Unsure Freelance Writing Clients
You never know what a freelance writing client is going to act like until you start your first project with them. In the past I have talked about clients who change their mind halfway through a project, or decide that they want to take a new direction for one reason or the next. This has happened to me many times, and dealing with this situation is never easy. Additionally, this is sure to stress you out and it may even anger you. There is nothing worse than starting a project just to have your client tell you they want to change direction and you need to start over.
In some cases you will be able to tell if a freelance writing client is unsure of what they are doing before you get started. If you sense this it is important to work with them to define a direction for the project. It is better to take the time upfront than to get started and have the client make adjustments then.
Of course, there are clients who seem to know what they are doing but you find out soon enough that this is not the case. This is when you will run into problems. If a client wants to change direction after you have already begun, there are a few things that you can do.
First off, listen to what your client has to say. Things may not be as bad as they sound. In this case, you may be able to alter your way of thinking and complete the project without making any major changes.
If your client wants to take an entirely different direction, this is when you need to hold your ground. You do not want to argue with your client or come across as being disrespectful. But you do need to tell them that you have completed a lot of work, and that starting over from scratch will adjust how much you charge. It is important that you explain your position so that your client does not think you are simply trying to earn more money from them. In my experience, most clients realize that they are making major changes and are more than willing to pay you more money if need be.
Some freelance writing clients are very easy to work with, but others are unsure of what they want and make things difficult at all times. It is never easy to deal with unsure freelance writing clients, but this goes along with the territory.Â
