The Born Freelancer on Clients Who Are Slow to Pay
This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
A couple regular clients of mine recently have been slow to pay.
This is a familiar scenario most freelancers will repeatedly face throughout their careers.
It requires a well thought-out decision on how to proceed and deal with the situation.
This is not always an easy thing to figure out. Especially if it is a returning client (or potentially returning client) for whom you do regular work.
Back in the day when I was starting out, an old freelancing mentor told me about the “STOP AND GO” system with which to consider what to do about returning clients who are slow to pay. I’ve never seen it in print before and so have no idea as to its origins.
The point is to think of your situation and client and most appropriate response all categorized symbolically by the lights of a traffic light – red (stop), yellow (proceed with caution) and green (go ahead). Its name is also a memorable acronym that all freelancers should come to know, love and take to heart. STOP AND GO stands for Still Talking? Onwards, Probably. Anticipating No Dough? Get Out!
Good, solid, pithy advice already, right? But there’s more…
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Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Oct 1-7
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From around the web:
- An Online Portfolio Can Change Your Career: 11 Writer Websites We Love [The Write Life]
- 57 million people worked as freelancers this year [Fast Company]
- The New Realities of Freelancing After 50 [Next Avenue]
- My best advice for new freelancers [The Professional Freelancer]
- This Study Shows Freelancers Are Stressed Over A Lack Of Safety Net [Trupo]
- The Freelancing In America study shows that the U.S. independent workforce is a political force to be reckoned with [Freelancers Union]
- 13 Secrets of Successful Online Freelance Writers [Freelance Writing Jobs]
- How to Level Up Your Freelance Income This Year [Lifehacker]
- One Freelance Experience [Mike Tatarski]
Recently on Story Board:
- Vancouver freelancer fall social night October 23: Summer’s over and the days are getting shorter and chillier, so come and warm up your week with a drink and some freelance camaraderie. Freelancers in the Vancouver area are invited to a social evening onWednesday, October 23 at Red Racer Taphouse…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
Vancouver freelancer fall social night October 23
Summer’s over and the days are getting shorter and chillier, so come and warm up your week with a drink and some freelance camaraderie. Freelancers in the Vancouver area are invited to a social evening on Wednesday, October 23 at Red Racer Taphouse (871 Beatty St.) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
CMG Freelance president Don Genova will be in town so if you have questions about pitching, freelance contracts or other aspects of freelance life, he’ll be happy to answer them. It’s also a chance to catch up with your freelance friends and meet some new ones.
Drop Don a line at freelance@cmg.ca and let us know if you can join us for drinks, snacks and conversation. Hope to see you there!
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Sept 24-30
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From around the web:
- Photojournalists’ last shots [CJR}
- Net 90 payment is a policy that freelancers can’t afford [Freelancers Union]
- “Indigenous women don’t need a voice. We need more microphones.” [Canadian Women’s Foundation]
- Over 50 and Freelancing to Fill the Gaps in Retirement Funds [New York Times]
- California’s new 35-story limit for freelancers [CJR]
- 9 tips for getting people to share or republish your content [Journalist’s Resource]
- How to get your next podcast commissioned [Journalism.co.uk]
Recently on Story Board:
- The 5-Minute Freelancer Q&A #42 — Nicholas Hune-Brown: Nicholas took the time to speak with Story Board recently about long-form magazine writing, building your reputation as a writer, and developing your freelance superpower…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
The 5-Minute Freelancer Q&A #42 — Nicholas Hune-Brown
In this regular feature, Story Board asks Canadian freelancers to share a few details about their work habits and their strategies for navigating the ups and downs of freelance life.
Nicholas Hune-Brown is a Toronto-based magazine writer whose long-form journalism has been published in such outlets as Toronto Life, The Walrus, The Guardian, and The Globe and Mail.
His Toronto Life feature “No Fixed Address,” an exploration of Toronto’s homelessness problem and its causes, is the winner of the 2019 Dave Greber Freelance Writers Award.
Nicholas took the time to speak with Story Board recently about long-form magazine writing, building your reputation as a writer, and developing your freelance superpower.
How did your Greber Award-winning piece come about?
My editor came to me with that story. For those sort of broad subject stories, Toronto Life is usually doing the assigning.
It had just been a rough winter in Toronto and they thought “how about we start thinking about this now so that we’re not just reacting to the predictable thing that happens every January when people are outside in the cold. Let’s think about this all summer and have something smart to say about it when it gets cold again.”
So they brought me the story. And I think it was as broad as “homelessness.” It became my job to figure out what that story actually looked like and try to find an angle.
It’s a massive piece. What were the biggest challenges in writing it?
