Since my post on recording ideas (in which I practically stuffed a pen in your bags/briefcases/pockets), I decided to add something to my pen carrying habit. Instead of just being satisfied at having a pen in my bag, I decided to make sure to take the pen out every time I had a few minutes.

Chasing My Ideas

I added a small book in my tote and stuck a pen in it. I took it out every time I was out, was waiting for something or had a few minutes. I took it out on my way to school, waiting for my class, and on my way back. I even pulled it out while playing scrabble as I waited for other people to complete their turns. I wanted to see if I could make ideas come to me when I called them.

Coming up a Blank the First Time

The first time I took the note book and pen out, all I did was stare at the blank page and finally ended up doodling my name. Not a single thought or idea came to me. The second time, I was getting frustrated again when a thought occurred to me. “What does a person do when brain storming fails?” I wrote it down immediately.

All it Can Take is One Idea or Thought to Open the Floodgates

That thought is still sitting alone on a page. But it catapulted my brain into overdrive. Soon afterwards my brain was flooding with possibilities in answer to that question. Most of them were discarded almost immediately. But the ideas stemming from them took a whole new direction.

Jot Down Everything

Suddenly, I’m filling pages. Not every idea I get is good (actually, most of the are plain mediocre) or even well thought out but I write everything down and go through each point later. What seems like a bad idea today, may present an opportunity tomorrow. “Always remember, one bad idea gives rise to 10 better and at least one great one!” That used to be my father’s mantra every time I would stop myself from voicing an idea saying it was ‘stupid’.

My own mantra? Get the bad ideas out as fast as you can and make way for the great ones. Okay, so I may have heard my dad say that one too.

Finally: A Habit Formed

After doing this for the past two weeks, scribbling in my notebook has become a habit. My fingers start to itch if I’m sitting idle for more than a few minutes and stepping out without a notebook is unthinkable!

What do you do? Do you wait for ideas to come to you or do you go chasing after them?

Jason Cohen from A Smart Bear asked about dealing with demanding clients in my previous post about changing client definitions. The points he has raised are excellent and merit an answer through a blog post. We’ve all had clients that give us impossible deadlines or keep adding specifications that weren’t in the original assignment making for countless revisions.

To quote him:

I’m also finding that the customers who remain are becoming more demanding, even to the point of no longer being profitable to support.

So then I’m left with an odd dilemma — should we keep these customers or not?

You could argue “yes” because eventually things will recover and you’ll still have these customers. Also because not being profitable but having revenue is perhaps still better than not having the revenue.

You could argue “no” because not being profitable is the end of the game.

So how do we deal with such a client? Before making any decision about keeping those clients or letting them go, it is important to evaluate your business and its needs. Ask yourself these questions and proceed according to the answers.

Can your business survive without the client’s account?

Yes: Let go of your client. Let them know why you’re turning down work from them. It is important that a client knows why a freelancer is choosing not to work with them. Even if they don’t see it that way, it’ll be a favour to them and future freelancers they work with. Be nice and polite. You never know when they might come back to you on your terms.

No: If your answer is no, consider the next question

Can you talk to your client?

Yes: Tell them your problem. Sometimes a client doesn’t realize that they’re being demanding or difficult. Recently, a client of mine gave me a very lean deadline. I managed to complete it on time but had a lot of trouble. After submitting the work, I told them about it and they were surprised as they didn’t realise it would cause me problems. I’d been submitting my previous work well before the deadline so they assumed that I didn’t need as much time.

No: Can’t talk to your client? Consider the following option.

Set down your work terms

This is something that freelancers should consider from the beginning. Make a 3 or 5 point standard policy about your work so that the next time they send you work, things are clear from the beginning. Depending on the problems you’re facing with the client, your points could include the following terms:

• State that the pay being discussed is for the original assignment.

• Clarify that further additions to the work after it has been assigned may cost more.

• Include a fee for rush jobs. State what your definition of a rush job is.

• Include a minimum day figure for turning in rush work. It will save you from being taken advantage of. The client may be paying you more, but that doesn’t justify them asking you to turn in 1500 words in one day.

Important: If you’re introducing this strategy to your existing clients, then make sure you let them know beforehand. Don’t wait till the next assignment to send them a memo. An email updating them the change in your policy will be fine.

It doesn’t matter if you’re successful or just starting out. Demanding clients can suck you dry. The key is to be assertive and make changes according to the situation as they arise.

This year the definition of a good client has changed for most of us. Before, a good client was one who:

• Wasn’t fussy.
• Had a clear idea of what they wanted or trusted your judgement if they didn’t.
• Were reasonable about extensions if needed.
• Gave feedback
• Paid on time

Now, a good client is one who:

• Informs beforehand that they’ll no longer be able to afford you and that this will be your last assignment with them.
• Contacts you on their own telling you about a delay in payment.
• Gives a straight answer when you email inquiring about the due payment.
• Gives you an excellent recommendation.
• Apologize (Okay this one’s a personal ‘feel better’ issue of mine).

What was your definition of a good client and how has it changed, if at all?

When Inspiration Strikes

You’re sitting in a train on your way back from work, staring out the window feeling tired to your bones. Suddenly, as the train stops at one of its countless stations before yours, the graffiti on the wall catches your eye, making you sit up with a jolt. The colors, the message, the sheer creativity of it has suddenly given you inspiration. Your mind is flooding with ideas so fast you’re afraid you’ll lose them if you don’t catch them. But you don’t want to concentrate on any idea for too long fearing that it will stop the flow of other ideas that are just pouring in!

You fumble over what to do. And suddenly another idea strikes you. What do we do in a situation like this? How do we deal with the almost overwhelming influx of ideas?

Record Them!

Don’t trust your brain to remember it for you. You’re going to get home and the minute you see your front door all that inspiration will be forgotten. Your kids will launch themselves at you, welcoming you home and vying for your attention. You’d be so gratified and happy to see them after a hectic day that you’d want to spend time with them and forget everything else. In that instant, you’ll forget your ideas.

Inspirations and ideas are flighty. If you don’t immediately give them the attention they demand, they move on. Before you know it, someone else will be cashing in or getting famous on your big idea. We’ve all heard the original Napster joke.

Jot Down Your Ideas The Minute You Get Them

• Always keep a paper and pencil handy.

• If a paper and pen is not handy, then take notes on your cell phone. Don’t have a cell phone? Get that paper pencil at once! And don’t forget to tell me how you live without a cell phone!

• If you’re a writer, you’re going to have a laptop close by most of the time. Write down your ideas immediately – don’t wait till you get done working or have time. Open a word document and write it down now. Like, RIGHT NOW.

• In the loo? This is why I keep telling you to have a pen handy. You can easily write on toilet paper if you have a pen. Heck, you can write on your hand!

• At a restaurant? Use a napkin. I keep telling you to keep a pen with you.

• Do yourself a favour and buy a moleskin. And buy that pen too! It’s an investment.

As a writer, keeping a pen with me is a habit I consciously cultivated after finding myself getting ideas or perfect comeback lines (in my teenage years) often. Now,I’m more likely to have a pen in my bag than house keys.

Bottom line: Buy a pen. Surface to write on is easy to find.