Last Monday I signed an independent contractor agreement with a corporate history book publisher to work as a research-writer, developing an “archivist manuscript” for a new book. Basically, I’ll outline and write the first draft of the book manuscript for a Minneapolis-based corporation commemorating its 50-year anniversary in 2011. The finished books are high quality, hardcover, oversized “coffee table” type volumes that are impressive to say the least, and the rags-to-riches story of the owner will make for an intriguing and fascinating text.

Yet, what’s most impressive to me as I begin the development process for content is the degree of efficiency demonstrated by both the publisher and the profiled corporation. This efficiency is punctuated by a single practice that they both employ: outsourcing. Outsourcing not only improves efficiency, it increases profits. And it can do the same for you.

You don’t have to be a big company or highly successful publisher to benefit from outsourcing. You don’t even have to be a full time author/writer or make oodles of money from your work to benefit from outsourcing. If you find yourself always short on time and long on tasks, consider one or more of these outsourcing options:

Research

Research can eat up a lot of time and many writers and authors who love to create content absolutely despise doing the research—thus, it takes them longer and is often less thorough. If you dislike conducting research, outsource it.

Where to find your resource: You can find a plethora of college students who are research whiz kids. Contact the school, tell them what you’re looking for and you’ll be directed to a teacher or department head who can give you reliable professional-quality recommendations who will work for amateur pay. Not near a college or university? Local libraries have professional researchers who are happy to help you find resources quickly or do it for you for a reasonable fee.

Proofreading

Proofreading is a special skill that is not always a part of the writer’s repertoire. But even if you provide proofreading services in addition to your writing services, it is rarely a good idea for you to proofread your own work because you’re too close to it. It’s easy to read what you meant to write instead of what you actually wrote.

Where to find your resource: If you have a writing colleague who also needs proofreading help, perhaps you could strike an agreement to proofread each others’ work; this eliminates the need for either of you to outlay cash for the service. However, make sure that he or she is a good proofreader who can complete a job to your standards. If you don’t have someone you can swap skills with, then spend the money on a proofreader who can provide impeccable work. Proofreading puts the polish on your finished work and its important to make certain it shines.

Tape transcription

If you’re like me, you know that taking physical notes during an interview doesn’t capture every thought, idea or directive shared. In fact, when you’re busy writing down notes, you might miss some of the most important points being made. Taping interviews eliminates the risk of either missing information or getting it wrong. Since it can take hours to transcribe that tape when you should be focusing on writing the article, book, brochure, or whatever else the project entails, outsourcing is a great alternative.

Where to find your resource: Professional transcribing services can be expensive—especially if the finished transcript is something for your eyes only. Place an ad on craigslist.net and state a set fee per minute of tape to be transcribed so you and the transcriptionist both know exactly what payment is expected for the completed transcript. If you use a digital tape recorder, you can easily email an MP3 file to someone anywhere in the world for transcription.

Office tasks and errands

Need to print, assemble and collate copies of presentations? Need to package and mail manuscripts? What about having to make a run to the post office and stopping at the office supply store? Is your dry cleaning waiting to be picked up? Tasks don’t have to be writing related to be a time-consuming distraction from your more productive—and profitable—work. Consolidate those tasks and errands into one afternoon of “doing” each week—and pay someone else to do them.

Where to find your resource: Do you have a high school aged son or daughter? How about a neighborhood student who could use a few extra bucks? You can also place an ad online for a local “writer’s personal assistant.” Paying for a half day each week to get these tasks done “buys” you the time to find and take on an extra project that pays MUCH more than you’ll spend on someone else to do an afternoon of running errands.

Outsourcing is more than simply finding someone else to do the things you don’t want to do. Your goal is to offload unproductive tasks and free more of your valuable time to acquire, complete and bill projects that increase profits.