Comments on: Turning Down Assignments

By: LindaFormichelli

LindaFormichelli — Sat, 30 May 2009 03:31:57 +0000

Thanks for your comments! Since yesterday I’ve been in conversation with two companies that want me to write blog posts, and it sounds like the pay will be good. I truly believe that turning down that client made energetic space for better work to flow in.

Anne, I agree. The client I turned down was actually one of my higher payers. It’s not always about the money.

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:30:01 +0000

Bit OT but I have stopped thinking highest payer = best client. I have one client that pays less well than most of my others, but very, very quickly with no chasing on my part. If I had to ditch one client, well, it wouldn’t be them.

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:14:09 +0000

I don’t know who first said it, but I first heard it from Tony Robbins of Fire Walking Fame, so it’s been awhile: Learning when to say no is 50% of success!

I recently turned down a client and I’m so glad I did. It was becoming obvious he would be an extremely high maintenance kind of guy and I hate that. I actually turn down clients pretty easily now.

The other side of that is I’ve learned to make sure the terms are written down and even before then to listen not just for what they think they want, but how the present themselves. Drama I don’t need, not from clients.

Congrats on turning them down!

By: Louisa

Louisa — Fri, 29 May 2009 05:25:16 +0000

So weird, this happened to me yesterday. Was offered an assignment for about 10cents a word. Have never ever written for such a lowly rate, but the editor seemed nice and it’s that usual feeling of ‘what if i can’t get anything better?’.
Then felt sick in the stomach at the thought of how much work was required and how i won’t have time to pitch other stuff while i write it…so i turned it down, and voila! A new assignment (unpitched commission for 65c per word) turned up today!! Magic!

By: Monika Mundell

Monika Mundell — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:56:02 +0000

Turning down clients is a gutsy move and one I strongly encourage to adapt to every now and then for all writers. While it gets rid of those clients who are a pain in the butt it also helps to build confidence because we soon realize that life goes on. I have turned down a few clients in the past and never regretted doing so.

The first reaction usually is “oh my gosh, what have I done”, followed by relief. In the end, the feel-good factor prevails and interestingly enough something better always comes around soon after.