This morning I attended a panel discussion on how to work with creative agencies, hosted by IABC SF.

The creative agency panelists (Jim Griffith of iArchitects, Preston Lewis of Bonfire Communications, and Paul Matalucci of Wordwright Communications) shared their secret insider agency knowledge and answered lots of really detailed questions. Really detailed questions. I can’t remember half the questions, but I remember all the answers. And the answers were very good.

All this talk about how to work with agencies got me thinking.

How should agencies–or companies–go about working with a freelance copywriter/consultant? Are there any red flags? Green flags? Chocolate-covered flags with sprinkles? Writing is so subjective, and unpredictable. Even with good samples, you never know what you’re going to get. So how do you know you’re picking the right writer? Or just not the wrong one?

Here are 5 signs a freelance copywriter with otherwise good samples might not be a good fit for you:

1. He’s inflexible. You need the copy in 7 days, and he insists on taking 10 days. Or, you need him to come in for an initial meeting with the client, and he maintains that he never does in-person meetings. Rigidity and a lack of empathy can often mean that the copy itself is also rigid and fails to connect with your target audience.
2. She’s difficult to reach and slow to respond, rarely answering the phone. She doesn’t return voicemails or e-mails until days later.
3. He tells you he can write the whole project without speaking to you, requiring you to fill out a prohibitively lengthy questionnaire in lieu of having a conversation.
4. She wants to begin writing without a discovery questionnaire or creative brief.
5. He doesn’t have a website. But he seems like a really nice guy.
6. She fails the beer test. You wouldn’t want to have a drink with her after work.

Some people believe writers are like hitmen. You assign a project, the writer writes it, and that’s the end of the story.

In fact, great marketing communications happen as the result of a collaboration between the writer and the client. Nothing good can happen if the writer isn’t asking lots of questions, listening closely, and taking care at the outset to establish the right strategy and tone.

If you don’t “get” each other, then the collaboration is in trouble from the start.

Don’t risk it. If you’re considering a writer who meets any of the above criteria, it’s probably best to keep looking. Finding the right person is worth delaying your project a few days. You’ll get a great relationship and a result you’re happy with.