What’s on the iPod: Ah! Leah! by Donny Iris
Yesterday was great. I managed to finish a lot of blog posts for the entire month of October for one client, and tried to get some work lined up for when I return. I had time to get some invoices filed and get some work papers off the desk. Always a good thing.
Also, I was able to visit blogs I’d been wanting to read for a while but hadn’t had time. As I looked through the comments, I realized just how far I’d traveled from newbie freelancer to where I am now. I did a lot of learning the hard way, and I suspect I have a lot more to learn. Still, if I have anything to teach a new freelancer about my road to a full-fledged career, it would be these things:
I’ve learned to charge like I was serious. When I started out, I was afraid to ask for a raise, negotiate a fee, or even demand payment if the check didn’t come. As a result, I was underpaid and in one case, lied to by a publication, which bought a portion of my story then printed the whole thing verbatim. That taught me another important lesson:
I’ve learned to read contracts thoroughly. I’ve learned from being burned to look out for words like “Client is purchasing a minimum of 500 words.” It happened once. That was enough.
I’ve learned to never work without a contract. It took just one client to stiff me on a payment for me to realize that piece of paper was much more than a nuisance – it was necessary protection.
I’ve learned to trust my gut. I should have walked away from one book editing deal when the author’s mannerisms and behavior made me feel unsettled. That it ended badly when he became belligerent was no surprise.
I’ve learned that chasing the paycheck results in lower earnings. I worked hard for a handful of clients. I was so focused on the paycheck that I didn’t focus on finding more clients and building a career.
I’ve learned that regular work is as fleeting as youth. I thought I had it made when I had five regular clients. I sat back and did little, if any, marketing. And I suffered when three of those clients disappeared in the same month.
I’ve learned that my work is my business, not my ego. Rejection used to reduce me to rubble, and I would take any criticism personally. I didn’t realize then that it’s a business and my skills are a service. It wasn’t personal on the side of those clients saying no. Even if it was, that rejection didn’t define me or change my abilities.
I’ve learned other people getting involved in my client’s project kills it. The first time I had to face the wrath of the posse of wanna-be editors made me realize that the moment friends give opinions, it casts doubt on my skills and creates an impossible situation of trying to please everyone.
I’ve learned that lower rates equals bargain shoppers. Having tired of clients debating every nickel, I decided to raise the rates. I lost those clients, but I gained serious ones who paid without expecting a discount.
I’ve learned that marketing when you’re busy means you’re going to stay busy. I rarely marketed, and when work was finished and nothing new had arrived, I panicked. I didn’t practice marketing enough, and I had to relearn it each time I was without projects.
I’ve learned to stand up for my business. I was too eager to please in the beginning, which meant I rarely questioned a client’s terms or motives. As a result, my earnings suffered and I was burned a few times.
I learned more, but these were some of the more important things.
What have you learned?
I've learned that the only expert about your business is you.It's all well and good to seek out books, blogs, advice from "experts," but they don't know your business, your circumstances and, ultimately, whether or not you succeed is up to you.
I've learned that it's easy to call yourself an expert. Another reason to be your own expert.
I've learned what a wonderful, supportive bunch of people freelance writers are. They are generous with their time and always willing to help. It's a great community.
🙂
I learned one of the most important lessons of all. That you're not alone.
Back in the beginning, I followed a couple of writers blogs. Those particular ones always shared the fluff and stuff. The positive aspects of their career. There never seemed to be any bad experiences for them. I kept envisioning them walking around with tiaras and royal crowns on their head, while I had the jesters hat. I felt pretty much alone, since I struggled and they never seemed to.
Eventually, I found other blogs where I saw the good AND the bad. A huge weight seemed to have lifted. To know that there were more people, like me, who didn't have the royally perfect career made all the difference.
Like you, in the beginning I got easily flustered when something would go wrong. Now, it's just a part of the business that you have to deal with, even though you sometimes want to scream.
The best thing I've learned is that if you work hard, even if you lose a client or two, you never have to worry about losing your job. In this economy that's a huge comfort most full-time employees don't have.
The worst thing I've learned is how little the average per-word article rate has changed in at least 60 years. (I wish I could find that 1950s Writers Market I bought at a book sale!)
Cathy, I especially love your first point. What works for me may not work for you may work for someone else but not that other person…. we have to define our own processes. And you're right – good reason to be your own expert. 🙂
And I thank God for the support of the writing community. Super bunch of people – yourself included. 🙂
Wendy, so true. I followed a few that spewed out the "here's EXACTLY how to do it" advice, or never showed that they were fallible just like the rest of us. I prefer to show the entire picture – how else do we learn?
Amen, Paula. Losing one client doesn't make or break you. Well, unless you had only one client, in which case you have two problems – no more work and no marketing skills. LOL
I can't believe how the rates have stayed the same, either. I don't see it getting better, either.
(hiccup) Pardon my multiple eithers.
Back at 'cha, Lori. 🙂
I have definitely been lucky to find some very supportive writers in the community. So thankful for that.
Lori, how did you put together your contract? Did you cobble something together from several that you liked, or did you have a lawyer draw one up, or a combo of things?
You young whippersnappers probably won't believe this, but I've never had a contract, and I've never been sued for anything.
However, I did learn early on that even if you take a publisher to court for non-payment and receive a judgment in your favor, you may never be paid and be out the court costs. So, I've never sued anyone after that experience, and I've never needed to.
Oh, until recently when a client stiffed me $200, but that was my slip-up for underestimating the time a developmental critique would take and failing to bill a large enough amount in advance.
Almost 70 and still learning!
I've learned that even though it is work, you must have fun. If all the assignments I take on are solely based on money decisions, I'll end up getting very bored and very frustrated, defeating the purpose of choosing this career in the first place. I try to keep a mix of the things that I'll do for love and money.
Becky, a writer friend sent me his standard contract years ago. I pieced it together as I learned, so to speak. And I had my sister look it over to make sure it was legal (she's an attorney).
Georganna, I'd believe it. I want to bottle your experience, in fact. I had heard that getting judgment in your favor is vastly different than getting actual payment. It makes me think going through collections may make more sense.
And thank you. I have been called a whippersnapper in years. LOL
Mridu, excellent advice! If you're not interested in what you're doing, you might as well work at the local fast food place. 🙂
I'm new to full-time freelancing, but what I'm learnING is that I have to set specific goals/deadlines to market myself and get more work. As a journalist, I'm good at working on a deadline, but I didn't realize until I started working for myself that I NEED a deadline to work productively.
This point really jumped out at me: "I've learned that chasing the paycheck results in lower earnings. I worked hard for a handful of clients. I was so focused on the paycheck that I didn't focus on finding more clients and building a career."
That's where I'm at right now. I have a handful of steady clients, and that's made me kind of complacent about reaching out to new ones. But my goal as a freelancer is to write for national design publications, and that's not going to happen if I don't send queries!
Thanks for the great post.