It happened again. Another would-be client restated the parameters of what would have been our working relationship. Not a little restatement, either. It was more of a major WTF involving the actual definition of freelance. What would have been a decent gig was suddenly a no-go from my perspective. It’s also not an uncommon occurrence, either….
Client issues
The Tuesday Freelancer: Handling Client Disagreements with Grace
Last week I headed in to the local Macy’s to spend a gift card. I found a few things that I took to the sales desk. That’s when things got, well, weird. The salesperson was a younger woman — mid-thirties perhaps — who was dressed in a really neat rocker-chick style, including awesome makeup. She…
The Freelance Writer’s Waiting Game (and how to stop it right now)
What I’m listening to: The Waiting by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers The waiting is the hardest part… It’s rare when the song I’m listening to coincides with the theme of my post. Today, it’s intentional. I saw a disturbing series of exchanges recently that made me realize just how stuck we freelance writers can…
Free Advice Friday: The Words that Spell Doom to Your Freelance Writing Career
What I’m listening to: Ghost in the Machine by Our Last Night “Terms are terms. They aren’t good or bad until we add context.” That’s the argument I received after objecting to someone’s use of the term “liberal snowflakes” to describe my Facebook video of the recent snowstorm. It seems I made it political by…
Your Boundary-a-Day Freelance Career
To the wishy-washy freelance writers out there, this post is for you. A while ago (years) I was asked to complete a project by a client who’d found me on Twitter. That went well, so I wasn’t surprised when she reappeared the next month with another project. I was surprised by what she wanted me…
6 Traits of a Non-paying Client (and how to spot them ahead of time)
This is one of those really odd weeks for me lately — I have free time in my day. Actual free time. Three projects are in progress. Three others are ongoing work. One is completed. The occasional projects were completed last week, as well. Two others are on the way. So yes, free time. After…
Client Language Warning Flags
Sometimes the blog posts practically write themselves. Like when I get calls and emails from people looking for writers, for content, for freebies, for … fill in the blank. In most cases, anyone can see quickly how you’re about to be used (not hired — used), how this kind of “offer” for “exposure” will not benefit…
4 Freelance Writing Myths You Can Dispel Right Now
I was talking with a relative at a party last year when I realized I was missing a pretty big opportunity. He’d asked me how the writing was going, and then he said it: “You write stories and magazine articles, right?” Magazine articles, yes. But stories? Hardly ever, and certainly not for pay. He had gotten…
4 Issues Every Freelance Writer Will Face
What I’m listening to: Trip Switch by Nothing But Thieves Sometimes you come across something that’s stated simply, and it’s so brilliant that you have to share it. That was the case yesterday when I read this blog post by Jason McDowell. He said this: Never let a client treat you like anything but an equal. Take…
The Power of Being Busy
What I’m listening to: Shape of You by Ed Sheeran Quite a busy week for me. I’m not overrun with work, but I’m working on projects that require a little more time and energy. The work keeps flowing, too. I had a conversation a few months back with a potential client that would have landed…