I don’t need a calendar to know what time of year it is. I’m busier than I’ve been in months, so it must be September. More to the point, it must be right before Labor Day.
Yesterday, I pushed through eight hours of writing to finish one deadline. Today will be no different. Everything is due Friday. It’s not as though I haven’t been working – it’s that I haven’t been able to figure out a way to stretch my days beyond 24 hours.
And as I implied before, it’s no surprise. Something about the waning summer days gets clients thinking now is the time to jump. I suspect it has more to do with fiscal years and budgets than shorter days at the shore. I don’t know, but every year it’s like this for me.
I’m so busy that I turned down work yesterday. Even though it was a regular client and it seemed like an easy job, I said no. First, no job is ever “easy” when you’re extremely busy. That’s when it either A) goes all wrong and requires revision after revision, or B) turns into “We need this, too.” And second, I know I’d not be able to fit it in. I worked from 7:30 yesterday to after 5 with a short break in there for a doctor visit.
On another project, I know full well someone expects me to be working through the holiday weekend. Get in line, honey. You’re the third person I owe work to who has made that very request. And the answer is still no.
September is going to be utter madness. Work in the queue, vacations galore, and now a surgery plunked right in the middle (with, hopefully, a short recovery time). I’m standing at the doctor’s office yesterday looking at the calendar and trying to schedule around all these other things. Finally, the perfect week opened up. Amen. Ireland in October may not be off. But surgery is the only thing going right now that I can’t say no to.
But why say no to other work? Why say no to working weekends? Because I know my limits. I cannot pull off the same quality of work if I’m rushing through it all. I know this because I tried it once. The results were embarrassing. As it is, I’m going through extra read-throughs on this stuff to make sure I’ve done what I’m paid to do correctly. Yes, it takes a little extra time, but I’d much rather delay delivery by a few hours than hand them disjointed copy.
How do you know your limits? How often have you had to say no?
12 responses to “Bringing Out the N Word”
If it pays well enough, I'll say yes and work 24 hours straight if necessary, and then go to the spa.
I usually say no to the lower-paying work or the tetchy clients who don't tell you the whole truth when they book.
However, if something is already scheduled, be it vacation or personal or whatever, I simply say, "I'm booked."
Unfortunately, the next 3 months will be hell on wheels because I CAN"T say no to the work coming in and have to handle the move around the work without dropping the ball on either one. The work that's booked isn't something that can be done any other time — it has to be that work on those dates. And I need the money. It's wrapping up stuff here that MUST be wrapped up before I leave, and can't be done virtually.
I will be pulling MANY 24-hour shifts over the next three months, and I have to fucking deal, whether I feel I have the resources to do so or not.
And then I'm not taking on work during the holidays. I'll use that time to recover, re-orient, and search for work starting in Jan.
Somehow, I have to stay n top of edits for the new book, too.
Best of luck with the surgery, Lori. I hope you have a speedy recovery-for you-not just so you can get back to work.
My "no" has been on the lower paying or non-writing work-what I call "admin" work.
Interesting timing; however, as I have a call later today where they have a "fairly urgent" project. Depending on their definition of "fairly urgent," I may have to say no.
Because of the 3-Day Walk in November, I am trying to crank out work as well. But, I will not do a 24-hour. For me, the result would be garbage anyway. I don't know how people do it. I suspect I may be too old to do it anymore. 🙂
Devon, in your situation, I'd do it, too.
I don't mind working harder if I get the request sooner. I do NOT, however, enjoy working holiday weekends without additional compensation just because someone's bad at planning.
Thanks, Cathy. 🙂 I hope so, too. I don't enjoy the idea of being in pain and lying around moaning. Well, moaning more than usual. LOL Good luck on the call later!
Oh, yeah, if I work through a holiday, there's serious extra cash involved. Or they have to get in line with everyone else for after the holiday.
I hear ya, Lori! These last few weeks have been crazy busy due to a regular client who insisted on a faster turnaround time and another client who'd booked me weeks in advance. I've gotten some help on the administrative side of things and I'm doing my best to power through, since it's good money.
Maybe you should consider subcontracting part of your project? Especially since you have a surgery coming up? Good luck with the surgery!
Stress factor is something I keep in mind when deciding if I should say no to someone. I'm careful about projects with too tight of deadlines.
If I feel it's too stressing with my workload at the moment, then I have to turn it down. Even if they're willing to pay significantly more for it. Too much stress causes too many problems and that can include not giving the quality on the job that I normally would give. I do risk getting more work from them, but I'd rather not lose them to poor quality work. That would hurt me more.
Hope the surgery goes well for you.
Susan, I'm glad to hear you're doing so well! I'd get help with this stuff, but I have so much time off coming I just can't. I have to store up the reserves, you know. 🙂
Good point, Wendy. The work has to fit in, but it has to allow enough time for you to do it right. Amen to that!
Lori, I hope the surgery goes well and your recovery is full and fast!
And Devon, good luck handling all of that at once and under less-than idea circumstances. I might not know you, but just from reading your comments here I get the feeling you'll get everything done perfectly and on time.
I've occasionally turned down jobs that require way too much effort for the price. Once I was juggling 13 articles at the same time. Somehow I got everything done. Most of the pieces were for the same website editor, who was understanding enough to extend a few deadlines. That experience taught me my limits: No more than 10 articles at a time. (Not that I've had that many assignments at once since that time.)
Hi Lori.
I'm wishing for a safe surgery and a speedy recovery.
On the "no" front, I say no to too-low work and projects with people who are a pain in the behind. Otherwise, my pay will be too low and my stress level too high. As I've said before, if I want high stress levels, I'll go back to practicing law. Ugh!
Funny you mention weekends. I HATE when editors offer a weekend as though they're doing you a favor!
In part, I think it's because they picture freelancers as screwing around all day and then toiling with coffee and cigarettes at 3 a.m. (That's not me, for sure!) So why not offer a weekend to a person with wacky hours?
Just yesterday, an editor made that exact offer. Duuuude, when I ask for more time, I mean during regular business hours!
You're right, Paula. Devon would never not get things done on time. It's against her genetic makeup. 🙂
You can do TEN articles at once? I hope they're small! I can do up to three in-depth ones of about 2K each in one month, but that's a stretch. That adds up to nine interviews and a LOT of juggling to make sure the right quotes go in the right article. 🙂
Such a favor, huh Gabriella? 🙂 As for the pain-in-the-behind types, I've sworn off working for some people who are lovely but cannot organize or do their jobs correctly. I can't help them shine if they won't help themselves.
hmmmm, for once I disagree with Devon… I can't push effectively for 24 hours no matter how well it pays.
Lori, sending you well beams, etc.
Most of the articles I write are short. But several of those 13 were in the 1800-2000 word range (a rarity for consumer pubs anymore), but that editor prefers e-mail interviews whenever possible. Needless to say, not having to transcribe as many interviews cuts the time spent on those articles down by several hours each. If I'd had to transcribe five or six lengthy interviews for each article, I'd probably try to limit myself to no more than six articles at the same time.