What’s on the iPod: Viva la Vida by Coldplay
I’m fighting something. Not sure if it’s a cold, a flu, or some other ailment. Whatever it is, it has me tired by noon, my voice is feeling strained, and I’m congested. Here I thought it was all the loud singing I was doing on New Year’s Eve.
Nevertheless, I have to work today. I have a phone interview this morning, then some work on a number of articles, plus some more marketing. Also, I’d love to squeeze in work on one of my upcoming projects.
I was thinking of all the things that can get in the way of our doing our jobs properly, and I kept coming back to one very large conclusion – we are our biggest obstacle. The things we do in a day that practically scream “Don’t do business with me” are surprisingly common. Here are the worst, in my opinion.
1. You don’t market. If you think the work will fall into your lap, welcome to your new career as a short-order cook, retail salesperson, or gas station attendant. There’s no way you’ll survive in freelancing on word of mouth, referrals, or your cousin’s neighbor’s brother-in-law who happens to need a resume.
2. You market yourself too much. Conversely, while we should be marketing ourselves, if your blog posts, comments, or tweets consist solely of “Look! Look at ME!” type info, your target audience is going to assume you’re a blowhard and look the other way. No one likes a self-promotional jerk. Link to someone else for a change, why dontcha?
3. You don’t do the job as stated. You agreed to write a primer on the South American tree frog, but you gave them a sidebar of information on the South American rain forest. And you don’t see this as a problem?
4. You quit. Nothing says “I’m a rank amateur” more than someone who quits midway through a project – and does so consistently. Worse is the writer who quits and doesn’t inform the client of this little fact. Even worse is the writer who complains about every topic assigned. Say “That’s too hard!” often enough and the client/editor will figure working with you is more hassle than it’s worth.
5. You don’t ask for a decent wage. I know for those starting out, it seems like a great idea to take any job that comes along. But know this – those low-paying jobs lead to referrals for even more low-paying jobs and people soon expect something for next-to-nothing out of you. Start with a respectable fee and don’t compromise just to get a check.
6. You don’t follow up on invoices. If they owe it, ask for it. Keep asking until that check appears. Don’t be afraid to upset or anger your clients by asking for money. If they’re avoiding paying you, that’s a client you wouldn’t miss if you lost them anyway. Get the check and forget their contact info.
7. You won’t take advice. It will always amaze me when writers ask for help, then argue why the solutions won’t work (even when they probably will). If you don’t want to hear it, stop asking.
These are just the tip of the iceberg. What sins have you seen committed?
19 responses to “Seven Deadly Freelance Sins”
You don't bother to learn the basics of spelling, grammar, and structure, saying "it's the copy editor's job to fix that.
Uh, no.
Great list, Lori. As a company-employed writer turned freelancer, number 5 on your list is still a struggle for me but I'm learning.
Echoing Devon's comment about spelling/grammar/structure, you have to have a strong sense of organization and some level of detail awareness. Many of the errors I see out there on the web, could be resolved with a simple proofreading. So, to some degree not caring about the details of a project could be a sin.
I never could believe the writers that just quit (your #4)-unbelievable!
The other is not dealing with the business side of freelancing. It doesn't go away, but you will if you don't deal with it.
Feel better, Lori!
Now, wait a minute!
The work isn't going to fall into my lap? Haven't I heard some writers claiming they make tons of money without hardly lifting a finger and they don't have to market themselves? (or prostitute themselves as some state) LOL!
I have to admit that I've done #4, the quitting in the middle one. The only thing is that I quit in the middle of a project on a keyword-stuffing mill-type job, because I just couldn't handle the stress. But, that's not what you're referring to there.
The sin I see is:
You think all clients are dependable.
Not so. Some will tell you that they will contact you tomorrow about a huge project they're going to pay you lots for. Then you never hear from them again. It's not a big deal if you continue to keep looking elsewhere. If they do get back to you-great! If you choose to wait for them well…
Hang in there, Lisa! Asking for – and more importantly, expecting – a decent wage comes with persistence. First, you have to convince yourself you're worth it. You are.
Cathy, I hired a few writers over the years who did just that. They just walked away without another word. I follow up on everything, and that's how I found out they weren't finishing their projects. One actually told me this a week after things were due. I'd given her six weeks, yet she didn't tell me until I asked. I knew then she'd never last at freelancing (and she didn't).
Wendy, sorry to burst your bubble. LOL And frankly, quitting in the middle of a content-stuffing job is a GOOD business decision.
Amen to the clients not always being dependable. Been privy to that a number of times myself!
Happy New Year, all! Sorry to hear you're feeling subpar, LW.
