The timeline and client responsibilities part is so important. I write or ghost occasionally but primarily do editing. I had an editing client a couple years ago that kept asking for me to rewrite X, Y, Z but repeatedly failed to delivery her first drafts. After three months of sporadic or dead-end communication and precious little progress, I gently "divorced" her and added a clause that says if a client doesn't respond to email or provide materials in a reasonable amount of time that I define, it's over.

My contract also includes a confidentiality clause. That satisfies a legitimate client need and eliminates the necessity for exchanging a separate contract to protect the client's interests. I also state clearly that I am an independent contractor, not an employee, and therefore not bound to the client's office hours, procedures, etc. I specify that I don't do phone calls at all without an appointment and prefer email for most communication.

My contract has gotten kind of long, but it does what it needs to do!

For most things with clients you've known forever, I'd say email is fine. Where it becomes dodgy is when it's a new client and they decide to change the rules.

Kim, you're definitely doing the right thing for exactly the right reasons. Sometimes they just don't pay or decide "I didn't use it, therefore…"

Nonsense. I still had to do the work.

Because of a previous post on your blog, I've added a "No third party clause."

Also, I find it important to include late fee clauses — and that the fees will accrue if it continues to lapse.

I also now bill for phone class, X amount peer 15 minute increment (like a lawyer) to be billed each Friday and paid the following week.

When they have to pay for wasting your time on the phone, they waste a lot less of it. This replaces my "no phone calls" clause, although I still have in that my phone is OFF most of the day, although I will check in for messages, and set a phone date at the above rate.