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Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Sept 17-23
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From around the web:
- The freelancers guide to getting found online [Freelancers Union]
- Fighting uphill for artists’ rights [Medium]
- How to go freelance, a psychological guide [Hello I’m Nik]
- How I Spent a Month in France Without Losing Clients [The Freelancer]
- 7 negotiation tips for freelancers [Freelancers Union]
- Solutions Journalism for Science Reporters [Open Notebook]
- Stop trash-talking your first draft [The Writer Magazine]
Recently on Story Board:
- CBC Doc Mentorship Program deadline October 7: The program pairs up documentary makers with experienced CBC producers who will provide guidance and mentorship through the process of making a radio documentary…
- Freelancer organization tips: For me, the benefits of being and staying organized have been remarkable. I am less stressed out, I get my work in on deadline, I’m in sync with my clients and I am able to do my best work…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
CBC Doc Mentorship program deadline October 7
Audio freelancers, if you’re interested in making a documentary for CBC Radio, it’s time to get ready for another Doc Mentorship program deadline.
Experienced audio freelancers are invited to submit a pitch to the program by October 7, 2019. The mentorship program is also open to all CBC employees – staff, contract and temps.
The program pairs up documentary makers with experienced CBC producers who will provide guidance and mentorship through the process of making a radio documentary. Mentors are happy to provide feedback on pitches before the formal application process, so applicants are advised to contact the mentor they wish to work with before they apply.
“The mentorship program is a great way to have your work heard on CBC Radio,” says CMG Freelance president Don Genova. He advises winning applicants to make sure they negotiate a contract up front before they start working on their project.
“There are typically two types of contracts used when the CBC commissions a documentary,” says Genova. “A Freelance Contributor contract pays at least the minimum rate based on number of minutes in the doc based on rates in the CBC-Canadian Media Guild collective agreement. For example, a 20 to 30 minute doc pays a minimum of $2817.03. The freelancer retains copyright in the documentary.”
With the other contract, Freelance Specific Services, the pay rate is supposed to be based on the same amount an employee would make if they were doing similar work.
“That amount takes a bit more figuring out, and the contract also calls for the freelancer to give up their copyright and all other rights in the documentary,” says Genova.
For more information on rates and contracts, go to this page on the CMG Freelance website. If you have any questions you can also contact CMG Freelance Branch president Don Genova at freelance@cmg.ca.
You can find more details about the Doc Mentorship Program and how to apply, on the Doc Makers website. And if you have any questions about applying to the program, you can contact CBC producer Joan Melanson.
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Sept 10-16
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- A Platform to Encourage and Protect Canadian Creativity [TWUC]
- Inside the Vancouver Sun after Anti-Immigrant Op-ed Debacle [The Tyee]
- Disinformation agents will target Canadian journalists [Policy Options]
- Student editors band together to save campus papers after fees change [National Post]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- NYC extends anti-harassment and discrimination protections to freelancers [Freelancers Union]
- Got an Opinion? 5 Tips for Getting Your Op-Ed Published [The Write Life]
- How to raise your freelance profile [Freelancers Union]
- A Freelance Writer’s Guide to Self Publishing a Book on Amazon [Freelance Writing Jobs]
- 3 things I look for in pitches [I Need Diverse Games]
- Just All The Essential Tips You Should Know Before Starting Your Podcast [Journo Resources]
Recently on Story Board:
- Excitement builds with advances in campaign for factual TV workers: A new website is giving a public face to the hundreds of professionals who are determined to secure better pay, benefits and working conditions in the unscripted TV industry…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
Excitement builds with advances in campaign for factual TV workers
Factual TV workers Otto Chung and Denise O’Connell give a campaign update at an industry social in Toronto. (Photo: Marta Iwanek)
A new website is giving a public face to the hundreds of professionals who are determined to secure better pay, benefits and working conditions in the unscripted TV industry.
The Fairness in Factual TV campaign that was launched six years ago by CWA Canada and its biggest local, the Canadian Media Guild, has gained both momentum and supporters in recent months.
While a $35-million class action filed in the fall against major production company Cineflix shone a spotlight on the issues, the campaign got a major boost in January when North America’s largest entertainment union came on board.
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Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Sept 4-9
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Advocates condemn xenophobic op-ed by Calgary instructor calling for end to diversity [CBC]
- Postmedia editorial staff in Vancouver disavow published commentary criticizing diversity, tolerance, and inclusion [Georgia Straight]
- Excitement builds with advances in campaign for factual TV workers [CWA Canada]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- How to bridge the divide between you and your clients [Freelancers Union]
- Top Side Jobs for Freelancers: List of Creative Ways to Earn Extra Money Online [Freelance Writing Jobs]
- Freelancer launching online platform that promises to treat writers and sources with respect [Journalism.co.uk]
- Simple ways to jump-start your creativity [Freelancers Union]
- ‘The threats follow us home’: Survey details risks for female journalists in U.S., Canada [CPJ]
- Dead stories and the small fees for killing them [CJR]
Recently on Story Board:
- 2019-2020 Travers Fellowship applications open: Freelancers and students (as well as staff journalists) are welcome to apply for the fellowship, which provides an annual $25,000 award to cover travel, reporting and research expenses, and a stipend for a journalist…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
