Words on the Page

Up for Bid

Posted on by lwidmer

It continues to amaze me when I see writers who have built careers on leading other writers to make smart career choices suddenly decide the money’s the goal. One writer, who shall remain nameless, has decided to offer a book on how to make money on one particular bidding site. By bidding site, I’m talking…

Working Smarter

Posted on by lwidmer

Spent a great weekend just reconnecting with the man and enjoying some yard time. The lack of humidity made it marvelous gardening. The neighbor’s cat, per usual, was a constant companion. I would sit on the swing for a break and he’d make a running leap for my lap. If they’re not careful, he may…

The Not-so-special Offer

Posted on by lwidmer

Well, it doesn’t take me long to get back on a tear, especially when I sense an attempt to get out of paying a writer a decent wage. This week is no exception. I don’t know what it is or why it is that some prospective clients find it their business to define our businesses…

Doing What We Do Best

Posted on by lwidmer

Thanks to everyone for the wishes and condolences as I put 600 more miles on the car to chase down ghosts. It was a cathartic time, made possible by two of my dearest chums – Kim and Michele, along with the additional help of Sir Jack Daniels. Thank you, dear friends, for sharing your time…

Time Away

Posted on by lwidmer

Because I’ll be traveling back home to say my goodbyes in person, I won’t be blogging today or tomorrow. Meanwhile, visit a few of my favorites: Screw You!Ink in My CoffeeAbout Freelance WritingAll Freelance WritingSimply Stated Business What are some of your favorite blogs?

Beyond Demand

Posted on by lwidmer

A sad day yesterday – I learned over the weekend that my first boyfriend lost his fight with cancer. It wasn’t unexpected, but I don’t think anyone can really be prepared to hear that sort of news. I’d done my mourning, said my goodbyes, resolved in my own mind that which wasn’t resolved decades ago….

Why Your Writing Blog Sucks

Posted on by lwidmer

Remember your first blog post? Remember all those plans you had for posting regularly, growing the readership, increasing your business awareness? So what happened? I know plenty of you who have terrific, must-read blogs. For very different reasons, each of you has attracted an audience and has found a way to distinguish your blog from…

Being Memorable

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Nothing – no time to listen! I’m still plunged deeply into the large project with little sight of any finish line. But I managed to get some other client work done before nine a.m. yesterday, which opened up the rest of the day to chunk down this project. Also, I had…

The Cross-over

Posted on by lwidmer

Yesterday was one of those days where I got up from this chair and walked a mile. I’d been sitting in the same spot, powering through a big project, since 7:30. At 5 pm, I was toasted. Today it’s a second pass on some of the smaller sections, and pushing forward again. I had sent…

How Low Do You Go?

Posted on by lwidmer

At this writing, I’m sitting at my new desk. It’s a solid oak mission-style desk with a keyboard drawer and no other storage. And yes, that’s exactly the way I want it. I’m a hoarder of sorts – not to the level of being on a reality cable show, but I save books, papers, notes…

Devon Ellington

It depends. If it's a one-time thing for a long term client with whom I have a positive relationship, I'll consider it.

If it's a new client, no.

I've yet to lose an assignment and not land something better in a matter of hours or days that made me realize if I'd agreed to the first assignment's truncated terms, I'd have lost out on something better.

If a client starts a relationship nickel-and-dime-ing you, it's an indication of how it will continue. Do you really want to have to fight every time there's an assignment? I'd rather be writing. So I go on to the next client who respects my time, my skills, and my rates.

Jenn Mattern

I agree. I'll occasionally be flexible with existing clients (but if they want to pay less, we usually tweak the scope as well to make it a fair exchange). For new clients, absolutely not. If my published rates are too high, don't contact me. And if they can afford my going rate the first month, they can afford it for the following few months as well. Either that or they simply can't afford me.

As Devon mentioned, once you let it happen, you show a client they can get away without paying what you're worth. And really, if you of all people don't think you're worth your going rate, then maybe they're right. With new clients, it's particularly important to hold your ground. If they can't afford you, someone else can. It's a part of your job as a freelancer to go out and find those prospects.

Anne Wayman

Like Devon and Jenn,for me it depends. And I have to admit it sometimes depends on how rich or not rich I'm feeling at the moment – a great reason to have savings.

I've walked away from far more

Cathy

I do the same as Jenn. I'll look to reduce the scope for a reduced price.

If I am reducing because of something like multiple projects (white paper+case study+editing existing case studies), I'll note my usual fee and show the discount.

The longer I have done this, the easier it is to say no to a new client who can't pay my fees.

