The Project from Hell (And What I Learned from It)
Last week, I quit a writing project that was worth more than $10,000.
When I got the project, I was coming off of a four-month famine, and I needed the dough. So I ignored the red flags. First, the expert co-author took so long playing hardball with the publisher that the deadlines were crunched. Then, she insisted on being the point of contact with the publisher, even though she had never written a book for a publisher before. (With this type of project, the writer is usually the point of contact.) Finally, she set deadlines for the chapters that were way earlier than the publisher’s deadlines — and even wanted Eric and me (my husband was also on the project) to write five chapters within 10 days — when we didn’t even have a finalized table of contents from the publisher.
But the lure of money was strong, and I thought, “I can do anything for three months.” Thereafter followed a month of what can only be called hell. I won’t even get into it here.
I spent last Tuesday evening on the verge of tears, and suddenly I decided: I quit! I’m done. This project is over. I sent our agent an e-mail (it was after hours so I couldn’t call and I wanted to do it right away), and that was it.
I should also mention that while I was working on this project, I got a ton of other work…probably more than 10 magazine assignments. Three of them paid more than one-fifth of what the entire book was to pay, and these articles were only one-hundredth the length of the book.
Before you start throwing things at me, let me say that I’ve reformed. I had a goal meeting with two writer friends the day after I quit the book project, and one of them convinced me that from now on, I’ll take on only projects that I love — and that pay well. I’m currently working on a proposal with my life coach for a book I would actually want to buy myself.
This writer friend also reminded me that I’ve been writing full-time for 12 years, and that I’m a pro. I don’t need to scrape the bottom of the writerly barrel for money. Even though I have famine periods like everyone else, the assignments generally come flowing in without my even having to query anymore.
So: Have you ever ignored red flags and taken on an assignment because you needed the money? What happened? Please share your experiences in the Comments section below! [lf]
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Aug 1, 2009 Book authoring, Observations, Personal yammerings, Rants
Eeek! Sorry to hear about the bad experience. But very good lessons learned, indeed.
Wow, thanks for sharing this experience. I’m a relative newbie freelance writer, and still working to establish myself. But I will definitely keep this story in mind whenever I’m feeling frustrated during a “famine” period.
Almost every time I regret taking on a project, it’s because I ignored the red flags and didn’t listen to my gut. That was actually one of my New Year’s resolutions (“listen to my gut more”). Once when I *did* listen to my gut and declined work, I later found out that the publication had payment issues and I was really glad I didn’t get involved.
Excellent timing. I’ve been feeling guilty this week for turning down an assignment I didn’t feel was a good fit for me even though I could probably do with the work right now. This post is a healthy reminder of what can happen when you don’t listen to your instincts.
Thanks for sharing. I’m still navigating through the world of freelance writing. It’s important to hear the ups and downs of the business. And more importantly, this piece is a good reminder to all writers (no matter how long you’ve been freelancing) that you have to sometimes forgo taking a job — even when you’ve been on a bit of a hiatus. I will definitely keep this in mind whenever I feel weird about rates or even the kind of work I’ll been taking on.
Thanks for all your comments! I was reading old journal entries yesterday and a few years ago, I wrote that my goal was to do only work I loved. Then I went on to take work I hated. I’m not sure how to keep that goal in mind whenever an opportunity presents itself. It’s like the goal just stays in my journal and never enters my consciousness.
I had a project like this once—retainer, $5000 a month. It was continuing medical ed–and ended up in the pre-scanner days, being retyping technical papers so they could be put in a book for each conference. Horrible–even for this money. I worked nights, hired people, the footnotes, omigod. Anyhow, after a couple of yrs, I quit and the client said you can’t quit, you owe me time. I said it was a retainer–he said no, it was a prepayment (it said retainer on every check). He had a ton of lawyers related to him and the threatening faxes started to spool out of my machine…I ended up working off $17,000 in typing. Ah, yes, memories.
