Deadlines – If you’re a freelance writer, you’re going to have them. This doesn’t mean you have to like them; they are a necessary evil, however. Got a deadline? Here’s how to meet them head on.
How many times have you accepted a freelance writing job, knowing you had other work to do, and then realized you were going to be cutting it close getting both jobs done? Regardless of what else is going on in your life, meeting that deadline takes priority.
You know deadlines are important and you will do whatever it takes to meet them, even if you must stay up all night to do so. Why are deadlines so important for freelance writers? They prove to clients that you are dependable, that you are a professional, and can be trusted to handle whatever job your client needs done.
How do you schedule your time when you have more than one job to do and the deadline looms ahead of you? Here are some ideas:
· Know going into an assignment when it is due; get a specific date. Once you have a specific date the assignment is due, you can work backwards to plan how much work you’ll need to do each day to meet the deadline.
· The better instructions you can get to begin with, the better you’ll be prepared to get the work done. What direction would they like the assignment to take? Is there a source to get information from or will you need to do research? If you do have research, is it included in the price or will that be extra?
· Determine if drafts will be required and if so, how often would the client like them. You generally won’t have to worry about doing drafts for smaller projects, but larger freelance projects they are a possibility. Always ask before accepting the job so you’re aware of the requirements up front and won’t be shocked by the request.
· After you’ve determined how much work the project will take, be sure to work on it that amount of time, or more, each day. If you can work ahead of your schedule, you’ll have more free time with family or to work on other projects.
· Do the work and meet the draft deadlines be sure you make any necessary corrections along the way.
· When the work is complete, proofread, proofread, and proofread again to ensure it is as polished as it can be.
· Finally, breathe a sigh of relief when you’ve turned the work in and include an invoice for your work.
You’ve probably heard the saying “the best laid plans of mice and men” from Robert Burns’ 1785 poem “To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest, with the Plough” and paraphrased by John Steinbeck in his 1937 novel Of Mice and Men. What it means is that when you’ve got a deadline, you may know how to meet them head on but that doesn’t mean all of your planning will succeed. Do your best, and if all else fails, plan on some long nights to meet that deadline.
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