Ashley

I think I mentioned this to you before, Lori, but I was getting nickeled and dimed to death by one potential client, and I just had to call the whole thing off. He was worried about pennies. Literally — pennies! It was very clear he didn't value me, and I was happy to let him go. I haven't looked back, but it DID free me up to look for better paying work.

Yo Prinzel

I have no problem working within any budget as long as I can reduce the scope enough to make what I want to make. A new client recently wanted 5/300 word blog posts each week but couldn't afford my price. He made the smart move to say my price was totally worth it, but that they just couldn't afford it (some douchebags get all up-in-arms over my price–like that's going to make me want to play ball with them). I adjusted the project so that we still have 5 posts a day but some of them are 100 word tips instead of 300 word blog posts. Now the job is less expensive AND less demanding on me.

Valerie

I'll do a volume discount. That is it. If a client can't pay or doesn't want to pay, I either propose new parameters we can both live with, or walk away.

I do pro bono projects for struggling micro-charities who couldn't afford me in a million years, but that's by choice and for a good cause. When real businesses start kvetching about funds being tight and oh please, could I drop my fee just a little, I'm gone. For all of the reasons listed above, but also – if they don't respect my rates, they're not going to respect me in other areas and likely the entire relationship will be one big struggle. Who needs it?

Paula

One publication I've written for for several years finally raised their rates. But six months later the economy tanked, they lost ad revenue, and cut the rates back to where they had been before. Because the cuts were across the board, and not just me, I went along with it. They said it was temporary, but 16 months later the rates have yet to go back up.

Other publications have been trimming their freelance budgets by cutting assigned lengths. So on paper I'm still doing the same amount (or more) of pieces for them each year, but the paychecks are much smaller.

So which is worse: a place that cuts per word rates but keeps assigned lengths as is? Or a place that keeps a good per-word rate but assigns smaller and smaller articles? (Seriously, I'm coining the term "articlettes" to describe these glorified blurbs.)

becky @ misspriss

Argh. Ate my comment.

I agree with Anne – sometimes it's just how poor you feel at the time! 😉

My problem has been timing recently. I only have about 3 months open on my schedule and longer-term projects are what I'm finding right now. Being a working mom is, well, working against me right now.

But I did recently go back to a client who'd cut their rates, asked how they were doing, and found their rates were back up again. Happily working with them again. Yay!

Mridu Khullar

I just walked away from an editor whose accounts department has reduced their rate from $2,500 to $1,500 for a 1,000 word piece. Nothing to do with the editor (who is wonderful), but it just doesn't make sense for me to accept a pay cut, particularly when the last piece I wrote for them won an award!

I've already replaced that income from other sources quite easily. And the editor has promised to get in touch as soon as rates go up again.

I think it really does come down to personal situations. A few years ago, I may not have walked away from this, but at this stage of my career, I can.

Lori

Devon and Jenn, I'm inclined to do the same. Rare is the new client who gets a discount. In my own experience, that never ends well because I get the "I'll raise the rates after three months" shpiel, which means never. In this other writer's case, it was more of "I'll pay you your rate first, then my rate second." I'm more comfortable with that, depending on what the reduced rate is.

Anne, exactly. If you're feeling able and willing, maybe.

Cathy, yes. I'm all about reducing if there's much more work on contract. If it's a promise of more work later, they have to have those projects defined and in a contract I've agreed to.

Ashley, you did the right thing. When they start chasing pennies, the aggravation factor has just jumped exponentially. I had a client (who still thinks I'm working with them) who actually wanted a complete article rewrite with three new interviews – in two hours. Needless to say the end product was not what was expected. And you bet I told the client why.

Yo, that's a great idea. If it's possible, it's a super compromise. Not always possible, obviously, but what a great solution!

Paula, great question. What do you prefer? If it were me, I'd appreciate the lower word count – I think I'd resent it less, at least. It's a message that they value you enough to pay a competitive rate, but that their budget sucks. But the first one you mentioned? I'd be gone. I had a company do that to me, but they finessed the rate cut by promising lower levels of writer input required, which never happened.

Becky, I'm glad the other company is working out! I hear you on the time constraints. I think that factors into decisions, too. If the money is a little lower (at your level of acceptance) and the time fits, then go for it. If things don't feel right, trust that.

Mridu, I'd have walked away, too. That's crazy! Or maybe go back and apply Yo's thinking – "I can give you a lower word count for that rate"…. Yes? No?

Jenn Mattern

Paula — At least in the case of shorter pieces, you're still being paid a (hopefully) fair rate for what you're providing. You're doing less. But you're not being paid less for the work you actually do. And if projects are shorter, that just leaves more time to bring in more clients paying an equivalent per-word rate, diversifying and protecting yourself even more.