Poles apart

No sooner had I uploaded my last blog entry than the Pole mailed me back to say I was too expensive! I didn't know whether to feel relieved or affronted. Both really.

Relieved because it now means I won 't have to work over the weekend to earn what would be quite a paltry sum really.

Affronted because students seem to think that they shouldn't have to pay the going rate for a professional service from a skilled and experienced editor. Now, I'm well aware that students are generally quite hard up. But this one is a post-grad and probably working while she completes her studies. I held down two jobs while doing my degree and I was on a full student grant. (Yes, it was that long ago that you could still get a grant rather than a loan.)

I offered this particular student a very competitive price and she mailed me back saying she only had expected to pay around half what I'd quoted. I'd already told her my hourly rate before I did the quote so she clearly had expected me to work at twice the speed possible to do a proper job.

Given she has a deadline on Tuesday, she'll be hard pushed to find anyone competent at short notice. And even harder pushed to find anyone competent at short notice who is prepared to work for what she is willing to pay.

If she comes back to me in desperation, I'll be turning her down.