Comments on: Freelance Files: Is This Client Worth It? #2

By: Lori

Lori — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 17:55:58 +0000

Oh, the client was asked. I would have, too. But they were saying the price was the price. That means the job is theirs, am I right? 😉

It wouldn’t leave any time, Paula. Agreed. If you’re working every day except weekends, you’ll be too tired to do anything.

By: Paula Hendrickson

Paula Hendrickson — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 16:41:13 +0000

I like Gabriella’s idea of asking for a higher rate and prepare ahead. Initially I thought: Who wouldn’t want two weeks in Denmark? But having to attend meetings all day wouldn’t leave much, if any, time to actual see Denmark. (Reminds me of my uncle, who traveled the world for business, but never really got to see any of the places he visited.)

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 16:28:43 +0000

Also, the gig was being offered by an untested client — one who had ghosted this writer after getting her info and talking about projects/pricing (so I’m told). I’d be concerned about being ghosted at payment time.

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 16:27:18 +0000

There was a counter, but the budget was written in stone. Still wondering if there were any takers. At that rate, I doubt it. I mean, they can’t afford to pay a serious rate? Next!

Those meetings were where the preliminary work was happening, Gabriella. The writer was expected to interview execs for the book in those two weeks (why it couldn’t be done on Zoom is a mystery). There was no wiggle room. Oh, and if there was a delay on the corporate side, you know you’d be the one with the shortened deadline. As we always do.

While it would have been great, the time commitment (9-to-5 type days) and the stress of getting it done for crap wages would have killed any joy attached to going to Denmark.

By: Gabriella

Gabriella — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 12:17:10 +0000

Very interesting!

Did the writer not counter because of the schedule?

I would salivate at that for the whole Denmark thing!–A place I want to visit!

I’d have countered at much higher, which they’d have probably taken because they were in a bind, also at a rate that included a good amount of revisions.

The only glitch then was the work for a regular client coming in. I get it. Regular client comes first. But I wonder if there was any prep work that could be done to still meet that regular client’s deadline or if there were a few weeks play in that regular client’s time frame?

Haha. I’d have WANTED to make this work, but you’re right–not at that price!

Great post, Lori!