When does a Freelance Writing Project Start and End?
Before accepting a new freelance writing project you need to ask the client many questions. Two of the most important are: when does the project begin? When is the due date? If you do not ask these two questions you are going to find it difficult to work effectively. While most clients will bring this up because they want you to meet their needs, there are times when it can be overlooked.
In my experience, most projects begin the moment that all the details are finalized. In other words, I don’t have too many clients award me a job and then tell me to get started the next week. Instead, they want me to go ahead at once to ensure a timely completion.
The more important of the two questions is when the project is due. This is the date that you want to be most concerned with. You never want to agree to a completion date that you are not comfortable with. Trying to meet an impossible deadline will put a lot of pressure on you. The due date is always negotiable. But remember, you want to make the client happy. I always do what I can to agree to a completion date that works for the client. When this is not possible I ask for a couple extra days, and this is usually not a problem.
Every freelance writing project is different. Some jobs will only take a day to complete so I agree to a quick turnaround. Others are much more in-depth so the client will agree to give me as much time as I need.
As you are finalizing the details of a project make sure you talk about both the start and completion date. This will show the client that you are on top of things, and ensure their happiness in the long run. Not to mention the fact that knowing these dates will allow you to better schedule your days.
