Deadlines

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

It's an old joke - 'I love the sound of deadlines as they whoosh by ...'

I've got one project that has been doomed before it started.

Tuesday - message from client: I've got a copy edit, usual rate, deadline 3-4 weeks.

My reply: I'm a bit busy for the next couple of weeks so 4 weeks would be better, say 23rd June?

Client: great, I'll get it into the post.

Wednesday: message from client: just heard that the typesetter will be going away on 23rd June for 5 weeks. Could you forward the chapters as and when you complete them?

My reply: I don't like doing things in bits like this but I will have a look when I get the project. I expect that if he is going away for 5 weeks he will be very busy and it might be best to wait rather than to rush it and make mistakes. I won't be able to look at this closely for a few days anyway as I am quite busy at the moment.

Thursday: message from client: I appreciate what you are saying but please do try if you can. By the way I am going away on 9th June for 2 weeks so I won't be able to forward anything to him after that date.

Me (to the cat, obviously): huh? so my 4 week deadline has been reduced to 2 without having even received the project.

What she really should have said: I'm going on holiday (ha, lucky me) so I'd really appreciate it if you could magically have all of this done in a week (approx. 60 hours) so I can get it to the typesetter and it will be finished when I get back. Cheers.

Ten tips for freelancers to stay motivated, sane and productive

The Freelance Switch blog has another one of their top tips up this week. All very sound advice.

I'm not very good at number 4 - I have a guilt complex and 'faking' feels akin to lying in my book.

I should definitely do number 5 - though I have trouble saying 'no'.

I thought long and hard about number 6 at the 2006 SfEP conference. I've used my 'elevator pitch' numerous times to some success - though strangers at dinner parties tend to switch off when they learn that I don't edit fiction.

I definitely fail on number 10 - my receipts for 2007/2008 are still in the highly (not) organised file in the study (behind all the furniture we've just moved out of the spare room).

I like these little 'top tips' - they serve as great reminders of what to do (and what not to do) and you can often learn from others mistakes and successes.

Working hours

I enjoy being freelance - being my own boss, keeping my own hours, being able to take time off if needed (well that's the theory). What I don't enjoy is the view by some clients that as a freelance you are available to work for them 24/7 (even hang around for 10 months just waiting for them to call) and the view of my nearest and dearest that I'm at their disposal 24/7 too.

I always describe myself as being a part-time freelancer. Mainly because my son is under 5 and though I do have childcare for him on some days it is not all day everyday (the cost of childcare was one of the deciding factors for my not going back to work in-house in the first place). Some of my childcare arrangements are quite fluid - grandparents have him for the odd afternoon and nursery is only open term time. Therefore I am always open and honest about my situation in dealing with clients and let them know my main work days. I try to check my email throughout the day and have my mobile on hand if I am out of the house. I have missed jobs in the past simply because I haven't answered a general email shout out in time.

I've taken steps in the past to ensure that I also manage some family time and get to talk to my husband once in a while but all this has become increasingly difficult at the moment.

There are several factors to this - relatives who think they can drop by for a visit at a moment's notice (and even stay for a few days); friends who think I can babysit their kids at a moment's notice (as I'm at home anyway); my OH thinking I can sort out that lengthily phone call with our gas/electric/tv provider or pop into the bank for a lengthily discussion about the mortgage - whilst still keeping up with the washing, drying, cleaning etc; my OH thinking that because he has a day off we can spend half the day in Ikea (twice in the last few weeks); being on watering plants/feeding cats duty for those off on holiday; the leader of the mum's group I belong to thinking I can take over from her because SHE is GOING BACK TO WORK; and clients who are a bit economical with the truth about how much work is involved in a project.

