Ask Questions First then get to Work
As a freelance writer you will quickly learn that some clients don’t do a good job of communicating their wants and needs. This is not the case with every client, but you are sure to run into your fair share.
As a general rule of thumb, I never start a project until I am 100 percent clear of what is being asked of me. In the past, I made the mistake of starting before I asked questions. As you can imagine, this often times led to a lot of mishaps due to the initial misunderstanding.
Why are so many freelance writers afraid to ask questions? Some think they will look stupid. Others are too stubborn and want to show the client that they grasp everything the first time around.
Regardless of why you don’t ask questions you are making a big mistake. It is well worth your time. You may think that your client will look down on this, but nothing could be further from the truth. They would rather you ask good questions upfront. This way they can be confident that you are moving in the right direction from the get-go.
Sometimes I have questions about a project. Sometimes I don’t. If anything is on my mind, regardless of how big or small the detail, I always ask for clarification. This has saved me many hours over the years, and will continue to do so well into the future.
Open your mouth and ask questions. When the lines of communication are open there is a better chance that both you and your client will be happy in the end.
