Totally different topic today, but one that some of the more established freelancers have had to deal with. Someone (a female) in my orbit is right now dealing with a grabber. The grabber in question has adjacent property to hers, and in every interaction over the last year has started with an ask. Each subsequent…
Tag: boundaries
Tuesday Take: Writers With Borders
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….
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…
Writers Worth: Stopping the Runaway Project
I was working with a client a number of months ago when this happened: Based on the notes provided, I wrote a draft. It came back — not what they wanted. I revised, based on the feedback given. It came back — not right. Harumph. Okay, pick up the phone. The conversation was enlightening in…
Monday Muse: Knowing Your Boundaries
What I’m listening to: Hey There Delilah by Plain White T’s After a week that, for the most part, was internet-free, I’m back to a mountain of emails. I was thinking about an encounter I’d had a while back, and it was one that tested my ability to draw clear boundaries. And if you know…
7 Necessary Freelance Writing Boundaries
What’s on the iPod: Mama Knows by Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds If you take a day off, you want to be able to enjoy it, right? Not so for me yesterday. An intestinal infection had me wiped out just getting out of bed. The meds can’t work fast enough. Advil kept me upright,…
Open Thread: What are Your Requirements?
What’s on the iPod: Yes I’m Cold by Chris Bathgate Interesting day yesterday. I spent much of it unraveling notes and charts from a client conference call. I was able to put together a rough draft so that the client has something to work with. I’m certain this one will come back a few times….
Setting Work Boundaries
On the iPod: Right in Time by Lucinda Williams When I was a wee bairn first starting out in this writing profession, I’d take on any and all projects that happened my way. That seemed like the smart thing to do in order to get established. In reality, it was a hot mess stirred and…
Tenacity and the Word ‘No’
I’ll give her credit – she’s tenacious. The editor of a magazine I worked with recently has once again contacted me to complete a story for her. That would be fine – only, I told her twice now that her publication doesn’t pay enough for me to justify the work involved, and that I had…
Admitting to Limitations
Got a note from a prospective client the other day after I’d responded to an ad. The question came – Do you have experience writing about this, that, and this other thing? I didn’t have that experience. All of us get these questions. Not all of us have the experience they’re looking for. It’s at…