I am considering having a sign printed with my various 'functions' and times available to wear around my nearest and dearest to guilt them into giving me space

5-7am alarm clock (at set intervals - normally involves physical violence and paired with 'will you switch that b***** thing off?' or 'If you are only going to get up with the LAST alarm bell why do you have so many?'
7-8am wardrobe assistant (to 3 yr old)
8-8.30 taxi to nursery
9-11 Work (Mondays and Thursdays this is extended to 1pm)
11.30-1 Taxi to Grandad's (Tuesdays) (Thursdays - at 1pm)
1pm -5pm Work (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
1pm-5pm entertainments officer (for 3 year old)
6pm dinner followed by 7pm bath time
8-12pm Work (when OH is absent - 2-3 times a week- work starts when 3 year old asleep - latest 10.30pm)

I average about 20 hours work a week but when you throw in other 'responsibilities' that have been put on me of late you can see why I struggle. I think there is a secret conspiracy to get me back to 'going out to work' - though I'm not convinced that less would be expected from me if I left the home to work maybe I would be less inclined to do it).

Maybe installing a soundproof glass box and screening my calls would help. How much are conservatories going for nowadays? ... scrap that - I'd have to go and 'discuss' the mortgage again to fund it.

I've seen lots of similar moans on forums and Facebook really so I know I'm not alone. So should freelancers work the same hours as their clients? Personally I'm not giving up my current arrangement (though OH has been given a serious talking to) and will be reviewing it again next year when my son will be at school full-time.

Human Rights Day May 15th

Today is Bloggers Unite for Human Rights Day I looked at all the sites concerned with human rights such as this and the Committee to Protect Bloggers struck a chord. Not because I thought that it was a more serious issue than refugees or violence against women or even poverty.



What struck a chord with me is that whilst I sit here typing my random thoughts into my blogs, bloggers in other parts of the world are in fear of their lives. Whilst the worst that can happen to me is a nasty comment in the comments box (that I can delete) they are in fear of being imprisoned or worse.



Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: everyone has a right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.



There were many badges to mark this day but I chose the one above as freedom of speech is important to me - though perhaps it would have been more fitting if her fingers had been taped as well.

Ditching Clients

I've been debating about whether to ditch a client or not. It's the one I've talked about here and here (and the last project was just to awful for the blog). It isn't the work that bothers me but the lack of communication and unprofessionalism of the company I do the work for (they are a prepress company). A couple of weeks ago it was the last straw and I wasn't going to work for them again but then I got a heartfelt apology (my messages had been sitting in their spam folder) and I got paid within 2 weeks rather than the usual 6. So I'm undecided again - they pay well if I can just suffer the headache...

... also this week a client who I thought had dumped me got back in touch (after a year) and gave me enough work to keep me busy for the next few weeks and a slightly better rate (after some negotiation).

All this comes after really messing up a job for a friend last week. Rushing through to get it done, as other factors had impinged on my time, rather than taking the time to triple check that I had done it properly. Even after a second chance I'd got myself so worked up that I missed the wood for the trees - she deserves a large drink the next time I see her and will probably never ask for a favour again! The OH got a serious talking to but really the blame was all mine.



So a new, improved, more focused Dougalfish is born who is prepared to negotiate for what she wants, will strive for excellence in her work and will say 'no' to clients she can do without ... well that's the theory ;-)

100 Words

A big thank you to Amy for pointing me towards 100 words. It's a real challenge to limit my entries but a worthwhile exercise! The idea is to write 100 words every day for a month - about anything, in any style - but no more and no less.

SAHM or Freelance Editor?

Working from home often means that people don't understand that you are 'working'. You get telephone calls trying to sell you something (rather than buy your services), even worse your mum/sister/MIL/best friend thinks she can call for a 'chat' at any time. My OH also thinks nothing of expecting me to do the cleaning, washing, shopping, nipping to the post office to collect parcels, etc, etc. (okay he expected me to do that when I worked 9-5 too - he was bitterly disappointed back then as well).

Then of course there is trying to work when children are there - as clients believe that you are on the end of the phone, waiting for their call, at their convenience, when ever they decide they need to talk to you. My son's regular refrain is 'can I talk mummy?' repeated at the top of his voice as I move desperately around the house to avoid him AND concentrate on the call. Afterwards I always berate myself for not offering to call back. I was reassured on reading this however I don't think I'll be resorting to this.