Freelance Writers: How to Say No to Clients

Very few freelance writers are rich - that is, unless they have another job or they've come into a mighty big inheritance. That is why many freelance writers take on too many jobs at once, hoping that they can get ahead financially. But there is a limit to how many words you can write in a day - and how many projects you can reasonably manage.

First, I would advise that you purchase a wall calendar or date book that is reserved specifically for your freelance writing jobs. Each time you are contracted by a client, write down the start date of the project and the date on which it's due. You might also want to include the total word count, page count or breadth of the project to decide how many hours it will take to complete.

That will give you an idea of the projects you are currently working on, as well as the number of projects you could safely consider in the near future.

Now, let's say that you've reached maximum capacity. You're already working twelve-hour days, and you can't possibly fit anything else into your schedule The first step is realizing that you're overloaded; the second step is doing something about it.

Learning to say no to clients is a difficult process for freelance writers. You want to please your existing clients and you certainly don't want to turn away prospective ones, but you must also avoid burn-out as effectively as possible. Taking on too many projects at once is an injustice to yourself as well as your clients. After all, they've paid for the best work you can provide.

How to Say No to Clients: Don't Accept Jobs on the Phone

Many freelance writers suffer from this syndrome, which is why you should avoid taking projects over the phone. You receive a call from an important client or from someone who wants to become a client and he's frantic to get you to work on his project immediately, without delay. Not thinking about the ten other projects you've got in the works, you agree to his proposal. You discuss it at length and by the time you're off the phone, you're wondering why in the world you agreed.