Comments on: How To ‘Take Charge’ As a Freelance Writer http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/ Everything about writing and marketing white papers Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:58:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Sharon Hurley Hall - Get Paid To Write Online http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59090 Sharon Hurley Hall - Get Paid To Write Online Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:39:47 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59090 @ Shane: I can tell that you've been in this situation before. :) @ Shane: I can tell that you’ve been in this situation before. :)

]]> By: Sharon Hurley Hall - Get Paid To Write Online http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59038 Sharon Hurley Hall - Get Paid To Write Online Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:04:12 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59038 @ Jacques: You're right; it has to be done diplomatically to safeguard the client relationship. @ Yvonne: thanks; it's a reminder to myself, too. It's easy to get so caught up in doing the job that you forget to do it. :) @ Jacques: You’re right; it has to be done diplomatically to safeguard the client relationship.

@ Yvonne: thanks; it’s a reminder to myself, too. It’s easy to get so caught up in doing the job that you forget to do it. :)

]]> By: Shane Greenhough http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59035 Shane Greenhough Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:12:27 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59035 Great post Sharon, also great tips on dealing with clients, the most difficult part of it all is dealing with those stubborn clients who insist that their way is the 'write' way.. You absolutely have to hold your own ground as it'll be your reputation that suffers if you buckle to their ill-informed requests and don't get the results for them that they want.. I notice that clients will often Conveniently 'forget' that it was their requests in the first place that got the bad results.. Great post Sharon,
also great tips on dealing with clients, the most difficult part of it all is dealing with those stubborn clients who insist that their way is the ‘write’ way.. You absolutely have to hold your own ground as it’ll be your reputation that suffers if you buckle to their ill-informed requests and don’t get the results for them that they want.. I notice that clients will often Conveniently ‘forget’ that it was their requests in the first place that got the bad results..

]]> By: Yvonne Russell http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59029 Yvonne Russell Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:06:21 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59029 Congratulations on this post, Sharon. Lots of useful tips here and thanks for the reminder about offering additional services. Congratulations on this post, Sharon. Lots of useful tips here and thanks for the reminder about offering additional services.

]]> By: Jacques Snyman http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59009 Jacques Snyman Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:14:01 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59009 Thank you for the post, Sharon. We are indeed our own hardest taskmasters, and taking charge of one's own destiny is very satisfying. When doing it for oneself it sure ain't difficult to get motivated! The old adage of "The client is always right" does hold water to a certain extent, but when one is providing a professional service to clients the onus rests on you to point out possible errors in their approach. They are paying for your expertise after all. The big trick lies in delivering your ten cents worth without bruising fragile egos. Back to old sayings again...Diplomacy is telling someone to go to hell in such a manner that the person is looking forward to the trip.... Thank you for the post, Sharon. We are indeed our own hardest taskmasters, and taking charge of one’s own destiny is very satisfying. When doing it for oneself it sure ain’t difficult to get motivated!

The old adage of “The client is always right” does hold water to a certain extent, but when one is providing a professional service to clients the onus rests on you to point out possible errors in their approach. They are paying for your expertise after all.

The big trick lies in delivering your ten cents worth without bruising fragile egos. Back to old sayings again…Diplomacy is telling someone to go to hell in such a manner that the person is looking forward to the trip….

]]> By: Sharon Hurley Hall - Get Paid To Write Online http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59001 Sharon Hurley Hall - Get Paid To Write Online Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:19:39 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59001 Thanks, Courtney. I find that this approach always pays off. @ Carrie: Writing for free is for promotion. If clients want a sample, I sometimes say that it will be published on my blog. I can always remove it if they want to pay for it. :) Thanks, Courtney. I find that this approach always pays off.

@ Carrie: Writing for free is for promotion. If clients want a sample, I sometimes say that it will be published on my blog. I can always remove it if they want to pay for it. :)

]]> By: carrie http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59000 carrie Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:17:51 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-59000 Excellent post on taking charge. I have had the experience over and over again that clients approach me wanting to "get published," but have no idea about the editorial process with regard to how newspaper and magazine, not to mention web editors, work. So I find I spend some time explaining how this works. It is important to stress to potential clients that if you are being asked to "shop" around an article in addition to writing one, that this is billable time. Of course, so is the time spent writing the article, whether or not it gets published. It shocks me how people think that articles just magically appear! Note: I have read a fair amount about writing "on spec," and the general thinking is not to do it. Would you ask a doctor not to charge for a visit? Or a gardener to work on your landscaping without paying? I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has ever had a good experience writing for no pay??? Excellent post on taking charge. I have had the experience over and over again that clients approach me wanting to “get published,” but have no idea about the editorial process with regard to how newspaper and magazine, not to mention web editors, work. So I find I spend some time explaining how this works. It is important to stress to potential clients that if you are being asked to “shop” around an article in addition to writing one, that this is billable time. Of course, so is the time spent writing the article, whether or not it gets published. It shocks me how people think that articles just magically appear! Note: I have read a fair amount about writing “on spec,” and the general thinking is not to do it. Would you ask a doctor not to charge for a visit? Or a gardener to work on your landscaping without paying? I’d be interested in hearing if anyone has ever had a good experience writing for no pay???

]]> By: Courtney http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-58999 Courtney Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:58:24 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2008/04/12/how-to-take-charge-as-a-freelance-writer/#comment-58999 Terrific post - especially with the advice about correcting clients when they are wrong. You're the writing expert, give them your advice and they'll be glad they hired you! Terrific post - especially with the advice about correcting clients when they are wrong. You’re the writing expert, give them your advice and they’ll be glad they hired you!

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