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nasaye
Community Member

Advice needed

Hello guys. I need some advice on how to handle this situation. What would you do? 
So, a client contracted me to do an a 20k-word non fiction ebook and we initially agreed to do in 25 days. But I quickly discovered that I would need more time because of the research involved and especially since I didn't want to deliver fluff. I informed her about this and still continued working on the book which I delivered about 6 days late and under enormous pressure. So naturally, it required small bits of editing, nothing major, dots and punctuations, etc, which I could have done if they didn't threaten to cancel the contract if I didn't send it that particular day.
My thinking was that, they'd send back the document incase of any changes required. But the client went ahead to deduct $50 from the final milestone to supposedly pay an editor and as a penalty for late submission. She has requested a refund. How would you handle it? Please advice. Thanks

ACCEPTED SOLUTION
tlsanders
Community Member

Not responsive to your question, OP, but if $50 matters much one way or another in payment for a 20,000 word book requiring research, there was at least one zero missing from your pricing.

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5 REPLIES 5
petra_r
Community Member


John N wrote:

I informed her about this and still continued working on the book which I delivered about 6 days late and under enormous pressure. So naturally, it required small bits of editing, nothing major, dots and punctuations,

 

But the client went ahead to deduct $50 from the final milestone to supposedly pay an editor and as a penalty for late submission. She has requested a refund. How would you handle it? Please advice. Thanks


If I had handed in a project 6 (!) whole days late and it required editing, I'd give them their money back with my most sincere apologies.

 

31 days for 20k and you call that "under enormous pressure?" That's less than 650 words a day. C'mon, you have got to be kidding... What were you writing about? Quantum Physics?

 


John N wrote:

I quickly discovered that I would need more time because of the research involved and especially since I didn't want to deliver fluff.


You should have "discovered" that before accepting the contract.

tlbp
Community Member


John N wrote:

Hello guys. I need some advice on how to handle this situation. What would you do? 
So, a client contracted me to do an a 20k-word non fiction ebook and we initially agreed to do in 25 days. But I quickly discovered that I would need more time because of the research involved and especially since I didn't want to deliver fluff. I informed her about this and still continued working on the book which I delivered about 6 days late and under enormous pressure. So naturally, it required small bits of editing, nothing major, dots and punctuations, etc, which I could have done if they didn't threaten to cancel the contract if I didn't send it that particular day.
My thinking was that, they'd send back the document incase of any changes required. But the client went ahead to deduct $50 from the final milestone to supposedly pay an editor and as a penalty for late submission. She has requested a refund. How would you handle it? Please advice. Thanks


If the work was 6 days late, regardless of the reasonableness of the initial deadline, the client could have closed the contract on the day of the deadline and paid you nothing. Some clients are willing to extend deadlines or accept that they will need to proofread the work. But, the client is not obligated to do anything that wasn't part of your agreement with them. 

Is the client now asking for a full refund or just a refund of $50? If it is just $50, you should grant it and consider yourself lucky that the contract wasn't canceled. Alternatively, you could issue a full refund and keep the book for yourself. (If you are not paid for the work, you own the copyright.)

tlsanders
Community Member

Not responsive to your question, OP, but if $50 matters much one way or another in payment for a 20,000 word book requiring research, there was at least one zero missing from your pricing.


Tiffany S wrote:

... if $50 matters much one way or another in payment for a 20,000 word book requiring research, there was at least one zero missing from your pricing.


If the client is paying a freelancer $ 50 to proofread a 20 000 word book, we can take an educated guess what they paid the "writer"........

 

A fascinating glimpse into the murky depths of the freelancing pond...

 

nasaye
Community Member

Don't even go there 🙂

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