Maybe, just maybe, this will be a learning experience for some of idiot clients who think they have to observe freelancers’ work to make sure they’re doing it.

A fellow freelancer who specialized in HR topics said she’s been slammed with assignments — all about how the virus is impacting businesses.

Oh, absolutely. I have no idea why the people in your area, who could well afford to pay you, think it’s such a privilege for you to slave for free for them. Entitled a-holes.

Your idea of giving people a temporary price break is a good one. That pays back, and it’s a nice way to build goodwill with the clients you’d enjoy working with steadily.

I have a high school friend who has COVID-19, and has had for two weeks. Her description of her symptoms and her experience — as she put it, “this is NOT LIKE THE FLU. It sounds like a horrible combination of whooping cough (which I’ve had), high and unrelenting fever, and strep throat. And hers is a MILD case.

People who say it’s nothing are idiots. Sorry, I will not sugar-coat it. Idiots who won’t educate themselves.

And would you believe people said, “Well, were you tested to be sure?”
As she said, testing is not available to everyone. And she, despite all her symptoms, was not allowed a test kit because she hadn’t met one of the criteria — she hadn’t traveled overseas. That’s Florida for you. But that people are even remotely doubting what she has when her doctor and her own symptoms say what it is, well again, they’re idiots.

Nor am I going to stop marketing my books, and I’m sick of people demanding that I put them all up as giveaways. I was considering doing a few of them (first book in series) as temporary freebies, but the yelling and demands mean I’m not.

I’ll do odd jobs, I’ll negotiate rates or temporarily give people a break, because we’re all under pressure. But, again, too many people are using this as a reason not to pay freelancers. They should be glad we have the skills and experience and can keep their businesses running remotely and keep money coming in.

And then they’re those who’ve always refused remote work, who are going around saying, “oh, it’s just like the flu. Everyone is making too big a deal.”

Or people laid off in other industries who are saying, “Share your client list. I want to make some easy money working from home.”

Over it. All of it.

Oh my gawd, staying home for me is what? Tuesday? Every day? I get out when I can’t stand the sight of my four walls again, so the only thing that will change is that I’ll go for a drive and not leave the car. Or I’ll escape to the back deck. Or the chair on the front porch. Or the garden. Or a walk in Valley Forge Park. As long as I’m not near others, it’s all cool.

I just got two more projects, and a new client reaching out. I think this is our time to shine. 🙂

After a great start to the year, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. I started to think this was it. Then I got a new assignment, one editor said they’ll have plenty to assign in the next few months, and another editor sent a group email to some freelancer saying she knows it’s a crazy time, but they still have a couple months worth of for-your-consideration awards coverage to plan—and invited us to pitch ideas. Phew.

Meanwhile, I just spoke with my sister. She’s a graphic designer who creates invitations and other materials for the client’s big, schmoozy, events. She’s hoping they might try webinars for some of them.