Changing Horses

As a ghostwriter and a freelance writer I spend a great deal of my time writing for other people.  It feels really great when we discuss the project and we both know where we're going with it. Work begins, and it seems like smooth sailing.

Then you get a call.  "I think we're off track."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I think we (meaning me) have lost focus."

Me..."How so?" I'm thinking I've already written over half the project...this is sounding like a lot more work.

We talk, and yup, the client has changed her mind.  But who am I? I'm the writer. It's not my project. It's her project.

You have a couple of choices. You can either panic and realize that you're going to have to do a complete rewrite, or you can re-discuss the idea and see what you can salvage.

When you write for yourself, you can write anything you want.  When you write for someone else, you need to keep their needs in mind. The more you work at this kind of job, the better you'll get at understanding the needs of your clients.

Remember this, when you really take the time to understand the needs of your client, the less rewriting you'll have to do.

Best,

Kathleen