Uncategorized | Words on the Page

Free Advice Friday: Building a Specialty Writing Niche

Posted on March 14, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Late in the Evening by Paul Simon It’s been a slooooow week. Where normally I’m inundated with work, I’m sitting idle. I’d be concerned if I didn’t know I had some projects about to appear. Still, I market as though nothing is in the works. You never know when a project…

The Professional Writer Quiz

Posted on March 11, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Elizabeth by The Airborne Toxic Event The week is starting out a bit rough. The article I’m working on is going well, but the potential projects talked about in January are still hanging in limbo. It’s a bit frustrating, but if the client isn’t ready, there’s not a ton you can…

Free Advice Friday: Finding Your Process

Posted on March 7, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Fast Cars and Freedom by Rascal Flatts A slow, albeit nice week. I enjoyed having time to really concentrate a full day to poetry. The article I’m writing is roughly outlined and I’ve lined up some interviews already, so it’s just waiting until the contacts can talk. I worked on a…

Things I’ve Learned from a Freelance Writing Career

Posted on March 6, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: I Will Wait by Mumford & Sons I spent the week thus far deep in researching and outlining an article assignment. Normally, I know going in where the article is going, but when the editor suggested a two-part article, I had to retrace and rethink. I have a handle on it…

Monthly Assessment: February 2014

Posted on March 4, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Breathless by The Corrs Last week was a good one for getting work. A favorite editor assigned an article with the caveat that if it gets complicated, I’m free to make it a series. She’s astute (and a terrific editor) — it probably will get complicated. Some of the insurance-related issues…

Free Advice Friday: The Writing Client Interview

Posted on February 28, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Summer Girls by LFO For a week that had just a little work in it, this one was quite busy. When I have these lulls between projects, I like to have personal projects lined up. They move from just one segment of my day to the larger part of my work….

Writers & Social Media: Use Responsibly

Posted on February 26, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Kinda Fuzzy by Eels Yesterday was a bit slower for me. I was still feeling the effects of what I now suspect was a virus. I was able to get a little marketing and a little writing done, but the majority of the day was devoted to taking it slow and…

Losing Bad Writing Habits

Posted on February 25, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Twenty-One by Corey Smith What a great weekend! Friends of ours were married in a meditation ceremony, and it couldn’t have been nicer. Here were two people who had been through some rough situations separately, but who’d finally found each other (right under their noses, too), and had found a beautiful…

Free Advice Friday: This Job, Not That Job

Posted on February 21, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Iceberg by We Invented Paris I love weeks like this. I had time to work on a project, get some personal projects done, market, and meet new clients via social media. I sense a bunch of projects about to come in, and I’m gearing up to get a much-anticipated personal project…

Dealing with Tough Writing Client Responses

Posted on February 20, 2014 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift (feat. Ed Sheeran) Yesterday was a good day. Despite one minor upset to start the day, I got halfway through a project that’s turning out to be a lot of fun to put together. I have one interview today and hopefully I’ll be able to…

Anne Wayman

February 20, 2014

Lori, when someone balks at my price, I thank them for their time, suggest they consider me a resource and leave them behind.

Oh sure, some I'll negotiate a bit with maybe. But basically my price is my price –

Cathy Miller

February 20, 2014

I respond with something like the following:

Thank you for letting me know. I would be happy to discuss future opportunities with you should your conditions change. I wish you continued success.

Of course, that's assuming I want to do business with them in the future. ;-)If not, I would simply leave out the 2nd sentence.

Paula

February 20, 2014

I love Cathy's reply – subtly underscoring the problem isn't her price but their inability to meet it!

Devon Ellington

February 20, 2014

Love what you, Anne, Cathy, and Paula have to say. I'm the same.

I get a lot of ire by "aspiring" writers who claim they want an editor, and really want an editor for free. Um, no. My price is my price, and if you need an editor before you submit to a publisher, then you need to pay a fair price. This is my business, not my hobby, and every minute spent on your work is a minute less spent on my own.

I've had some nice responses saying I'm out of the budget, and then we keep in touch. But the nasty ones — they'd be a nightmare to work with anyway.

I've had a few would-be clients try to get me to jump through ridiculous hoops to "earn" the right to be their editor. Um, no. Here are my credentials, this is my page, this is the sample page of editing style, this is the quote.

Either it works for you or it doesn't.

You get what you pay for. If you're going to pay rates that are content-mill level rates, that the quality you get.

I'm worth the money, and my rates are my rates. There's some room, in some instances, for negotiation, but the courtesy of the response has a lot to do with telling me what the client will be like to work with.

Lori Widmer

February 20, 2014

Thank you, ladies. All of you have just represented why you're class acts. 🙂

I agree that a detached, fair assessment is a good response. Just a "Thank you and I wish you well" works for the nasty ones, but sometimes you really do wish you and the potential client could come to terms because they're just so darned nice.

Sharon Hurley Hall

February 20, 2014

Great responses. I usually let clients know what they can get for their budget.

Susan Johnston

February 20, 2014

I think Carol Tice responds with something like "I understand you can't afford professional rates at this time, but should that change in the future please let me know." I don't know if these prospects do contact her in the future but it seems like a dignified way to respond.

In your case, Lori, I'd be frustrated that he asked for a proposal after you gave your rate. Why ask you to spend the time on a proposal if he thinks the rate is outrageous? That's what baffles me, but that does happen sometimes. More often, though, I send a proposal and just hear crickets, even when I follow up. That's freelancing for you!

Lori Widmer

February 21, 2014

Sharon, that's true. In my case, I send proposals — detailed ones — and they know what they're paying for. My proposals include my resume, which should indicate why my price isn't a bargain-basement rate. Still, there's going to be push-back at times.

Susan, that's what has me scratching my head. Not sure exactly why it came as a shock. Oh well — it wasn't a match.

I hear crickets occasionally, too. That's actually a bit easier to take because you know then that the price didn't fit them. 🙂

Jennifer Mattern

February 21, 2014

First of all, why the hell did he ask you for a proposal if he already knew your "outrageous" rates? Maybe he thought you were kidding? LOL

I think Cathy's response is perfect.

I generally take the approach of pointing out that these are professional rates, and they won't get the same experience on the cheap.

I thank them for their interest and invite them to contact me again if their situation or budget changes.

And I give them a referral (usually to a newer writer who might be open to the lower rates; I don't send the obvious price "negotiators" to other colleagues I know charging similar rates).

They usually take the referral, the newer writer lands a gig they're happy with, and the client very often comes back to me later.

The referrals cinch the deal. They appreciate that I care enough to point them to someone who can help rather than just blowing them off, telling them they can't afford a pro.

Lori Widmer

February 21, 2014

Jenn, I like your approach. It's been something I've admired for a while now about the way you work.

Yes, it is a bit weird to have that reaction after the price was already put out there, but I suppose there's some disconnect between what I'd said and what the client thought he would see.