Before I began freelance writing, I ran my own graphic design business for 7 years. I “fired” a couple of clients when they pushed too many of my buttons. The one I most remember was a lengthy calendar program that was already late to the printer. I worked late into the night and faxed what I thought were the FINAL much revised proofs to the client. Next morning I arrived at my office to find an enormous fax spilling onto the floor. ALL of the pages had lengthy and basically inane changes – things like move a picture 1/4 inch to the left which necessitated all text be reflowed, that sort of thing. I snapped because I’d already devoted way too much time to the project, neglecting and falling behind on other paying accounts. Plus I wasn’t getting compensated for all the extra revisions! So I called the client up and said I wasn’t interested in finishing the project and that she could have her deposit back. Being able to call it quits is one of the nice things about being your own boss. Well, she was totally taken by surprise, perhaps thinking I’d never stand up to her and when I did, she back-pedaled mightily. She really need the program finished, like yesterday. So she dropped most of her demands and we managed to call a truce and finish the project that day. Of course, I never worked for her again – not that she asked – and then, much too late, I heard through the grapevine what a PITA reputation she had. My question for you Linda is: Was there ever a chance your client would tone down her demands because of deadline pressure? After all, by this point, she probably needed you more than you needed her!
Star, ugh. Did you ever make any money from the assignment? And I thought my story was bad!
June, good question. I think having tight deadlines made my co-author MORE demanding! She wanted Eric and me to get in chapters way earlier than her deadlines with the publisher because she wanted to leave a big buffer — so she micromanaged everything. At one point, we had to turn in five chapters BEFORE receiving an approved table of contents from the editor. Eric tried educating her on the publishing process to tone down her expectations, but no dice.
Oh, I’ve ignored my gut feeling about clients, lived to regret it, vowed to learn lessons, and move on only to repeat the experience with another (or the same) client because I’m freaked out by the economy.
The latest – in January I took on a grant writing client who I knew through some other work (press releases, online newsletter shorts, etc.) I did for her. She was late with payments and expected revisions up the whazoo, only to ultimately scrap her revisions and go with my original “final” version. Well, the economy tanked, my clients retrenched, and I became freaked out! So, when she asked me to write the grant, I said yes. We sat down to talk terms, and I gave her several options (I write and shepherd the whole grant process; I write the narrative, the organization is responsible for the rest; or I serve as grant narrative editor and review the final application packet as a consultant, but the nuts and bolts writing is done in house). Each comes with a different compensation matrix, which she was well aware of (from my very detailed scope of services). She opted for the cheapest option – I review and edit. I waited for the copy (4 weeks!!!!)…. grant deadline getting nearer and nearer…. finally a week before said grant deadline (from a federal arts organization – no leeway on the deadline!) She throws the whole project at me, frustrated because she’s overwhelmed by the writing – the narrative is incomplete – I had to write substantial sections from scratch and rewrite others! The budget wasn’t done – had to do that, too. Because the option she chose was the one I charge for by the hour, I charged her by the hour – but I gave a small discount out of pity.
She has a habit of changing the actual scope of the contracted project midstream in hopes of getting more for less. I knew this from the other work I did for her… and I still went back…. It took months to get her to pay me for the work. Oh… and in the end? Her organization got the grant – every cent they asked for, not to mention some residual recognition that will pay off later on as they seek more and higher amounts of funding.
What a nightmare!!!!
Did you ever make any money from the assignment?
I worked off that money. But if I may be a little indiscreet, what goes around comes around. I truly have seen that play out time after time. You just have to live long enough. This guy ended up cheating his second wife by involving her company in some skanky hedge fund he started in Europe, was sued for divorce–she fired him and his girlfriend in HER office via fax, hired a forensic account and TOOK HIM DOWN! All his little lawyers could not save him.
Susannah, what a horror story!
Star, that’s quite a situation! I’ll bet there was a lot of Schadenfreude going around. ;->
Giving up is a fine art that must be mastered. It is not a sign of weakness. On the long run, it can greatly increase overall productivity. Never feel ashamed for doing it