As a freelance writer, are you  saving words on the back end of a job by spending a few on the front end, or do you not care that every re-write you do as a freelancer cuts your pay in half? That’s right, every extra word digs into your pocket by taking time away from potential projects, as well as diluting your charge per word by fifty percent.

The best way to avoid unnecessary reworking is to ask questions up front. When was the last time this happened between you and the plumber you trust:

“ABC Plumbing,”

“Hey Bill, it’s John Doe over in Anytown”

“Hey John! What can I do for you?”

“I have a water problem at the house, and I’m at work.”

“I’ll be right over to fix it.” Click.

I’m betting on never. Even the best plumbers know to ask the right questions before getting off the horn and heading over to the trouble site.

Being a freelance writer means that you should too.

Ask the obvious as well as any not so obvious questions:

• What is the target audience?
• What SEO are you expecting?
• Word count minimums and maximums?
• Do you have examples of what you want?

Of course, you should always wait until the first submission has been accepted and signed off before you submit the next piece (for those jobs on a run of submissions); this way you have a reference in case of a rewrite request later.

Another very important step to take is to keep communication between you and your client open, friendly, and clear. Sort of like that refrigerator magnet with the plumber’s name and number on it.

On long running jobs, it is natural to drift off course, even slightly, so it is a good idea to perform a reality check with your client from time to time to ensure that the course is kept true. Most clients will tell you when things are running out of whack, but by showing the initiative and asking  your client how your work is looking can help keep re-writes down to a minimum.

Beware though; too many inquiries and you are a spineless pest. At least that’s what your client will be saying about you around the water cooler.

Get the answers up front, monitor your work along the way, and you will be well down the road to earning exactly what you contracted for as a freelance writer.

Can you think of any questions or tips to be added here?

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© 2010, Alex Crabtree. All rights reserved.