Micromanagement HellHad a conversation with a freelancer yesterday in which he expressed his frustration with a current client situation. He’s in charge of one aspect of a project, yet he seems to be dealing with someone in charge of another aspect whose disorganization is costing him precious time and energy. Worse, she wants to manage…
Author: lwidmer
Or You Could Just Foot My Bills InsteadHere’s one for the books – I answered an ad back in March for a fashion writer. I just received a note today from the “employer.” Instead of offering me the gig or discussing it with me, “Guenther” simply wrote this: “I had to postpone the launch of…
Job Listings – July 10, 2007I had a bit of work to clear up this morning, so this list is coming to you a bit later than planned. Tell me, do you guys like the job lists? Not? I’m here doing it for you, so if it’s not something you want, feel free to let…
Freelance Does Not Mean EmployeeRecently I had an experience that can only be chalked up to a client who had troubles separating freelance from employee. I worked on a project, handed in the project. That’s where it got weird. The client called – more than once and at odd hours. Needed me ASAP. That would…
Your Late FeesWe’ve talked about others charging fees to writers who miss deadlines (and I think all of us agree so far that it’s a great idea). Now let’s talk about your late fees. What are you charging customers who don’t pay on time? Recently I posted somewhere that my late fee was 25 percent….
Late FeesMany of us writer types are old pros at assessing late fees 30 days out. Some of us make ’em steep; my own late fee for clients is anywhere from 20-25 percent of the total due. In most cases, the sight of that fee causes clients to pay pretty quickly. It’s not meant as…
Fun SitesWe writers often laugh, share, get angry and respond to ads that promise nothing more than profit for the “employer”. But one writer took it as a personal crusade to point out the ridiculous offers and too-bad-to-be-true ads. The Craig’s List Curmudgeon says what we all want to say, points out the stupidity of…
Job Listings – July 3, 2007Your Empty Blog I’ve noticed a trend in some of the blogs I visit lately. They haven’t been updated in months. One hasn’t seen action since November 2006. Mind you, I’m a loyal reader, but only if you’re a loyal writer. Perhaps it’s because we start blogs without knowing where…
The Workless Work WeekI’m tired. I’m sporting numerous moving aches and pains, along with a sore shoulder thanks to an uncooperative tent. The other aches and pains are making me suspect Lyme disease. Given that the deer from the park live in our backyard more than their own, it’s almost a sure bet. Three weeks…
Cutting the CordA Continuation of Our Standards DiscussionThis week I had to do something I’d much rather not do – I had to quit a client. I’ve quit a few clients before, but this was different. I rather liked these folks, and I enjoyed the work. So what made me do it? Lack of a…