I’ve been tapped for several crucial writing projects that have to be done within a certain time frame and I’m feeling stressed. I haven’t felt this uncertain in years. My fight-or-flight response has kicked in big time, which usually turns out to be a good thing. Challenges of this magnitude usually bring out the best in me–stuff I don’t even know I have. I just wish I was a prophet and could know for certain that everything will turn out fine in the end!
I’m going to be absolutely certain that I have everything I need (talking points, source materials, etc.) to tackle these tasks. A chief bottleneck to getting the info I need (an intermediary) has been taken out of the equation, so that’s good, but until this gets underway I’m still living with the feelings that the earlier interactions imposed: uncertain, off-balance, and more or less crappy!
Unless the person directing copywriters knows what we need, they tend to throw everything up against our wall, leaving us to discern a way forward through the jumble of non-essentials to find the kernel we need. When that happens, the vision the client has (which has never been articulated clearly, or they’d know what to send to help their copywriter do the job) can be lost, so what we come up with can miss the mark, resulting in frustration for everyone.
The client also needs to know that great writing takes time. Earlier in every instance with this client, I was given info and told they wanted the draft delivered later the same day or the next morning! This kind of task becomes a RUSH project and should incur RUSH fees–at least an extra $100/day–and the client shouldn’t expect stellar copy if they want warp speed turnaround unless the task is very small and they’ve provided absolutely everything I need to hit it out of the ball park for them. I’m a heck of a lot faster than most copywriters, but I usually don’t deliver within 12 hours. That’s just asking for extra nerves, less freedom, and a lesser result.
No one works well stressed out–especially not wordsmiths! (It reminds me of how slowly I type when people watch over my shoulder and how quickly I type when they don’t!) The feeling that Big Brother is breathing down your neck or rushing your result can put a crimp in anyone’s tail, but especially Creatives!
I’ve never missed a deadline. I usually beat them by weeks or days. I just want to be sure I have what I need to do the work well in advance. I don’t want it dropped on me on a Thursday with a deadline of Friday! I have a stable of other clients who also rely on me for their needs, so I need to schedule my time with precision.
It’s a pickle.
