My So-Called Freelance Life - Michelle Goodman [58]
Time Waits for No Freelancer (a.k.a., How to Blow a Deadline Gracefully)
I waited till the end of the chapter to write this section because I was putting off admitting to you that I can’t claim to have never missed a deadline. Every freelancer has her dirty little secrets; this is mine. And while I would never advise you to intentionally blow a deadline, I know how easy it is to paint yourself into a scheduling corner and need more time. So let’s talk about how to avoid scheduling screw-ups in the first place, and what to do if despite your best caffeinated efforts, you find yourself woefully out of time.
Obviously ninja time management skills are in order. Tracking how long each project takes so you can better budget your time in the future is a must, as is getting to the bottom of any procrastination dragging you down (see Chapter 17 for tips).
As a rule, plan to have projects done at least twenty-four hours before the due date so you have a cushion for last-minute tweaks, fact checks, and email-delivery snafus. For beefy, multiweek gigs, give yourself a week’s cushion. Don’t fall into the trap of getting up superearly on the morning it’s due to finish those last few hours of work. Take it from a recovering procrastinator: Not only will this make you tired and cranky and question why the heck you wanted to freelance in the first place, it will piss off your client when “I’ll have it to you by 9:00 AM” quickly turns into “I’m sorry—it’s now looking like it won’t be ready till noon.”
Familiarize yourself with a project’s production schedule so you don’t accept a deadline that’s bumping up against your client’s drop-dead date. Ask what will happen to your completed work—who’s next in the assembly line, and what are their deadlines? Like freelancers, some clients are better than others at scheduling. If your manager, editor, or art director has only given herself a day to review your work and turn it around to her web producer, art department, or printer, pull your own deadline in by a few days. Better to have a smidge of breathing room, just in case.
Invest at least several months earning a client’s trust before you attempt to use that get-out-of-jail-free card. Even then, only ask for an extension if you’re giving the client plenty of warning (not the day it’s due) and you know your client pads the schedule (see previous tip). If you do ask for an extension, don’t launch into a long-winded sob story about your kid with whooping cough or another freelance project that’s making your life a living hell; just say you’re jammed up and ask if there’s any leeway. Don’t make this a habit, lest you get branded the freelancer who can’t deliver.
Know that trying to change the game plan is a risk. Some clients are more rigid with deadlines than others, as evidenced by this warning from a friend of mine who works as a production manager at a creative agency in New York: “Never call me to ask for an extension of a deadline after you accept a project. That is the kiss of death. When people blow deadlines they are off my list, period.” While this won’t be the reaction of every client, consider yourself warned.
If you royally botch a project, fess up—never duck a client’s calls. “Be honest, always. If you made a mistake, own it. Like anyone else, clients appreciate straightforwardness, and will more likely be forgiving if you are forthcoming and take responsibility for your errors instead of playing the blame game or making lame excuses,” says Ally Peltier, who worked on staff as a book editor in New York for five years before turning freelance.
After you’re pardoned (or read the riot act), don’t dwell. Apologize once. If your late delivery made your client’s life royally miserable, consider offering a small discount on the project fee or sending a gift certificate, box of chocolates, or a photo of a