Comments on: Writers Worth: 5 Ways to Defy Limitations

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 12:11:32 +0000

ACK! Paula. Damn keyboard.

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 12:11:16 +0000

Georganna, I like Donn's advice. I wonder if he coupled that with his minimum rate or if he had a plan that moved the income upward?

Paul, that's an excellent suggestion. I've had clients hire me after years of no-thank-you. Stay in touch!

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 30 May 2014 16:23:04 +0000

Best Writers Worth Month ever!

Even if they say no, you can still thank them and remind them you're available when they need you. Then follow up every few months. I did that for a couple years before landing a new client last year. Sure, they don't have a huge demand for freelancers, but I'm now on their list.

The most important thing is not to take rejection personally. Usually it has more to do with budgets or timing that with you.

By: Georganna Hancock M.S.

Georganna Hancock M.S. — Fri, 30 May 2014 14:47:23 +0000

Great advice I received from Donn Pearce (author of COOL HAND LUKE): never turn down an assignment. Worked for me!

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Fri, 30 May 2014 14:11:01 +0000

Sometimes I take a look at what I do well or have done well…

By: Lori Widmer

Lori Widmer — Fri, 30 May 2014 12:20:15 +0000

Eileen, that's an excellent suggestion. Thirty minutes is much more effective than waiting for time to create that entire plan -- great stuff!

Cathy, exactly. Okay, one or two clients might get rude, but who wants to work with a client who would be insulting or rude anyway? When that happens, I consider it a bullet dodged. :)

Thank you, Cathy, for your post and your contributions toward getting this little rebellion of mine out there. :)

By: Cathy Miller

Cathy Miller — Fri, 30 May 2014 12:14:48 +0000

I always try to ask myself, what is the worse thing that can happen?

The client says No. We don't do as well as we thought but we learn from the experience. We move on.

Doesn't sound so bad.

P.S. Thank you, Lori, for your time and commitment to a stellar Writers Month!

By: Eileen

Eileen — Fri, 30 May 2014 11:54:17 +0000

Good stuff, Lori. One thing I've learned over the years is to stop focusing on what I can't do, and focus on what I CAN do. I can't come up with a full blown self-marketing campaign right now, but I can carve out 30 minutes to work on a headline and concept for my self-marketing letter. I can't afford to spend much on client acquisition now, but I can afford $25 to put towards postage to mail out LOIs. I can't make 200 phone calls in a short time, but I can one follow-up phone call every day. I can't afford a course on white-paper writing, but I can find an hour to download white papers and study them. These things have a momentum of their own, and before you know it, you're doing more than you thought you would.