What your freelance writer wishes you’d include in the brief (but won’t ask for twice)

Most freelancers are polite.
They’ll take your three-line brief, smile through the gaps, and say “Sounds great — I’ll get started.”

What they’re really thinking is:
What am I actually writing? Who is this for? What does good even look like?

Because here’s the truth: most content briefs are just a slightly polished version of someone’s to-do list. A vague goal. A deadline. Maybe a link or two.

And then everyone’s surprised when the first draft misses the mark.

But your freelancer won’t push back. Not after the first time.
Because nothing kills a working relationship faster than “difficult to work with.”

So instead of asking again, they’ll fill in the blanks, take a guess — and hope for the best.

Sometimes it works.
Mostly, it just leads to rewrites.

What most briefs leave out (that makes everything harder)

Even the “good” briefs — the ones with sections and links and bullet points — are often missing the stuff that actually helps a writer deliver something sharp, on-message, and ready to review.

Here’s what usually gets skipped (and why it matters):

• The real goal
   “Thought leadership” isn’t a goal. Neither is “launch content.” What do you want this piece to do?
• What not to say
   Knowing what to avoid (phrases, claims, topics) is just as useful as knowing what to include.
• The power dynamics
   Who’s reviewing this? Who’s going to rewrite it in the margins if the tone isn’t quite “safe”? Tell your writer up front who has final say.
• The context
   Why now? Is this part of a bigger campaign? What came before it? What comes after? Your writer doesn’t need a strategy doc — they just need to not write in a vacuum.
• The tone, but for real
   “Friendly but professional” is not a tone guide. Examples, links, or even a “this is close / this is not us” side-by-side? Way more helpful.

None of these things take long to explain. But leaving them out guarantees two things:

1. A slower, messier review process
2. A writer who probably won’t want to work with you again

How to write a better brief (in 10 minutes or less)

A great brief isn’t long.
It’s clear.

You don’t need a template. You need a few sharp answers that make your writer’s job easier — and your feedback faster.

Here’s the version your freelancer actually wants:

1. What’s the job?
Be specific. “Thought leadership” isn’t a job. “Give us a credible opinion on X, based on our Y angle” is.

2. Who’s reading it — and what do they care about?
Don’t just give a persona. Give a situation.
e.g. “A time-poor HR manager who’s been burned by generic tech promises before.”

3. What do we not want to say or sound like?
Point out the traps. The buzzwords. The claims you’re sick of seeing. Anything that makes you roll your eyes.

4. Who’s reviewing this, and what do they care about?
If legal hates humour or your execs want more “we” language — say so now. Avoids rewrites later.

5. What’s the next step for the reader?
If someone reads this and says “Cool, now what?” — what do you want them to do?

That’s it. Five prompts. Ten minutes. Zero drama.

A good brief isn’t about structure. It’s about clarity.

You don’t need a new template.
You need a clearer message, a tighter goal, and a little more honesty about who’s going to weigh in.

Because most writers don’t struggle with writing.
They struggle with navigating approval landmines and decoding vague requests.

If you want a stronger first draft, start with a sharper brief.
And if you’re not sure what that looks like? That’s fixable too.

I work with clients to turn half-baked ideas into sharp, review-ready content — without the rewrites.

If your briefs keep stalling your content, let’s fix that together.