lwidmer | Words on the Page

This Job, Not That Job

Posted on April 2, 2019April 2, 2019 by lwidmer

A late start today. Maybe it’s something about the change in season, the warming up of the atmosphere, the budding flowers …. maybe that’s what brings the lousy job offers out in droves. Whatever the reason, the bad jobs are floating to the surface with alarming regularity right now. The This Job, Not That Job…

When to Give Up on a Freelance Writing Prospect

Posted on March 29, 2019March 28, 2019 by lwidmer

A good while back, I was doing my usual marketing — send the LOI, follow up, try to get a conversation going …. you know the drill. One contact in particular stood out in a weird way. He’s a guy who’s moved his way up the food chain at his company from assistant to director….

Tuesday Idea File: Creating Freelance Pitches from Headlines

Posted on March 26, 2019March 25, 2019 by lwidmer

Welcome to our second Tuesday Idea File day. I’m rather glad we’re going down this path. As I mentioned in the comments section in last week’s post, it was something I struggled with at the beginning of my freelance writing career. No matter what career stage you’re at, there’s no need to struggle. [bctt tweet=”With…

This Job, Not That Job

Posted on March 25, 2019March 25, 2019 by lwidmer

Ah, Spring, when a young writer’s fancy turns to thoughts of …. Work. Finding work. Hey, when aren’t we finding work? Alas, for every new bud pushing through the ground right now, there are an equal (if on excessive) number of lousy job offers making their way to your handy job board. Which begs the…

The Return to Balance: A Freelance Writer’s Quest

Posted on March 21, 2019March 21, 2019 by lwidmer

Last week we had an important and lively discussion over the Fight for Truth and what the freelance writer’s role was. One point in particular drove a ton of discussion — presenting all sides of a topic. My stance was/is that presenting dissenting views shouldn’t be avoided, but embraced. It’s common practice in journalism to…

Tuesday Idea File: Finding Freelance Pitches in Releases

Posted on March 19, 2019March 18, 2019 by lwidmer

Here’s a novel idea: let’s have a day just for ideas. Sort of makes sense, doesn’t it? And since it’s Tuesday, I think Tuesday is a good day to discuss another freelance writing idea. So welcome to this semi-regular blog feature. Today, I’d like to talk about how to make a press release your friend….

What Freelance Writing Isn’t

Posted on March 18, 2019March 14, 2019 by lwidmer

Today is the day after my favorite day: St. Patrick’s Day (and the anniversary of this ol’ blog). If I’m here, I’m probably sporting a rather-not-do attitude. So this post is scheduled in advance. Last week when I was looking through LI forums and Twitter, I noticed a lot of the same old, same old….

No-nonsense Guide to Freelance Client Project Success

Posted on March 14, 2019March 13, 2019 by lwidmer

Yes, Virginia (and Virgil). There is a wrong way to approach that client project. Imagine this scenario: you reach out to Company A with your letter of introduction. You invite them to connect. They do. Now what? Well, if you’re like our first writer, Carl, you’d get on the phone and go down the list…

The Fight for Truth: A Freelancer’s Role

Posted on March 12, 2019March 14, 2019 by lwidmer

Not long ago, I had an assignment from a client that involved a little bit of research. They wanted some statistics to go along with the article and support their point. I came across a fantastic bit of data. In one sentence, I could have proven their case and made them look like authorities. For…

How to Remove Freelance Payment Problems

Posted on March 5, 2019March 7, 2019 by lwidmer

F*ck You. Pay Me. It was, and remains, one of my favorite videos talking about freelance payment problems. Mike Monteiro, design director and co-founder of Mule Design Studio, took the internet by storm back in 2011 when his talk from Creative Mornings Creative Guild went viral. As well it should have. Monteiro started his nearly…

Devon Ellington

March 5, 2019

It’s getting harder and harder in this area to get potential clients to sign a contract, or even a basic letter of agreement. Mostly because they want to keep changing the parameters of the job. Another reason most of my current clients are over the bridge.

1. lwidmer
  
  March 5, 2019
  
  Then here’s a little trick I learned from Anne Wayman (I think? Maybe Cathy Miller?): have them confirm in an email the terms. Without a “Yes, that’s the plan” kind of response, I don’t lift a finger to the keyboard.
  
  The more they insist I don’t need a contract, the more I know I do. And the less likely I’ll work with them. I hate having to approach each new negotiation expecting the worst, but it’s saved my arse more than once. And it’s just good business. Any client who would get offended by it isn’t necessarily a client who understands the business side.
  
  Sorry. Off on a tangent! LOL
Paula Hendrickson

March 6, 2019

A few years back, a client I referred to as The Slow Payer used such a ridiculous excuse for not paying me that they are now a former client. He’d always had a lame excuse for not paying invoices on time (and they said that paid within 45-days of publication, but that NEVER happened once in the two years I worked for them). This last time he had the flu. For like three weeks every time I called to follow up on the invoice I was told he was out with the flu.

I told the gatekeeper—and emailed the client the same thing—that even school kids who are home sick have to do their homework. Apparently he won’t allow anyone else to sign checks, so I told them he either needed to delegate someone to can pay the publication’s vendors or someone needs to take the invoices and checkbook to his sick bed, hand him a pen and say “Sign these,” then pop the checks into envelopes and send them out.

That got his attention. As did the bit about perusing “alternate means of collection” if I didn’t have a check within the week.

A friend had a similar issue with that place not paying a $600 invoice. She finally emailed him, and cc’d the editor, and added a comment along the lines of, “Surely, a successful business shouldn’t have trouble paying such a small invoice.” They overnighted her check.

1. lwidmer
  
  March 7, 2019
  
  It’s the “alternative means of collection” that got him moving, I’d bet. Clearly he doesn’t care about owing you anything, but he does care about being chased by a lawyer or collection agency.
  
  Good for your friend. See, you both hit his ego (and his wallet to some extent), and it moved him. It shouldn’t have to come to that, but damn, I applaud you for it!
2. Paula Hendrickson
  
  March 8, 2019
  
  I think this time my friend finally decided to sever times completely with the Slow Payer. She’d gone a year or more, but finally caved and accepted an assignment. She was hoping that he’d gotten his act together. He hadn’t. I told her if he approached me about writing for him again I’d demand 50% upfront, if not payment in full. But one of the tricks he uses to slow down the payment process is promising that EVERY word will be counted and paid for, and they round up. So if you were assigned 1,000 words and turned in 950, you’ll be paid for 1000 words, but if you write long you’ll be paid for every other published word. Sorry, dude. They extra $20 or so I MIGHT get is not worth waiting an extra 30-60 days to be paid.