Contemplating the forget-me-nots
When people embark on a career* as a freelance writer there is often a dewy-eyed expectation of ‘the writing life’. The elements change from person to person – apart from the money part! – but the holy grail of freelancing is reaching a point where people contact you to say they love your work and they want you to write for them.
It all began one sunny afternoon when I was passing through LinkedIn, scattering comments like wildflower seeds. I have a varied ‘community’ across a lot of different business sectors but what links us is a fondness for humour and language.
Somewhere along the line I’d said something funny and someone I didn’t know well responded to my comment with a suggestion that I write for them. Before you can say ‘slide into my DMs’ we were thrashing out the details. At least, I was.
Day 1 Client tells me about his business interests and his lifestyle. I check out his website and formulate some ideas.
Day 1 I send the client two draft pieces for them to consider and ask about their budget.
Day 7 I send a follow-up message in case they had any queries.
Day 11 I check whether the client wants me to send anything else.
Day 11 Client responds one minute later to say they’ve been busy but they’ll read the content today.
Day 13 As there’s still no response from the client about my content or their budget I thank them for their time and move on.
Day 13 Client responds four minutes later, says my work is very good and can they have my phone number.
Day 13 I ask the client what their budget is per piece / word / project.
Day 13 Client replies: I don’t set budgets I just say yes or no. (In my head I hear the voice of Lou Grant.) Client prefers one of the two draft pieces and also compliments my podcast work.
Day 14 I quote an introductory discount rate for the finished piece, for first rights.
Day 14 Client replies within the hour with a two-word response: Too high.
Day 14 A few hours later I thank the client for their time move on.
Day 14 Client responds fifteen minutes later: I think people that write have to realise that small publications don’t have the readership or the income to afford material like this so unless you’re willing to work for much less money, it just doesn’t make sense.
Day 14 I thank client for their response and remind them that I asked twice about their budget and instead they left it open to me. I add that it doesn't make sense for me, as working writer, to work for much less money unless there are other drivers such as a longer-term arrangement, doing it for fun instead (guess again), or if the organisation is a non-profit. Then, with one eye on this blog post, I ask what rate they were hoping for. They never respond again.
Now, it would be easy and churlish to criticise a client for their response times, their lack of transparency and their dismissive attitude towards working writers. It could be funny too, but that’s not the intention here.
There could be several reasons for the pricing disconnect:
1. Non-writers think it takes very little time to write quality material
2. The client was used to people writing for very little money
3. The client thought that writers are ten-a-penny and someone else would do it for the exposure
4. The client was desperate
None of which are my problem.
As a footnote, I checked out their website, just to make sure my work hadn’t been appropriated, and it’s no longer available.
If you’re on LinkedIn and you’re looking for a writer, here’s where to find me:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/professionalwriter1/
* May contain traces of cynicism
