Badly label. If you contact someone you don't know, completely out of the blue, asking them to take time to help you with your project and they don't give you that help, move on.

Have a look at your request. Is there ambiguity? Maybe there's a way to rephrase it when you ask the next person.

Or ask in AW.

Exactly, and that's what stopped me from doing it. It was a fun thought while it lasted.

I think my mistake came in my conversational tone. If there's a next time, I'll use my professional tone and be as to-the-point as possible. He probably thought I was 12 or something. I get that a lot!

Faye-M · Sep 24, 2014

Putputt said:
Out of curiosity, what field is the guy you approached an expert in?

He's a physics professor.

Orianna2000 · Sep 24, 2014

Faye-M said:
But I think it's all working out for the best - I've found a way around the scientific information I thought I needed, and I think the story will be all the better for it.

That's good! It's always great when a problem stumps you, but then you find a way around it that's even better.

cmhbob · Sep 24, 2014

I needed some questions answered about US State Department stuff. Hit their listed PR person by email, and told her my questions. She offered a phone interview, which was a great help, as it turned out that she had been posted in Argentina, which is where my story was headed at the time.

I wrote out 6-7 questions, and had some followup ideas as well. We had a great half-hour conversation about the story, and she offered me some good ideas and knowledge.

I mentioned her in the acknowledgements and sent her a copy of the ebook.

I've emailed other groups and organizations and not gotten the same results. Tried asking some questions about a San Diego military post on their Facebook group and got run out on a rail.

Be prepared, and don't take anything personally.

How to ask a professional for help with your project

WeaselFire

Benefactor Member

Putputt

permanently suctioned to Buz's leg

VeryBigBeard

Preparing for winter

Faye-M

Faye-M

Faye-M

Orianna2000

Freelance Writer

cmhbob

Did...did I do that?