The Laughing Wolf

Letting Go A Client

I had to do a very hard thing yesterday. I had to inform a client that I was no longer interested in working for them. This is never easy, and I feel a bit bad because part of the problem was that I misread something they had put up in regards payments.

The client was a space encyclopedia, and the job should have actually been quite easy. The pay was not good, but it was a job and would give me some more current clips. One difficulty in finding myself doing full-time freelancing again was that I did not have any current non-NASA clips to show, so this seemed to be an easy way to get some quickly.

The problem was, that I misread the pay scale. I agreed to do several entries, believing that I would get some cash and a copy or two of the encyclopedia. What I got yesterday was a notice saying that the payment would be “Full credit for the Entry in the Work and one copy of the encyclopedia.” Oh, and a discount on a second copy if I so wanted it.

I’m sorry, but I have been a professional writer for more than 20 years and have all the credit (and debt) I can handle. No cash, and despite what was posted not even two full copies of the encyclopedia. Of course, I may have misread that too… No professional writer should ever work just for the clips, there should always be money.

So, I have walked away. Not an easy choice in that this will burn some bridges, but it is the right choice to make. Now to go find some work that will pay…

-30-