Writing On the Wall? The Time to Let a Client Go …

Sometimes the best thing you can do.

I know that’s counterintuitive, especially for a freelance writer like myself who treasures every project and partnership. That said, there’s a point where the accumulation of small freebies or even larger requests outside the acceptable billable range push the envelope.

First you try to accommodate within reason.

For the most part, there’s a healthy give-and-take to be had over any misalignment—whether it’s in regards to a fee, a service, or any given deliverable—the resolution of which can bring greater balance and trust to the relationship.

Not always possible. But sometimes, it’s in the doing that we find the things we should no longer do.

Eating uncompensated hours and being expected to go above-and-beyond at the same time are a couple of genuine tip-offs. Err, tick-offs. Another is working at the same rate for three years or more. Nobody likes being taken for granted, finding themselves subject to condescension, or placed on the defensive because the goalposts moved.

Yet, even when a previous steady stream of projects slows to a trickle, the rational voice inside your head warns against burning bridges. Someone stop me as I grab the lighter fluid, but here’s the rub: for me, it’s about validating the value I bring to the table as a dedicated partner in ongoing strategic thought and creative direction.

If I don’t have that, I’ve learned little headway is possible.

At least that’s what happens when things come to a head.