Wendy's point about dependability is a key one. The sin, I think, is letting optimism cloud your business vision. I'm as optimistic as they come, but I don't get excited about a new project until the deal is signed. (In fact, I usually don't even tell my wife or anyone about positive leads — it's like talking about a no-hitter during the game, a sure-fire jinx.)
On a side note, I bought tickets to see Great Big Sea when they're here in March — haven't been this excited about a concert in ages!
If you've got the same post-Christmas crud I have, get comfy Lori. It lingers. My sister is just now back to normal after two weeks. I've had it one week and still feel like I'm hacking up a lung at least once a day. Voice? What voice? Thankfully my dog is good at charades. I'm constantly exhausted yet I keep working – the utter lack of energy is the hardest part for me.
Drink lots of tea with fresh ginger (slice the ginger and put it in the water before you heat it, re-use the same ginger all day and the flavor intensifies). Cough syrup helps, so does gargling with warm salt water. Tried Day-Quil for the first time, but didn't notice a big difference.
Funny how example #2 brought a certain obnoxious self-promoter to mind…
The sin I've seen committed is writers who keep accepting new assignments from clients who already owe them for past work. I don't mind a bit of overlap – that happens when you get a lot of work from the same client. But set limits and stick to them; tell the client what your limits are.
I did that this morning. I've already turned down three assignments from one company (multiple publications and editors), using the holidays as my excuse while assuming I'd be paid for my October assignment by the first of the year. A fourth offer came in today. I said I'd be happy to accept once I've been paid for at least one or two past projects. We'll see what happens.
great list… going straight to my blog and post about it 😉
Let me know how that concert is, Jake! I have them on my short list of must-see bands.
You're right about the optimism creating an often too-rosy view. Unless there's a contract, there's no deal and no work. Press on!
I do the lemon tea, Paula, and the zinc lozenges (to keep me from coughing) and the ginger and the spicy foods. I'm in hog heaven, too. Love all of these things!
I've seen a few self-promoters who are so gung-ho that it's off-putting to me. I don't mind a little "Hey, visit my blog!" but when you link to your own blog exclusively and you promote not friends, but yourself, what's the benefit for your followers and friends? Even online relationships need to be reciprocal.
As for the owing while doing more work – I had one client who was famous for paying me the day he asked for another project. He started doing that when I didn't answer his requests until the check came. They can be trained. 🙂
I owe you a post, Anne. I'll get on that today. 🙂
Ugh. I've so done these things. Maybe that's why I'm struggling and disheartened. So, here I am ready to take your advice (which is freakin' bang on btw). How about taking things personally? Not sure if that's a freelance sin, but it sure seems to muddy the waters and make client/freelancer relationships go stale, fast.
Hi Lori — great post! I would retweet it if there were a button…ahem…but I have other ways of spreading your post around, you wait and see…!
Over on my blog today the commenters are all about #5…we're having a self-esteem clinic and handing out hugs as we try to teach folks how to earn big as a freelance writer.
I already have an update, Lori: After refusing those four assignments and making it clear (again) that I couldn't take any more assignments until I've been paid, the publisher sent me a long, glowing e-mail in which he said he is overnighting me "a couple of checks," and he hopes I will accept new assignments once they arrive. Apparently I'm one of their "prized" writers.
First let's see if the checks clear.
Diana, we're here! And yes, taking it personally can be as big a sin as the rest. It makes you second-guess yourself and can lead to bad decisions. Good one!
Carol, try as I might, I cannot get that Twitter button to attach at the end of these posts (and I've tried like mad!). Thanks for spreading the love organically. 🙂
Amen to that, Paula! When the money arrives, Paula gets busy. Until then, Paula is not available. 🙂
Yay! I did it! If Twitter doesn't give you the answer, go to the geeks! Thanks, Carol, for the nudge. These posts can now be retweeted (I hope).
Heavenly father/mother, I confess, I've committed all 7 seven of these freelance writing sins! I've seen the light, repented of my wretched ways and redeemed my writing soul! Thank you, dear Lord, for Lori's post. Amen.
LOL! Helen, welcome to the club. We've all been there at least once or a hundred times. 🙂
I'm half expecting rosary beads to come crashing down on my noggin. 🙂
While writing on one website, a person on the community boards told people how he had written just a few articles.He spent most of his time promoting each article on the Internet, with Twitter, Facebook, and every other website he could. His writing was awful.
KT1, there's another great example of how self-promotion can come back to bite a person! And looking into the psychology of it, perhaps he knew his writing was awful. I've found that a lot of people who brag are just masking bucket loads of insecurity.