If you wait long enough (five minute usually), the universe will hand you a blog topic. In this case, it was a fellow writer who sent along her own scenario that serves as a reminder to all writers that you can — and should — stand up for your freelance writing business. Here’s the scenario…
Negotiating
Saying No to Freelance Writing Prospects
A conversation I started on a LinkedIn forum went something like this: This has been on my mind a while. And with so many writers struggling (some of them for longer than imaginable), I thought this topic might be appropriate. Writers, it’s time you become picky. Ask yourself these questions: 1: When was the last…
4 Ways to Get Your Freelance Writing Client to Yes
A while ago, I had a client who liked to talk about how well we might work together. Trouble was that’s all he did — talk about it. It never amounted to anything. Call it analysis paralysis or just lack of knowing how to go forward, but sometimes clients just can’t pull the trigger on…
Freelance Writer’s Guide to Sticking Up for Yourself
I was talking with Joy Drohan the other day about our monthly assessments. Joy and I are accountable to each other for what we do and earn. (If you’ve not held yourself accountable for your freelance writing efforts, I highly recommend it. And I’ll be starting the Monthly Assessment posts back up here soon, so…
Freelance Negotiating, Used Car Style
Because my life wasn’t complicated enough, I decided to buy a car right when everything was turning to quicksand underneath my feet. The night before I drove west to help my mom with my dad’s care, I was signing papers for my new(er) car. Twelve hours later, I drove it west. When I got home, I…
The (Updated) Freelancer’s BS Litmus Test
Back in 2010, I came up with what I call the BS Litmus Test. It’s a series of questions freelance writers can ask themselves when considering a new client or project. The goal when I wrote it was to get us freelancers to think deeper into the relationship and the project so that we make…
5 Negotiation Tactics for Freelancers
What I’m listening to Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Sometimes I wish there were more days in the weekend so I could get everything off my to-do list. We managed to plan part of our upcoming vacation, and I moved some files off my old computer to my new one. That’s the…
4 Ways to Inject Confidence into Your Freelance Writing Negotiations
What I’m listening to: Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger What a strange week it’s been. I’ve talked with three new clients, two of whom are referrals, and have started on one of the projects and completed another. I’ve also delivered a slam-dunk project for a favorite client, and I’m working on book edits for a…
The Writer’s Guide to Negotiating Like a Pro
FREE Marketing Q&A: Join Jake Poinier and me September 14th at 1 pm ET for a FREE one-hour Marketing Q&A. Reserve your spot today It’s only Tuesday? Why do I feel like last week just blended into this week? I had a weekend — a good one — but I came to the desk yesterday with a list…