Do I Start Before I’m Clear?
I am having a dilema with a new client. I guess he thinks I am psychic. He wants me to write a 40 page eBook about how to get rid of snakes. 40 pages…..So I ask him to give me an idea of the specifics he is looking for, what does he want in it, etc. His response, “Write whatever you think should be in an eBook about getting rid of snakes.” So my dilema is, do I go ahead and write this, take a risk of doing a 2 or 3 day job on it, he not like it then not pay me? Or nag him for the 3rd time about what he wants in it. (From comments)
Can I assume you’ve at least negotiated a price? If you haven’t, that’s the first step, and in writing… if it isn’t in writing and you still want to do the project, I might handle it this way.
I’d make an assumption that he wants to tell people how to get rid of snakes around the home; I’d assume he’s planning on selling or giving the ebook away to folks who live where there are at least a fair number of snakes. Then I’d do a quick google search on getting rid of snakes and develop a rough working table of contents which I would send to him for his approval, stating the total price and asking for half up front.
There are a couple of things that concern me… 40 pages seems too long. You’re not clear on what the client wants and it sounds like he isn’t either. Who the heck is the reader? I wouldn’t do any more than a really rough table of contents… maybe 5 entries before I got at least some money up front. I’d use the table of contents to help both of you determine exactly what’s needed.
Write well and often,
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POSTED IN: Ask Anne, the Pro Writer
5 opinions for Do I Start Before I’m Clear?
Jeanette
Dec 15, 2006 at 11:34 am
I have been working on a rough outline today. We already set a price and I told him I seriously doubted I could get 40 pages out of the topic. He seemed nonchalant about it. So I am going to finish the outline, and make a rough estimation of the pages from that and see if he wants to continue. Usually the people I work with know exactly what they want, they just don’t know how to write it.
Anne Wayman
Dec 15, 2006 at 6:43 pm
get some money up front if you can, that’s my suggestion.
Jeanette
Dec 15, 2006 at 10:03 pm
I feel….odd…asking for money upfront from people. I don’t know why. I have done half of a job, sent to a client, got half payment, then finished and received the rest of the payment.
Anne Wayman
Dec 16, 2006 at 8:35 am
Asking for up front money is standard, if there is anything standard in freelancing… it’s also a way to assure yourself you’ll be paid at least half for the work you’re doing if the client flakes… come on over to our forum and ask how everyone feels about it.
Jeanette
Dec 16, 2006 at 8:52 am
Thanks for the advice. I will come over to the forums. Thanks
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