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Happy 2009, dear readers! It's a little late, for which I apologise, but I'm back, I'm blogging again and I'm raring to go.
I rather neglected this blog last year - a number of major personal upheavals meant I had less time (and enthusiasm) for writing regularly. 2008 was not a great year for me in many respects, although workwise it was very good. I did say I'd do a review of 2008 but the appropriate opportunity has passed so I won't. It's time to look forward.
I have just spent a gruelling 4 days with no internet access. I moved house again last Monday, as well as city. I'm now firmly ensconced in the heart of the north-west's media hub. In the process, BT managed not to provide me with a phone line for several days and then also decided to deliver my broadband later than contracted. I had fully expected to be offline for a week and planned my work accordingly. The delay would have meant an extra three days without internet access and it left me in a very awkward position with one of the overseas clients I subedit for who was expecting me to resume duties at 7am sharp on Monday morning. As we work via Skype, you can imagine the hole I was left in.
It was time to go postal. So go postal I did. BT was adamant that it could not supply my broadband on time. I pulled the journo card. Then the disability card. To no avail. And I insisted they deliver me a phone directory within 24 hours so I could start organising my local services and obligations. They offered to fast-track this given my disability. I was happy about this until informed it would take 6 days to get a directory to me. I pointed out that my broadband, even delayed, would be up by then and I'd no longer need a phone book.
Mysteriously, my broadband suddenly kicked in at 4pm today...
So, I have a new home, my office has been reassembled and I'm ready to start earning again. Oh and I still have a manuscript to finish, but that's another story...
Showing posts with label manuscript. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manuscript. Show all posts
08 January 2009
09 April 2007
10 things about clients
5 clients I love:
1. Clients who pay me on time. Yes, I know talking about money is supposed to be impolite. But a wordsmith can't survive on fresh air alone. If my terms says 30 days, that means I expect you to pay me within 30 days. Clients who settle immediately get gold stars.
2. Clients who give me a clear brief. I'm not psychic and I don't have a crystal ball. Clients who tell me exactly what they want get the job done faster and better.
3. Clients who are interesting to chat to. I like getting to know my clients better as it gives me more insight into what makes them tick. It's one of those things that helps me do a better job.
4. Clients who give me free rein within the brief. Because it means they trust me to do a great job.
5. Clients who give me feedback. Praise is good for stroking my ego, but constructive feedback is even better.
5 clients I loathe:
1. Clients who pay late. Pretty obvious, this one. And clients who don't stump up until I start having to threaten legal measures (mercifully, this has only happened once so far) are welcome to find another chump. Because I won't be doing any more work for them.
2. Clients who are vague. If a client is unsure what they want, I'm happy to talk things over. But if I ask specific questions and don't get clear answers, it's unlikely I'll be doing much work for them again.
3. Clients who are not honest. If a client tells me they have a 50,000-word manuscript that needs editing and I price the job on that basis, sending me a MS that is twice as long (and no doubt thinking I'll do the job for the price first quoted) is only going to irritate me. It's a waste of both our time and I have to recalculate the cost, await approval and somehow squeeze extra time for the additional work into an already overflowing schedule.
4. Clients who dither about budgets. If a client commissions me for a piece of journalism, I expect them to tell me their rate per 1,000 words rather than be asked what I charge. Frankly, if I then pick a figure and the client says "I'll get back to you", that sets my alarm bells off. It's your publication and if you don't know much you can afford to pay, perhaps you should be looking for another career...
5. Clients who think I'm available 24/7, even on public holidays. Since Good Friday, I've received 3 editing jobs (all on hold), 7 emails (ditto) and 2 Skype calls. Clients who think it's ok to call in the evenings when I'm watching EastEnders are liable to head the top of my death list.
1. Clients who pay me on time. Yes, I know talking about money is supposed to be impolite. But a wordsmith can't survive on fresh air alone. If my terms says 30 days, that means I expect you to pay me within 30 days. Clients who settle immediately get gold stars.
2. Clients who give me a clear brief. I'm not psychic and I don't have a crystal ball. Clients who tell me exactly what they want get the job done faster and better.
3. Clients who are interesting to chat to. I like getting to know my clients better as it gives me more insight into what makes them tick. It's one of those things that helps me do a better job.
4. Clients who give me free rein within the brief. Because it means they trust me to do a great job.
5. Clients who give me feedback. Praise is good for stroking my ego, but constructive feedback is even better.
5 clients I loathe:
1. Clients who pay late. Pretty obvious, this one. And clients who don't stump up until I start having to threaten legal measures (mercifully, this has only happened once so far) are welcome to find another chump. Because I won't be doing any more work for them.
2. Clients who are vague. If a client is unsure what they want, I'm happy to talk things over. But if I ask specific questions and don't get clear answers, it's unlikely I'll be doing much work for them again.
3. Clients who are not honest. If a client tells me they have a 50,000-word manuscript that needs editing and I price the job on that basis, sending me a MS that is twice as long (and no doubt thinking I'll do the job for the price first quoted) is only going to irritate me. It's a waste of both our time and I have to recalculate the cost, await approval and somehow squeeze extra time for the additional work into an already overflowing schedule.
4. Clients who dither about budgets. If a client commissions me for a piece of journalism, I expect them to tell me their rate per 1,000 words rather than be asked what I charge. Frankly, if I then pick a figure and the client says "I'll get back to you", that sets my alarm bells off. It's your publication and if you don't know much you can afford to pay, perhaps you should be looking for another career...
5. Clients who think I'm available 24/7, even on public holidays. Since Good Friday, I've received 3 editing jobs (all on hold), 7 emails (ditto) and 2 Skype calls. Clients who think it's ok to call in the evenings when I'm watching EastEnders are liable to head the top of my death list.
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