When Clients Don't Pay: Ten Tips for Freelance Writers

Working on your own as a freelance writer has lots of perks: You can sleep as late as you want, write articles in your underwear, take coffee breaks without asking permission and you never get yelled at by the boss (unless, of course, you get really angry with yourself). But with those perks come a few drawbacks, not the least of which being that some clients don't pay. You can't control your clients' bank accounts and sometimes that check just doesn't make it in the mail. When clients don't pay, you have a few options, so follow these ten tips for freelance writers.

Tip #1: Review the Contract

Before you take any action at all against a client who doesn't pay, check your freelance writing contract. Make sure that it doesn't give the client more time to pay and that all stipulations have been outlined. There's nothing worse than filing a claim against a client who doesn't pay and then realizing that you've allowed a loophole in your contract.

Tip #2: Make the Phone Call

Most freelance writers conduct the majority of their business over the Internet through e-mail. Hopefully, before you started the project, you collected the client's contact information, including home and business telephone numbers. Place a call to your client and either speak to him or her directly or leave a message requesting a return phone call. It's much easier for clients to make excuses over e-mail than when you contact them by phone.

Tip #3: Don't Make Threats

Threats, name-calling and general nasty behavior will get you nowhere, and may solidify the client's decision not to pay. Whether he or she feels that your work was unsatisfactory or simply is looking for a way to save money, you need to be as professional as possible in any correspondence. Simply explain that you have not been compensated for services rendered and that you need an explanation.

Tip #4: Play Dumb