Perhaps we are talking about different kinds of writing. I tend to write books, chapters in books, white papers, brochures–things that definitely do have negotiable deadlines and often several intermediate deadlines before the project is finished. But I also have a newsletter client who sometimes throws things at me at the last minute. Last month they asked for a very quick turn-around and I told them I couldn’t do it. Suddenly, a week instead of three days would be fine with them. I know that many/most/all editors set writer deadlines well before the drop-dead deadline. (We aren’t talking daily journalism here.) This is one reason why many writers consider the deadline a “suggestion” rather than an absolute–they know they have some wiggle room before the editor absolutely must have the piece. I believe it is better to tell the client that you can’t meet their deadline and let them decide how much wiggle room they have to extend it rather than saying you will meet the deadline and either hand in raw, unsatisfactory work or miss the deadline and have them feel frantic because they don’t know when or even if your piece will come in. I’ve found editors/employers respect me when I tell them I can’t meet their deadline, and often they suggest an extended alternative. Then no harm is done to my reputation for being on time because I meet the new negotiated deadline and the client feels confident that I understand the deadline is a deadline and that I know my schedule well enough to meet it with quality work.

@Tish,

Negotiable deadlines? There are dailies, weeklies and monthlies — print and online — that are to be published at certain times — that can’t happen with negotiable deadlines. Editors should have reasonable deadlines, but not negotiable ones. A deadline is just that. Personally, I aim for deadlines before those required, giivng me a little cushion.

As I posted earlier, I think the idea of a penalty is a little ridiculous, though I understand the reasoning behind it.

But seriously, the hiring authority needs someone that won’t miss deadlines and can quickly discover that without the threat of a penalty — the threat should be losing the work.

Another comment: I’ve had editors who constantly throw more work at me even when there were other deadlines. No penalty, though no overtime was paid either, and the work was expected to be done professionally, regardless of how much there was to do…so it was a de facto penalty (more work, no extra pay). At least as a freelancer, I have more ability to chuck a client who does the same thing because no single client is my sole source of income, unlike the newspaper was when I was working for that editor — who, by the way, was eventually removed.

I hire freelancers to do work on occassion, so I understand his desire to make certain the work gets turned in on time. I have run across quite a few that don’t take deadlines seriously. But, as Mary Ward said, I find it to be more effective to provide bonuses for turning work in on time instead. That has really worked with the writers that are often late but are really great writers that I want to keep on board!

job-617565694@craigslist.org

I sent a reply and it bounced back mailer daemon. How often does this happen to you? This happens with quite a bit of these CL ads.

Good luck!!!!

Having also been on the editor’s side of things, I know that far too many freelancers treat deadlines as suggestions rather than true due dates, and some who agree to an assignment and then decide it is too time consuming, too hard, less important than another assignment, etc. simply decide not to complete the work, but don’t bother to tell the editor they are giving up the assignment. When I am wearing my editor’s hat, one reason that I am reluctant to work with NEW freelancers is that they tend to underestimate how much time and work a piece will take. Too many get discouraged and simply walk away, feeling that the editor has no hold over them, that they have little to lose, and that gee, maybe this freelancing stuff isn’t easy money after all. This behavior hurts the entire freelance community, and yet it is fairly common, especially among writers who hold other full-time jobs/time commitments and who have don’t depend on their writing income to pay the bills.

Deadlines should be negotiable, (One of the comments above suggests that the person applying the penalty is demanding, not negotiating, deadlines that are unreasonable for writers), but once freelancer and employer agree to a due date, it should be honored, just as once freelancer and employer agree to a pay rate, it should be honored, with the only occasional, unusual, uncontrollable circumstance allowing a re-negotiation of either deadline or rate.

So maybe the freelance community should take a look at some of its habits and accept some of the blame for employers feeling the need to institute penalties for lateness.

The please keep us going is a link to donations. The link to continue is up on the same line as the political gossip blogger job ad.

I’m sure someone will be around to fix it.