When They Call Your Talent into Question

Oh, I love the smell of my burning temper in the morning….

 Here’s where you draw the line with your client: at the very first hint of his or her doubting your abilities. Why? Because at that point, you’re forced to play “prove it to me”, a game I do not recommend to any writer. If, like my uninformed friend of a few posts ago, thinks you’re sucking at what you’re doing because Grammar Check says so, dump him. If she calls and says her mother doesn’t like the way you phrased something, thank her and send her your final invoice. If you suddenly find the rules under which you were working changing, get out. Don’t try to take control back; it’s gone.  Cut your losses and collect what’s owed you.

 If the project focus shifts, send a final invoice and mention your ongoing hourly rate. You contracted for one project, not a never-ending, ever-changing one. If she decides on a whim that no, she doesn’t want to write about that anymore, send the invoice and say you’d be happy to draw up a contract for the new, refocused piece.

But honey, if they say their friends are seeing mistakes or that their niece with the graduate education in Marketing thinks you need to rework it, run. Run far and fast, for now you’ve introduced a posse and you’re the one being hunted.