The Ethical Freelance Writer

image from llenrocks.com

I think it’s time for this worthy writing topic to rise to the surface.

Here is a list of ethical considerations for the freelance writer:

• Charge your clients what is fair and decent – not what you think you can get away with. Yes, we all make our living from writing and these days every penny counts. Still, there’s no reason to take your client to the cleaners. Fair rates over the long run will garner you much more than an outrageous payday saddled on the back of some unsuspecting client.
• If you screw up, own up. It’s natural for mistakes to arise during the course of a project. Depending on the savvyness of your client, you may be able to easily hide these away. Can you live with yourself? Is it ethical to do so? I would hope the answer would be “no.”
• If you are not going to meet a deadline, contact the client asap with the details as to why the deadline will be missed. If it’s because you got bit by the procrastination bug, fess up and be honest with the client. More often than not they will understand and your integrity in owning up to this may carry substantial weight.
• Don’t lie. Just don’t do it. Each time you do, it’s like tossing out a bunch of land mines for you to step on at some point in the future. Honesty is cleansing and should be the foundation for everything we do.
• Don’t take on a project when you know your plate is already full. Hedging your bet by having an extra project in your back pocket is completely unfair to your current clients as well as your new found one. Chances are you will do a little less on every project to squeeze in the new one, resulting in a bunch of mediocre work. You should be proud to put your name on any project you complete. Are you?
• Always give your best. Your clients are expecting no less than that and you should expect no less from yourself. If it is worth doing, it’s worth doing right, right? You need to be able to live with yourself at the end of the day and giving your best is the best way to accomplish this.
• Don’t bad mouth other writers. It may seem like freelance writing in the age of the internet is a bit anonymous with few connecting tendrils but in fact the opposite is true. As well, speaking poorly of others is a much more accurate reflection of who you are in relation to who you are bad mouthing.
• Learn all you can about your craft and your business. In order to give your clients your best, you need to be up on the latest trends in everything that relates to the business. Technology, marketing, and software are just a few examples of things that are constantly changing and advancing. An ethical professional keeps abreast of these things and can perform better for their client.

I know this list is not all inclusive but I think it is a good foundation. Do yourself a favor and work hard to become the ethical freelancer you were meant to be.