I Fired a Client Today
It had to be done
I offer services within my freelance business, where I help clients produce their first books.
This can take many forms, the first being introducing them to my NovelRight Workbook, where I teach them a structured method to keep them on track with their projects. From there, I will edit, format, and craft covers for their books. I’ll create a unique author’s logo as part of the package, a promotional trailer to use on their author's website, and research the keywords most suitable to aid a client in potentially gaining a “#1 in category tag on Amazon.” The packages are tailored to the needs of the author.
My prices are very reasonable because I know how heartbreaking it is to put in the enormous effort required to produce a first book, especially when one provider after another requires hundreds of dollars for each step in the process, adding up to thousands of dollars. Producing or promoting a book does not guarantee that readers will love it or that it will become an instant bestseller. In fact, that rarely happens.
(Professional advice. Never hand over thousands of dollars to a provider, usually called a vanity press, to “get your book out there.” These services are usually overpriced and subpar in results.)
And I won’t take just any client. I’m lucky enough to have enough work to keep me in chocolate chip cookies months in advance, so I can pick and choose the people I work with. If your project is especially interesting, I’m more likely to choose it.
But the only way I can keep my prices reasonable since the mortgage company has zero empathy if I can’t make the payment is if my clients hold up their end of the bargain in a timely manner.
The first step is signing the contract. The second is paying a small deposit.
One potential client contacted me last August to write a novel from her screenplay. This sounded very interesting. She agreed to my terms over the phone. We agreed to a January 2 start date. I sent her the contract.
Crickets.
One month later, the potential client popped up in my email.
Hi Beth, Hope you’re doing well. Just to give you an update. I’ve looked through the contract, and apart from a few minor changes that need to be made or added, it looks fine to me.
I have been reworking the two scripts in question to see how I can amalgamate them into one so that it’s ready for you. However, it’s more complex than I thought it would be because the pilot is the most up-to-date version of the script, and therefore, there are now too many holes to fill to make it all make sense.
There was no mention of a few minor changes or additions in the contract or when she would be ready to proceed with sealing the deal.
Why did this woman assume I’d be available a month later or that I would present an alternate date on which to start work? I don’t care if the client wants to work on her project from now until the start date, but I do care if they reserve the slot I carved for their project in my work schedule. This requires returning the contract promptly, with changes if need be, and sending the deposit.
A client not respecting my time is a red flag.
I moved on.
Another potential client contacted me at the beginning of December, and we had two chats via Zoom. It was a very interesting project, the details of which I won’t discuss because it is unique, and if she ever produces the book, just mentioning it would tell you who she was. I set up a workbook tailored to her needs for the second phone meeting and shared the links with her. My NovelRight workbook impressed her. She thought it and my editing services could help her produce the book she had in mind.
She proposed paying me by wire transfer. I wasn’t comfortable with the suggestion. And after consideration, this became a hard “no” in my mind. I sent her the contract and told her that I wasn’t comfortable giving her my bank information. PayPal is everywhere and very secure. If she wants to proceed, please use that method.
No response.
I moved on.
And then, one month later, just three days ago, she popped up in my email.
Hi Beth,
I’m sorry for the long silence. I was feeling very exhausted from [a recent health problem] and wondered if I should really burden myself with a big project like this.
Now I have my energy back and am very excited to take this forward again. I also spoke to the publisher and told them [about the health problem.] They are relaxed about the timeline, but of course, I want to get it out as fast as possible and not lose momentum.
I also discovered that my parents have a PayPal account, so I can send you the money through their account. Or I set up my own.
Are you okay if we take things a bit slowly? I will start soon, [health problem issues prevented her before], then I can start writing every day for a couple of hours.
Could you share the links [to the workbook] again so I can start setting it all up? (bolded by me.)
My reply (the same day):
Dear [Client},
I’m sorry to hear that you had a rough time, but I am happy to hear you are doing better.
I am happy to move forward as soon as we affirm the contract. To do this, please make sure it has your typed signature with the date at the bottom of the contract and return it to me. Also, please forward the stated deposit to my PayPal account.
Yep. Three days later, no reply. No contract. No deposit.
She wanted immediate access to my proprietary workbook without paying me for it.
No.
And that’s why I fired the client.
