Jennifer at Catalyst Blogger has a neat post up, inspired by my newest favorite blog Rogue Ink. What exactly do you do that you’d never tell your clients? Here’s my list:
What I do that I don’t tell them – I sweat that deadline like it’s my due date and I’m too big to waddle to the hospital. I cannot, will not, miss a deadline. It’s against my genetic makeup to do so.
I start work around 7:30, once I’m done blogging and reading. Okay, more like 9. But I rarely leave this chair until 6 or better. Or maybe 5, but never earlier than 4:30 and only after a game of Mah Johng. It’s written in stone practically.
I get the a sick feeling about sending the first draft. I make a gazillion caveats to lessen the blow for them if they’re seeing something other than what they wanted.
I fret grammar mistakes. I am NOT the world’s authority on style points, and I’ve been known to screw up on a few.
I get genuinely excited about a new project. However, that excitement fades if the client becomes a demanding pain, or if the work isn’t what was agreed upon.
One more thing I don’t tell clients: I will work my tail off as though my reputation is on the line. But if you bring in others to question my work, I’m outta there. But that one I’ll tell you.
How about you?
We pretty much do the same things.
I also need to do my first 1000 words of fiction for the day before I hit the blogs or get going on the freelance work.
Great addition! It’s nice to see I’m not the only one who gets freaked about sending first drafts. I just sent a first draft to someone and it’s been two days, no response. TWO. DAYS. (Deep breath). Okay, actually it’s been…well, more like a day. It just feels like two. I need to chill.
Very similar list: I hit send and panic. I swear I’d have a stroke if I was told I’d have to miss a deadline.
Others:
I’m terrified that they’re going to discover I’m an imposter and I shouldn’t be even thinking about putting words on a paper.
That I work whenever the heck I feel like it, even if that means 2 in the morning.
Don’t schedule a conference call when I want to take a nap – because I take at least one every day. 🙂
Oh, and if I can’t decide if something is good or not, I read it out loud to my greyhound. If she stays asleep, it’s good. If she decides she needs to go out to pee at that exact moment.. well….
Deep breaths, Jen….
Marijke, I LOVE your barometer! Now, don’t go giving that dog a large bowl of water 30 minutes before you sit down to type, okay? 🙂