Tel: +44 161 819 9922
Return to E-zee Writer back issues
This January we have expert advice from Lorraine Mace on finding expert advice, Ten Top Tips covers writing eye-popping erotica and we also have the usual mix of success, useful websites and inspiration for the New Year.
FINDING AN EXPERT
By Lorraine Mace
Why would you want to find an expert? Well, when it comes to articles, editors love pieces with expert quotes. If offered two articles of similar quality, the one containing references from an acknowledged authority on the subject will always be chosen over one without. That applies to all topics, from origami to mountaineering.
But it isn’t only for articles that experts give writers an edge. Non-fiction book proposals backed up with quotes from an authoritative source are more likely to attract a publisher’s interest, too. Saying who you will be quoting in your book shows the publisher that you have done your research.
And it doesn’t stop there – fiction writers often need experts to ensure historical and technical accuracy. Let’s say your serial killer has been knocking off his victims at a rate of one every six months, but you need him to escalate his timescale and start killing at a rate of one a month, is that feasible? Short of turning killer and buying a five year diary to keep notes, there isn’t really any way of finding out without consulting an expert. A clinical psychologist could tell you everything you want to know about psychopaths (and most probably a great deal that you don’t want to know as well).
Finding an authority on thermo-nuclear-dynamic-quantum-wotsit-theory (or any other subject, even a sensible sounding one) may seem daunting, I know. But searching out the expert you need could be easier than you think.
Network
Like charity, expert hunting begins at home. Tell your friends and family about the topic you need to investigate, and get them to ask their friends and extended family. You’d be amazed how often someone knows someone, who knows exactly what you need to know.
Magazine letters page
Readers’ letters in specialist magazines can provide a rich vein of contacts. The letter writers are usually knowledgeable on the magazine’s subject and frequently have their qualifications listed after their names. If Mr Smithson-Stargazer (followed by a string of impressive initials) of Aberdeen writes in to Astronomy Weekly to correct an article on the whereabouts of some distant planet, you immediately know two important things about him. One, he understands the subject enough to argue his point and, two, which city he lives in. After that, it’s a matter of tracking him down through directory inquiries and/or the internet.
Company and university websites
A company website is fertile ground for an expert-seeking sleuth. Often the site will list key employees and public relations personnel, together with their email and telephone details. If a company can garner positive media interest from your work they will usually be only too happy to provide you with quotable information.
The same goes for universities, who often have specific academics willing to talk to the media on their chosen subject. Sometimes information packs are available from which you can pull quotes. If you need more than one point of view, finding another expert with a differing opinion shouldn’t be too difficult, as contact details are usually given on the universities’ websites and most academics enjoy providing a counter argument.
Expert databases
Think of a subject, any subject, and one of the following websites will have an expert just waiting to hear from you. Some of them require registration and a small fee; others are free to use and you won’t even need to register. They are based around the world, and, as they are online, you will have the opportunity to find experts in foreign climes without doing anything more exotic than switching on the computer.
www.askcharity.org.uk
Ask Charity is a British organisation with links to hundreds of charities. They provide access to key media contacts.
www.expertclick.com
Expert Click is a directory of experts on just about every topic imaginable.
www.experts.com
Experts.com classes itself as a "who's who" of experts. Their contact list includes authors, consultants, engineers, physicians, professors, scientists and specialists in diverse fields.
www.expertsources.co.uk
Expertsources.com puts you in touch with authorities to interview and quote on news, current affairs, business, sport, lifestyle and entertainment features.
www3.open.ac.uk/experts/index.shtm
Open University, the UK distance learning university recognised worldwide says: “The Media Guide to OU Expertise is designed for journalists looking for expert comment on topical news issues. It offers a simple database containing 1,000 specialist subject areas of OU academics willing to talk to the media.”
www.refdesk.com/expert.html
RefDesk was established in 1995 as a free web site that indexes and reviews quality, credible and current web-based resources.
www.responsesource.com
Response Source sends requests for information to public relations people using a simple form on the site. The requests are structured to allow public relations personnel to decide whether a request is relevant and how they will respond.
www.sourcewire.com
Sourcewire is the Hi-Tech arm of Response Source and provides information from thousands of Hi-Tech companies in Europe and the US.
www.travmedia.com
TravMedia distributes the latest press releases from travel companies and organisations worldwide, together with access to images, company profiles and archive releases. They also have a 'Journalist Alert' service to advise public relations companies of a writer’s current needs.
www.expertwitnesses.com.au
Expert Witnesses have a large database for you to search with thousands of leading experts in over 400 expert witness and forensic topics. You are sure to find the expert or consultant you require as they link to lawyers, law firms, attorneys, barristers and other professionals.
www.auscharity.org
Australian Charities Site has been running since 1996 and is the gateway for information on major Australian charities. The information on this website will provide you with a comprehensive outline and contact point for many major charitable organisations.
The approach
Most people should like the idea of being considered an expert in their field and be happy to answer questions. Some will expect payment, others will be happy just to have their service, company or charity in the public eye. Only by contacting them will you be able to find out whether or not a fee would be required. When making contact it is worth remembering that, in these days of internet fraud, your intended expert might be wary of unsolicited emails. So word your email carefully and don’t put anything that might be construed as spam in the subject line.
Be clear in your request. Make sure the prospective interviewee understands that you are a journalist or author. State your background and explain your project, giving your reasons for approaching them. Spell out what it is you’d like to know. Most importantly, give them a way to check up on you. If you have a personal website, it is a good idea to include the address.
When taking notes for later use you should always double-check the spelling of names and specialities. If your expert says they want to see the work before it goes to print, you should tell them they can only see the parts that pertain to their expertise to check for accuracy of information. If they want more control than that over what is written, it is best to move on to a different expert.
The knowledge may be theirs, but the writing skill is yours, and you are the only one to decide how that knowledge should be used in your work.
Lorraine Mace is a columnist with Writing Magazine, winner of the Petra Kenney International Poetry Award (comic verse category), writes fiction for the women’s magazine market and is a writing competition judge. A tutor for Writers Bureau, she is the author of The Greatest Moving Abroad Tips in the World and co-author, with Maureen Vincent-Northam, of The ABC Checklist for New Writers. www.lorrainemace.com
