Yesterday’s post sucked. At least I think it did. I felt pressured by my self-imposed “post a day” edict. And the day got away from me. So last night, when I really, really, really just wanted to go to sleep, I was cranking out a post. Stupid. I know.

So if you think yesterday’s post sucked, you’re right and I apologize.

I spent the better part of my day working for free. Sick, huh?

A client of mine was rushing to get her book to print. So she’s whipping off back cover text to me and asking me to take a look. She’s asking me to look over the book. She’s asking me to send it off to the book producer. And all this is going on under a ULTRA TIGHT deadline. Not my deadline. Hers.

My job was done last month. In fact, I performed above and beyond the initial project agreement and she ended up with a smokin’ deal in terms of what she paid and the amount of work I cranked out.

But my client keeps sucking me in. CCing me on emails. Asking me questions. I don’t know how long I’ve spent answering questions. Or scrambling to find her another book producer so she can get her books in print within a month’s time. Or reformatting her book. I don’t want to know. Because if I think of the time I’ve spent, then I’ll think of the hours I should have billed. And that will lead to thinking about the money I should be getting paid.

Bad business, this working for free crap? Well, certainly not the smartest thing to do!

But some professionals do it, regardless. REALTORS work from free. They work and work hoping they’ll get a transaction and then that the transaction will close. Since I used to work in real estate, that whole “work in the hopes of making a deal and then closing is successfully” is nothing new to me.

But I am no longer in real estate. Not as an agent, anyway. I just write about real estate. So, as a writer, perhaps working for free is stupid.

Why did I do it? I like my client. She’s a real go-getter. And I believe in her project. And I didn’t want to leave her in the lurch when time was of the essence.

I only hope that working for free will result in more paid work – with that client or referrals through her. Because I really, really, really don’t plan on doing anymore free work. Seriously.