by Doreen Martel

Created on: May 09, 2009

If you are a freelance writer, no doubt you have suffered through the no pay/slow pay client. In fact, chances are if you are a freelance writer, you are currently waiting for a slow client to pay up.

There are some things that you can do to ensure that you are paid promptly for work, not all of them will work for every freelance writer, or for every client. Find out which methods work best for you and for your clients.

A) Contract - If you are a freelance writer, you may find that having a contract in place is the best method for you and your clients. The contract should include full disclosure of fees, when they are due and ramifications of non-payment.

B) Setting Expectations - If you do not use a contract, there is nothing that will stop you from making your expectations clear up front. If your clients understand when they hire you to do work for them exactly what you expect, then they will not be surprised when you request payment. Insist on firm deadlines for payment.

C) Your Rights - Make sure that those who have contracted you understand that you know your intellecutal property rights. In fact, you own rights to what is written by you until such time as it is paid for. If you make this clear to your potential clients immediately then chances are they are going to pay up in a timely manner.

D) Remain Professional - Do not allow yourself to fall into the trap of being unprofessional regardless of how long a client is taking to pay. If you feel that a reasonable amount of time has passed and you have not been paid, place a firm deadline and advise the buyer that you now feel that it is appropriate for you to sell or self-publish the aritcle in your own name after that deadline.

E) Sever Ties - Make sure that a client understands that if they do not pay their bills on a regular basis that you intend to sever ties with them. Too often, freelance writers feel they must be more flexible than other self-employed business owners. This is simply not the case. While it is not easy to walk away from a client who could generate future revenues, you must calculate the hours that you spend in collection efforts for slow and no-pay clients.

Summary

Being a freelance writer is not all the much different than other self-employed roles. You must be your own advocate and attempt all methods available to you to be compensated for your work. Do not let your clients dictate the schedule of payments. Be firm, be fair and collect what is your rightful compensation for work performed in a timely manner.

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