That would be a white flag I’m waving. I’m giving up, and it’s only Tuesday morning.
After losing those two great regular jobs this month, I was hopeful because here came a new client just on the heels of the old one leaving (literally seven minutes between their emails). As you read yesterday, I was happy over the weekend (I often write my posts ahead of time). Well, give it 24 hours and watch it all go to hell in that proverbial handbasket. In fact, it was a subconscious thought that made me bolt upright in bed yesterday morning. That client has no clue I expect money for my work.
Strange as it is, this didn’t occur to me right away, nor did the client realize I was being hired by him. The company asked me to write something similar to what they’d seen in a publication. I talked with the contact, explaining who I was (including the word “freelance” in the conversation a few times). We agreed on a time and a subject, but it wasn’t until I woke up so suddenly that I realized the lack of discussion on my rates was just too coincidental. I think they thought I’d be paid by the publication. It never occurred to me that they’d not know what freelance writers did or who paid them. Oy. There goes that gig. I sent a carefully worded email reiterating my services and including my price. Silence. Oh boy, silence.
I should’ve tossed out my rates from the outset, I know. However, we were in the middle of trying to determine the scope of the work. I expected to get to rates today. Well, in a way, we just did.
It happens. Wires get crossed. Clients don’t know what to expect and we assume they do. Or they think everything’s free and are shocked to learn otherwise. I can’t say they came to me offering me nothing out of some heinous desire to capitalize off my hard work. No, they had good intentions. Okay, misguided ones, but good ones from the start. I suspect there’s a big “Whoops” going on somewhere in that company, and I suspect if they really want the work done, I’ll get the call. But I’m not expecting it.
Anything this weird ever happen to you?
WHY would they think the publication would pay you to do work for THEM? It's entirely illogical. You're giving them too much credit for good intentions.
If the publication was paying you, the publication would have sent up the contact. They wouldn't have contacted you directly. Or, if they did, they would have mentioned the point person on the publication.
I'm not following the relationship between the client and the publication, and I've never had anything that weird.
However, I have had people call and ask me to write things without mentioning money, and when I told them my rates, they gave me the, "Oh, we don't pay. I was hoping you'd donate your time" bit.
Looks like you just forgot to discuss rates, but good thing you realized it before you spent too much time gearing up for the project.
I think there's a lot of confusion about how freelancers work. I recently had a source unwittingly kill any chance I might have had to pursue potential clients.
I'd been having discussions with a rather obscure adventure sports organization, trying to see if there were any good story angles to pursue. The discussions must have got their hopes up. They contacted several editors with vague promises of providing a story. Now many of the editors think that they'll get an exclusive story, others think they'll be getting something like a long news release or canned story, and all of them think that the sports organization is paying the writer. I know that the sports organization has no money; they thought they were doing me a favor by finding me a bunch of markets to peddle a manuscript to.
I can't say that the organization is alone in not understanding how the publishing industry works. To most people, there's no difference between publicity commissioned by a client and a story bought by a publisher, no understanding of the process involved, and utterly no thought given to who pays for what. I don't blame the sports organization for messing up my chances of selling what could have been a good story. We need to do a better job at educating potential clients and the public.
They did get back in touch after I mentioned my rates. Still on, but I think the idea of them spending money for the second part of the project is still too questionable. Look, I'll help you out, but I have to make money or I can't survive.
Gabriella, I wrote a story for the publication. The client saw it, liked it, and wanted me to do the same for them. The publication obviously doesn't print just anything, so I have to hlep the client narrow down a subject and craft a query.
As soon as they get something to me, I'll get back on this. I have to put this on hold until I'm sure they're really on board here. In fact, I'm waiting for an email confirmation on my rates.
I'm not entirely comfy here with the way things are spinning. So I'm halting the spinning on this side until there's some agreement.
Devon, I think they thought because I worked for the magazine, the magazine paid me for ALL things that go in it. Not so. If I'm ghosting for a client, the client pays. Why should the magazine have to fork over cash for work that's already paid for? Unethical, but if you're not in the industry, it's a pretty common misconception.
DON, that's just gawd-awful. Way for them to shoot you in the foot before you even start. I know their intentions were good, but damn. Let the writer handle it, people!
Gabriella, that's so sad it's almost funny. You want to laugh, but sarcastically and as you're poised to knock some sense into them.
It happens to me a lot, but not in a manner quite that severe. I just get a lot of comments and emails where someone "wants to know my thoughts" or "has a question." These are often actual projects under the services I offer, but it's clear from their wording that they don't expect to pay.
Because of that I'm always conscious of referring to rates or quotes in the early communications with a new client. In fact, it's become second nature for me to say something about a quote in my first response to any new client.
Live and learn, right?
Yes indeed, Melissa.
Mind you, my rates weren't referred to in their last note back, but I made it pretty clear what they were.
The dance drives me nuts. Clients, if you expect work, know that I expect payment. Period. No less than you'd expect.
Sorry, guys. Someone posted low-paying/no-paying job junk here. Not on this blog!