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Honest Scraps

Posted on by lwidmer

Dear blogging soul Lillie has awarded me an Honest Scrap Award for telling it like it is. In keeping with the rules of the award, I’m to share 10 honest bits from my life with you, as are all recipients. I’ve never been shy about laying everything out, so here goes. Interesting? You be the…

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The Things You’ve Done Right This Year

Posted on by lwidmer

Even if this wasn’t the banner year you were hoping for, even if you never quite reached that goal you set, you did some things right this year that kept your career alive. Why else would you still be in freelancing? Here are a few things you’ve done that you can be proud of: 1….

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Study Time

Posted on by lwidmer

A few days ago we chatted about learning your craft (meaning your business, though not entirely ignoring the writing part). If there’s a dilemma you’re facing, there’s a book written that will help. Here are a few that have helped me over the years. How to Write Irresistible Query Letters by Lisa Collier Cool. This…

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‘Twas the Night Before Christmas….

Posted on by lwidmer

more animals Here’s hoping you get what you want for Christmas.

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Starting or Going?

Posted on by lwidmer

I have a friend who is always starting. Since I’ve known her, she’s talked about starting diets, starting career changes, starting dating, and starting all sorts of small projects. Trouble is she never really gets anywhere. Her planning never quite makes it to the action stage, which means fruition is a complete enigma to her….

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Did You Really Mean That?

Posted on by lwidmer

I’m officially on vacation until 2009, so why not put together a few posts meant strictly for entertainment purposes? This is one. If you haven’t heard me lament at least once about proofreading being dead, you’re new here, aren’t you? It’s one particular drum I beat often, and thanks to the lack of said proofreading…

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Ending the Work Week (and Year) on the Upswing

Posted on by lwidmer

Hooray! The long-awaited, much anticipated, often doubted check has arrived! Woo! Just in time for the holidays! What’s more, the rather large, cumbersome project has finally been approved. What with the shopping almost done and the house looking all decorated, just slap my back and color me festive! Since the working world has already decided…

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That Freelance Career

Posted on by lwidmer

I was reading chum Devon’s exasperation regarding new writers asking old questions. I hear you, sister, and I feel your pain. Too often we working writers are asked by newbies how to get started. Only the question is just that – “How do I get started in freelancing?” It gets my blood boiling every time….

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The Good, The Bad, and the Mediocre

Posted on by lwidmer

It’s a good thing my ego’s tougher than it was when I started writing. There are days – and clients – that test the very mettle we’re made of. Yesterday was a bit frustrating in that I’ve worked my heart out for one particular client only to have the project returned like a wayward boomerang….

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Return of the Jedi and The Check’s in the Mail

Posted on by lwidmer

It’s probably a good thing this is the slow time of year for me. Yesterday was awash in issues that had nothing to do with work. Run to the bank and deposit funds for one of the offspring (herein known as the Jedi), take another Jedi to the doctor, inch through an ice storm to…

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  1. Angie Ledbetter Avatar
    Angie Ledbetter

    What a pain that this has to be part of the freelancing world, eh? grrr Do you have late fees and such stated in your contract? Hope it gets resolved before the new year!

    Reply
  2. Devon Ellington Avatar
    Devon Ellington

    Yes. I get my late fees. They are stated in the contract, and it’s part of the whole “I retain copyright until paid in FULL” clause.

    I run into less of those problems because I don’t like having a middle man — a client for the client. I like to deal with the client directly. Too many warning bells go off when the person who hired me is actually supposed to be doing the writing, but has hired me to do it instead and the client has no idea it’s been outsourced.

    That additional layer is usually more trouble than it’s worth.

    Reply
  3. Lori Avatar
    Lori

    I tend to agree, Devon. The client is a large global company, and that in itself adds layers of red tape. When taking this one on I understood the client to be someone I’d worked very well with in the past. My suspicion is the end client hasn’t yet seen it.

    Late fees are stated in my contract, as is what Devon mentioned above – copyright transfers to client upon full payment of amount due. It does make it possible to prove a case in court of money owed, but again, collection could cost me too much.

    Reply
  4. Kimberly Ben Avatar
    Kimberly Ben

    Lori, a conversation here between you & Devon encouraged me to add late fees to my contract. 6 months? That's terrible. Good to know Devon has had no trouble getting late fees from her clients; I wondered about whether I'd be able to collect late fees owed as well.

    I will stay tuned to this situation hoping your client has the decency to resolve this issue before the close of the year.

    Reply
  5. Lori Avatar
    Lori

    Devon’s the strong woman we all want to be, Kimberly. :))

    Reply
  6. Susan Johnston Avatar
    Susan Johnston

    @Lori: “Multiple layers of late fees” sounds like a major red flag!

    I had a client bounce a check this week, and you would have been proud of my response. First I called my bank and asked them to refund the fee they charged ME for cashing a bad check. Then I called the client’s bank and they hung up on me, but it turns out that the state where the check originated has a law against bad checks which entitles me to charge them a “statutory penalty” if they don’t send payment within 30 days of my re-requesting payment. So, I sent registered letter #2 (the first one was reminding them that my check was 2 months late) to my negligent client today and included a request for them to reimburse me for BOTH registered letters, plus the amount of the bad check. Probably won’t get any money out of them, but it felt good to write a strongly worded letter using such phrases as “statutory penalty” and “per state law.” In future, my contracts will include a clause stating the fee for bad checks and late checks and listing MY county as the jurisdiction should a visit to small claim’s court be deemed necessary.

    Reply
  7. Willie Avatar
    Willie

    Hi there,

    Just dropping by to read your blog. You sounded like a lawyer or an accountant when you mentioned chasing after people for cheque. HEhehe… anyway, its difficult to chase after money, no matter where you are.

    Reply
  8. Lori Avatar
    Lori

    Sometimes I feel like a lawyer, Willie! No, I’m not. But I get advice from my sister, who is an attorney. It helps to have one in the family!

    Reply
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